Paddling through the peaceful waters of the Puget Sound, you may be lucky enough to encounter sealions splashing after salmon. Off in the distance, a plume of water sparkles into the air—is that the spout of an sleek orca, or perhaps a mighty humpback whale? Snoqualmie artist Taylor Cameron has immortalized these beloved Pacific Northwest icons in their Salish Waters Fine Art Print.
The Snoqualmie People and other Pacific Northwest-based Native tribes have paddled the waters of the Puget Sound since time immemorial. Taylor's Salish Waters Fine Art Print honors that experience and the sea's finned and furred inhabitants. Four paddle outlines reach across the page, one each to feature "sea life that hold cultural, spiritual and ecological importance to the Coast Salish people in Washington State," says Taylor. Below, Taylor has shared the significance of each creature to her tribe in her own words:
- Killer Whale: Symbolizes strength, protection and spiritual guidance. Orcas are seen as ancestors or carry the spirits of deceased relatives. Orcas play a crucial role in maintaining marine ecosystems.
- Humpback Whale: Symbolizes good luck, abundance, and fertility. Seen as messengers between the physical and spiritual worlds and often associated with creation stories. They maintain marine ecosystems and presence indicates healthy oceans.
- Sea lion: Symbolizes strength and provision. Associated with spiritual guidance, protection and healing. Their adaptability, resilience, and sense of community play a role in the ecosystem.
- Salmon: Symbolizes renewal and abundance. Salmon are a central part of the Pacific Northwest tribal cultures and are an important source of food for our communities. Salmon are sacred to our people and are a gift from creator. Healthy salmon populations support the scenic landscapes that attract residents and tourists to Washington. Other species in the Salish sea also depend on salmon as a food source.
Our Salish Waters Fine Art Print makes the perfect Seattle souvenir, gift for your favorite outdoor lover, or reminder of the beautiful land we share here in the Pacific Northwest.
Product details:
- Giclée fine art print (unframed)
- Open edition; made by Eighth Generation
- 8" x 10" artwork size (w/ .5" border on all sides: total print size including margins is 9" x 11")
- Canson Aquarelle Rag 310 gsm paper meets the highest archival standards
- Professionally packaged and shipped flat
- Eighth Generation’s fine art prints include "AC" for "Artist Centered." This unique denotation references our purposeful effort to align business practices with artist interests rather than collector interests.
- Original work is a digital drawing
Our Native-designed fine art prints are created in our studio on archival paper. This is one more example of our Native business taking back production so we can further invest in our artists and community!
Known as giclée prints (pronounced "zhe-clay"), our fine art prints are distinguished from mass-produced prints due to their quality, longevity, and value. We print using a state-of-the-art, large-format fine art printer in our Seattle-based art studio. Because they're printed on acid-free paper, our prints won't degrade over time, and when displayed out of direct sunlight will maintain their color saturation and fine detail for decades.
Thank you for supporting Inspired Natives®, not "Native-inspired".