‘Ocean Family’ is inspired by an experience I had in Kauai on my honeymoon, when a humpback whale visited the boat my wife and I were on and ended up hanging near the boat for a good 5 minutes. As our boat had stopped off the Na Pali Coast shores the whale brought his head fully out of the water as I could see his eye observing us as we watched him. He began spinning near the surface of the water showing his massive belly and then coming up and spraying the boat with burst of water from his blowhole.
In the captain’s 10 years running the sunset cruise he said he had never had a whale stay near the boat as long as he did and perform the way he did. My wife and I saw it as a good omen as we began our marriage just the week before. It was an incredible spiritual experience to be that close to such a beautiful and mysterious animal. The ‘Ocean Family’ is a celebration of that experience, the humpback and the Ocean and all it’s creatures.

In this design you’ll find sea turtles, manta rays, octopus, a jellyfish and many different fish. The illustration was done in pencil, then ink, then scanned in to the computer. The line work is influenced by traditional Hawaiian designs with my own twists and turns. Hope you enjoy.