Extinction is forever

Photo credit: Ari S. Friedlaender/Oregon State University

On April 1st 2014, Australia (and the world) celebrated “an end to whaling in the Southern Ocean”.
I rejoiced at this news, but deep down, I felt uneasy.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ), demanded Japan cease its whaling program "with immediate effect" as it didn't comply with the country's obligations under the international whaling convention.
Japan stated that it was "deeply disappointed" that the UN's top court ruled in favour of Australia by declaring its Southern Ocean whale hunt illegal, but nevertheless insisted it would abide by the decision.

However my heart is heavy. I find it hard to comprehend in the light of the not altogether surprising, but still depressing, confirmation by Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, during his current visit to Australia and New Zealand, that Japan would continue its whaling program in the Southern Ocean.

The whaling wars down under will continue, as Japan navigates the loophole and structures a new research program, despite the ICJ ruling calling the previous Jarpa II research program “a sham”, and simply a guise for commercial whaling.

Photo credit: Ho New/Reuters

Mr Abe said, “One of the objectives of the international convention for regulating whaling is indeed a sustainable use of resources. Based on this, Japan will engage in research of whaling in order to collect the indispensable scientific information in order to manage the whale resources”. 

What the fuck?

Makes no sense.

The fact that the Australian Antarctic Territory is a declared and established sanctuary, seems of no consequence.

And, despite pre-election promises to the contrary, whaling was not on this political agenda, as Australia's Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, chose to avoid the "thorny issue".

Sea Shepherd founder, Captain Paul Watson has said, "I don't think Tony Abbott cares for the whales one bit."

Mr Abbott said this week, that the friendship between Japan and Australia was, "far, far bigger than our disagreement on one particular subject".
"Friends can disagree on subjects and that's in no way inconsistent with a strong and growing friendship."


What’s a few dead whales between friends, eh Tony?


Mr Abe said, "Our countries both love peace. We value freedom and democracy and we hold human rights and the rule of law dear," and called the relationship "special".


So, I suppose animals have no rights then, Mr Abe?
And, rules are meant to be bent or broken to suit.

I call bullshit on both of you.


It’s clearly obvious that trade agreements are far more important than the respect of conservationists worldwide.
Of course they are, what am I thinking?

Political power and economics rule.

The World Wildlife Fund has stated that the International Whaling Commission should reject any new proposal from Japan to resume whaling in the Southern Ocean Sanctuary near Antarctica.


In the meantime, it’s once again up to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, and its valiant, unfailing volunteers and supporters, to defend the whales, harass the whalers and ensure no money is made from the Japanese commercial whaling expeditions in the Southern Ocean.
"Scientific" or otherwise.

Because, "the tables are turned, they're the ones who are the criminals".

The world will be watching.

Photo credit: Isabel Ender

Along with fighting the Western Australian government’s application to extend the shark drum line policy and continue the barbaric, controversial shark cull - which has been strongly opposed by hundreds of the world’s top marine scientists and researchers - Sea Shepherd continues to lead global campaigns to protect, defend and conserve the world’s oceans.

via

"We cannot live on this planet with a dead ocean. If our oceans die, we die."

~ Captain Paul Watson, Sea Shepherd

 The best kind of pirate… fierce defender of the oceans.

I make NO apologies for including some of these images. They are the truth in pictures.  If they offend, click away.  If they anger and inflame your sense of justice for what is happening in our oceans, please consider supporting Sea Shepherd – International or Australia. 

Leviathan Love ~ Part 2

Just as the sea and the song of the whale called to me recently, so has the yearning to get back to sculpting. To have my hands forming in 3D again.
And, it somehow felt right that the gentle, giant denizens of the deep be my first subjects.

A few weeks ago, I briefly sketched a simple guide to refer to.

Then my journey began.

The first whale came to life in my hands pretty quickly. Then, one after the other was born.

 whale without a tail

Once completed, they were tucked under a blanket of plastic to ensure slow, even drying. The flippers are very fragile at this “green” stage and required careful handling as the sculpts dried.
The plastic was removed in the last few days before going into the kiln.

 a curious onlooker

Once bisque fired, my pod await glazing, belly up safely in a sea of foam and padding.

Last weekend, whilst the glaze kiln was cooling down, hubby and I visited a salvage yard. It was like they used to be - before rustic, or rather “vintage”, became trendy and ridiculously expensive.
This wonderfully cobwebbed, dusty Aladdin's cave was filled with old furniture and (once familiar every day) bric-a-brac, that propelled me back to my childhood.
And, out back had odd assortments of gems that might mean nothing to one, but would appeal greatly to another.  One man's junk, as they say.
I came out with a few short lengths of old wood and some rusted objects that were once part of an industrial or mechanical workshop.

As much as I can, I would like to incorporate the element of found objects, along with salvaged/reclaimed wood, with my sculpts.
And I’m always on the lookout for old/vintage books about the sea, birds, animals and related poetry, to include in my work if and when it seems fitting.

