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MaddRaVen β Memory of the Whale
Published: 2006-11-04 05:10:22 +0000 UTC; Views: 3699; Favourites: 73; Downloads: 34
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Description
"Time, the dark whale, spouts blithely from his spiracle,A jet of memory that makes glad the sun.β
Oil on Canvasboard, 25' x 15'
This is a surreal depiction of the modern whale and the shadow of its ancestor, the monstrous Basilosaurus.
While they may have changed in form, the whale has not lost its immortal presence. They instill a sense that perhaps the whale is time: through the eternity of their past, the majesty of their presence, and the uncertainty of their future.
~~~~~~~~~~
"We might peer into the future at the generations yet unborn and ask ourselves if we're really trustworthy custodians of their heritage. Do we have the right to tell them that they can never see a whale?"
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Comments: 54
Thank you so much! You journal looks excellent. I think what you are doing is wonderful. I am a huge environmentalist myself, and I believe encouragement and engagement are the most important steps. Well done!
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Beautifully executed concept. I love how it's powerful, informative and interesting - get to see the ancestor of a whale!
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I love the concept and the description AND the painting is really well done too!
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Thank you very much! It is nice to see my work appreciated ^_^
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Love the description and the concept, and the work itself!
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Thank you very much! ^_^
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Great job! I love this! I've been whale watching 3 times trying to catch a glimpse of a Humpback. Still have yet to see one, there's so few.
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Thank you so much!
I would absolutely love to see a whale. I can't imagine the feeling of actually seeing their immense forms, and how safe you would feel near them. I was lucky enough to go dolphin watching, but whales are definately on my life-list! And keep trying, I am sure one day you will get some luck! It will be worth it.
Thanks!
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Thank you! We went up in Mass. I know they do it out of the south too. They start up north, then the south does it once the whales migrate to the warmer waters for breeding season. I saw some Right Fin whales. Much bigger than the boat I was on, lol, but you really don't think about it. You just don't want to miss anything. You should try to go some day. $30 per head out of Gloucester, Mass.
Cape Ann Whale Watch: [link]
The price probably changes due to season.
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Great idea to combine the modern whale with its ancestor, and your comments give food for thought. Itβs a beautifully painted image; the hues and lighting and lovely.
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Thank you! I just believe there is such an immensity in the history of our earth. The living beings we witness today are the result of millions of years of shaping and perfection--almost like a painting, building layer upon layer. Their history is just an underpainting of what they were, but without it, they would never have developed into what they are.
*sigh* Sorry for the tangent, but I just find nature so inspiring!
And thank you so much for the favourites. I really appreciate it!
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Thank you so much!! ^_^ And thanks a lot for the fav!
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It's a pleasure m'deer
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Loving dinosaurs as I do, it was instant love with this image as well. Brilliant work, just brilliant.
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Thank you so much!!
I am a dinosaur nut too. I started liking them in grade 1, and it never seemed to wear off! I think it is a passion you just can't grow out of. ^_^
Thanks!!!!!
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I'd love to see more of these sorts of images. I'll have to watch you just in case you get inspired to do another.
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anything to do with cetacean evolution facinates me. this depiction is truley inspiring.
out of curiosity, where is the quote in bold from? it looks familiar.
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Me too. I absolutely love the mysteries of their ancestory, and how they are still trying to piece together how they came from land. They are incredible creatures, and still not a lot is known about them. Apparently scientists have just determined that grey whales might actually live to be over 150 years old!
The quote is from an environmentalist named David R. Brower. I just happened upon it randomly, and it fits perfectly with my own naturalist views that it is our job to protect what is left of what we have destroyed.
Another one of my favourite quotes that seems to be along the same line is "We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children. ."
I don't think it could be put any better than that.
^_^
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Wow. This is pretty amazing. Great color choices, and I really enjoy the concept.
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I really appreciate that. I think oil is the perfect medium for colour. Thank you very much!!
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Yeah. I always admire people that have the patience for oil.
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So do I. 
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Wow What is that sign in your back? You know why because that sign i have done it all my childhood. Drawing it everywhere. I was very surprise to see it on your back for me it looks like a 2 and a 4. Thank you to answer me I put you in my fav!
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That's so weird!! I've drawn it since I can remember, too! I even have it as part of my signature!!
What it actually is is the sign for Jupiter. (My planet isn't Jupiter though.) All of the planets have different signs, and I have them memorized. Saturn looks like a "N", Pluto like a P and L combined, Venus is the sign for female, males for Mars, the Sun is a circle with a dot in the centre, Uranus looks like a tritan, and so on....I don't really know the actual meaning of the Jupiter one is exactly, so I looked it up:
Apparently Jupiter is also known as 'Brahaspatiβ or βGuruβ, so I would assume this applies to the symbol as well. "Jupiter is believed to rule both Moon and Sun and controls the movement of the planets. Jupiter signifies luck and fortune. The planet is responsible for success, fortune, luck and fame. "
I hope that helps! That is so cool that you've taken that symbol as your own as well... I find it just comes naturally!
