the Whale Shark- Print Club Prep
While I wait for the winter storm, 2026 edition, I have some time before the power inevitably goes out to start carving the whale shark for February.
The Whale Shark, of course, was the big appeal of the Georgia aquarium and has been a source of inspiration for many years. I feel blessed to have seen the whale at work during one of my visits last summer, as seen in the photos here. Dancing with manta rays, surrounded by fish the size of small vehicles, this fish is an astounding size, and yet has such a rhythm and grace to its movements, you can’t help but wonder if it knows.
Not long before seeing this one, its brother had died, and so it remains the only whale shark in captivity in the United States. One can’t help but wonder if it misses its companion, and if it knows the feeling of loss. It’s hard not to watch it slowly glide in circles in the giant tank and wonder these things. Then again, we tend to assume fish don’t have much agency over their thoughts, don’t we? Hopefully, we can know these things eventually. Part of me wishes I could study them. Part of me knows some things might always be a mystery, like the depths of the ocean or the myriad life beneath the sea.
The feeling of standing mere feet away from such a marvel through the glass reminded me once again of the enormity and beauty of the world beyond me. There are so many things to be seen and experienced, and yet they do not need to be seen or experienced to exist and be beautiful and free. It is a privilege to be able to care for and steward this world and to be a part of it. Sometimes it just takes seeing a few giant fishes to remember that. (I had to double check the correct use of “fishes” and it is true, “fishes” refers to multiple species of fish, while “fish” refers to many fish of one species.)
From start to finish, this piece didn’t take very long. The sketch left me feeling underwhelmed, and the carved block didn’t help. But after spending some more time finalizing the piece, I decided this one was finished. The print includes a dark shade of blue and black, unlike most of the other prints (although the other shark so far, the hammerhead, also includes a blue ink).
Some part of me wonders if the prints should be more true to life, or authentically handmade rather than edited in post (as they say in the film industry). Note to self: find a lighter weight/thinner paper made for printmaking. The thick bristol I have been using leaves splotches and takes too long to dry.
As for now, I will lean more into each print as it comes, and as more resources become available to explore art making techniques, continue to try new things. I hope you have a great month! The February print is available starting Feb 1.