May objects and words inspire me to create a story around them.

Having painted animal portraits years ago, I was very tempted to spend more time than I should in creating realistic pieces.
Trying to keep them simple and stylised, rather than real, and knowing when to say “done”, was the trick for me.
And, to remind myself that there is a certain price point that people are willing to spend at a market – even if it is an art & craft market.

My "stylised" whales were created with that in mind.

Here are two that I’ve mounted and finished. The others are still waiting patiently.

I used glazes, or rather, underglazes, with a chalk/matte finish, and chose not to overglaze with a gloss finish.

I really like the tiny rainbow that fell across the base here – an echo of my past, living on the “Rainbow Coast” of W.A.
It also highlights the "Head of the Bight" Whale Sanctuary :)

And so, I hope to be able to juggle my requirements to keep my usual market wares in stock, while finding time to sculpt.
As winter approaches, and markets become scarce, it will hopefully be a good opportunity to do just that.
Perhaps, it would be nice also, to approach a few galleries to see if they’d be interested.
But, I know it’s a tough and competitive art world, and I’m wary of high hopes and ambitions in these uncertain economic times.
So, I hope I’m not getting my ambition mixed up with my aptitude :)

There are times I feel very daunted and doubtful in my ability. But, that I have to overcome.
My artistic ventures were never supported when I was growing up, being told that I was "never good enough". And after all these years, doubt still gnaws at the edges of my sometimes fragile art-ego.

But, to sculpt. To feed my creative soul. It has been good - very good to do so. And I’m cautiously pleased with myself, and my muse.
For now.

♥

Leviathan Love ~ Part 1

Our recent trip down to the peninsula reminded me how much I miss the sea.

For over sixteen years, we lived on the southernmost tip of Western Australia.

 

1986 - scanned from my archives... a cardboard box :)

A wild and gloriously rugged coastline, with an uninterrupted horizon of cobalt and indigo blue that stretched out as far as the eye could see. Next stop would be Antarctica.

We were just minutes from a pristine and (well, back then) very private beach known only to the locals and but a few visitors. Where the sand was so fine and quartz white, it squeaked as you walked.
A little bay of blue, bordered by boulders on both sides. A tiny secret harbour where the light danced and shimmered in the aqua-green shallows.

 2000 - having the beach to ourselves, and loving it!

Looking out over the gloriously vast, cold waters of the Southern Ocean, I would think about the myriad creatures swimming within that deep blue.
Sharks - often gorgeous Great Whites, at salmon run time – dolphins, orcas, seals, penguins, turtles, stingrays, beautiful array of fish and minute sea life, and of course… whales.

Since Albany's bloody history of whaling ended in 1978, whale numbers have grown, and they now breed and feed safely in the sheltered and protected waters off the coast, migrating between the warm northern waters and the cooler seas surrounding Antarctica. Where sadly, for too long and for so many, it became their last journey.

I have long been a supporter of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. And, consider Captain Paul Watson, founder of Sea Shepherd, a hero.
He is no pencil pushing head of an organisation behind a desk.
This huge hearted vigilante, and pirate for the seas, has perilously placed himself between whales and harpoon ships for over 30 years.
I consider myself very fortunate to have met Paul in Fremantle years ago, when I donated food supplies for their Antarctic campaign, Operation Migaloo.
He and his brave, tireless, dedicated crews defend not only the great leviathans of the seas, but all that dwell within the depths.
It is they, the creatures of the sea, who are his clients.

On April 1st 2014, the world woke to the news about the ban on whaling in the Southern Ocean. Making the “research whaling program”, which has killed thousands of whales in the spurious name of "science", illegal.
A momentous and hard won victory for Paul, his incredible conservation society and their many supporters.
Whilst wildlife organisations and governments were calling for an end to whaling, it was the Sea Shepherd who laid their lives on the line, every season, to ensure as very few whales as possible were slaughtered, and that the whalers “quota” not be met.

They fight at the front line. True soldiers for the sea.

Sea Shepherd’s public campaigns influenced the Australian government to act, which brought about the International Court of Justice final decision.
It is Sea Shepherd that I take my hat off to. And will continue to support, as they keep a keen eye on the Southern Ocean next season to ensure Japan abides by the decision.
Should they return however, the ships bearing the familiar black eco-pirate flag will be on their heels.
Now to stop whaling in the north.

One day soon, may whaling be relegated to the history books for all time.
Also, an end to the cruel slaughter of the dolphins in Taiji, senseless shark finning and culling, remove baited drumlines and longline fishing, the worldwide closure of oceanariums/sea worlds - the list of cruelty is almost endless and overwhelming.
But, time, determination and the passion of organisations like Sea Shepherd and millions of supporters will help win out in the end.
It can be done.

♥

*I'll post Part 2 on Friday.