^_^
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Well very interesting, I wonder why all my childhood i draw this sign, so we already have something to share. Thank you very much for having take the time to answer my funny question. Very nice of you bye.I wonder why Jupiter seems so important maybe it was my (before) planet! When youa re young you are supposed to remember about the life you live before this one. Maybe i am an allien who knows!
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Anytime! ^_^
It's cool to know we share some crazy idea from childhood.
Maybe... we are ALL aliens.... *dun dun dunnnn*
It was nice to talk to you about it!
~Lauren~
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ooh, this one's awesome! It's cool how you put up drawings less often, but they're always really high quality, unlike all those people who put like a million half-assed doodles up on their DA on a daily basis. grrrr!
Yeah, I know. most of my doodles are pretty half-assed, but I put them up rarely, so people don't have to constantly sort through heaps of my shit. That makes me less of ahypocrite... right, right?
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Haha!
(wow, long time!)
Thank you.. I have so many pictures I've been waiting for the right time to put up, but it causes these huge breaks of unsureness (if thats a word) and I end up not posting anything. Finally I say, what the hell, and put them up.
It's nice to know that my huge effort just to post them is appreciated
Heaps of shit is good too, if you don't mind shit!
But your working isn't shit, its great! Pencil drawings and sketches sometimes have more soul and presence than high effort work. Art isn't about perfection, remember? It's about releasingt those inner demons 
Ps- what's up?
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yeah, it has been a while!
I finished off my school semester, moved back home, and am spending another co-op term as a (not very good) office employee. (I'm writing this from work). How about you? what've you been up to?
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Thats cool, I forgot that you have that weird ass year. I would be very confused doing it.
Office employee? That's too cool. After watching The Office (The BRITISH one, not the American one.. The British one is WAY better) I think that would be quite boring yet hilarious. I'm solely basing this conclusion on what I have witnessed on TV. TV is always truth, you know.
I haven't been up to a lot, I've been getting a lot of work done, but have also been working toward different volunteer things I want to do. I am swamped with art commissions, and am procrastinating badly. The worst part is that I have become addicted to reading, particularly those stupid ass Harry Potter books, which I had sworn years ago on my life that I would never read. I hate to admit that I like it. Now all I am doing is drawing the damn characters. Grrr.
In new info... I had a pet squirrel for about a month (in my rez room!!! Secretly!!) because we found it all alone one day, and my sister and I have a pet sparrow at home since the summer, and even though he was a wild bird, my family has completely fallen for him. He is totally people-trained, and is a little bugger. His name is Jack (Hence, Jack Sparrow, har har). He is by far the most awesome bird EVER. Here he is:
[link]
You can see pics of my squirrel here too: [link]
That was quite the update, I think. Hope things are going well, I am going to get back to drawing things I loathe to admit I am drawing!
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When I first saw this, I couldn't believe that it was under the painting section. I thought you has used color pencil or even pastel to make the light seem so realistic. I've never seen anyone put so much effort and detail into each streak of color, each line, this is amazing. Definitely
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Thank you so much! I'm happy that it came out that way, I was never sure about the background when I made it, but now I am perfectly content.
I really appreciate it! Thanks !
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Oh, you're very welcome! I'm glad I was able to provide feedback on such a wonderful piece.
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Sooo cool. Your talent and patience dumfound me.
I dunno if you're into Star Trek (a whole year together and I don't know!), but I really love Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, where they go back to ... LA? San Fran? in the 80s to save the whales.
That ancestor has quite the fangs! ^__^
~e *.]
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Thanks muffin! Haha, I used to watch it when I was little. I don't remember it though. Jodie Leforge was my favourite, because at the time I was 5 and I LOVED the show Reading Rainbow (ever watch it?) I liked it so much that after I went to Homasassa Springs in Florida, the same place he went in the show, I wrote him a letter, and he sent me an autographed pic and letter back!!
weee!
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Wow!! The only celebrity I ever wrote to was Sean Bean, and alas, he did not reply 
~e xoxo
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I think it was on TVO! I remember because it came after Barney
*gasp* Sean Bean would be awesome to have a reply from. I guess you can't blame him, being lost over a waterfall and all.....
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this is a truely incredibly piece- you've obviously got a beautiful understanding of the medium and composition. I love the way the light is painted through the water.
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Thank you very much! I am a big believer that mood defines an artwork, which I tried to get out through the lighting. I'm glad you appreciate it
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This is truly beautiful with a very unique concept behind it; I hope that you'll continue painting!!!
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