Phoenix Rising

Phoenix Rising – Orcas of the Salish Sea

Bronze sculpture mounted on driftwood and quartzite/feldspar by Debra Garside has just been mounted and is ready for a new home (Edition 1/25).

In this sculpture Tali is seen at the bottom, her tiny form soon to be transitioned into the sea floor as part of the cycle of life. Mother Tahlehqua is reaching toward the surface in a gentle arc as her precocious son Phoenix leaps over her and into a future where orcas will rise again.

The story of the J-Pod Orca Tahlequah has touched the hearts of many. She gave birth to Tali on July 24, 2018 but the calf died shortly after. Tahlequah and other females in her pod carried Tali’s body on their noses for 17 days over 1600 km in a period of extreme mourning. This grieving attracted international attention to the endangered Southern Resident Orca population and has driven new measures to encourage their well-being.

On September 5, 2020 the world was excited to learn that Tahlequah had given birth to Phoenix, a healthy male calf. J-Pod appears to be on a tenuous comeback from near extinction. This bronze sculpture is a tribute to the Southern Residents orcas and a memorial to the young female Tali whose short life will always be remembered along with her brother Phoenix who will hopefully carry on the J-Pod family genes.

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