This piece descends into the quiet blue where sunlight fades and beaked whales roam. Found in every ocean, these elusive deep divers favor offshore waters along continental slopes, submarine canyons, and oceanic trenches, dropping thousands of meters to hunt in near-silence. Their form is made for the task: a streamlined body with a set-back dorsal fin, a long, narrow beak (elongated rostrum), a rounded melon and recessed blowhole for echolocation, and—among many species—tusk-like teeth that erupt in adult males.
Scientists have proposed that males also carry hidden “internal antlers”—dense bony crests and ridges buried beneath the skin that whales can read with sound. Because beaked whales can distinguish hard bone from soft tissue in returning echoes, the signal never needs to break the surface; the body stays sleek for extreme dives. These concealed structures may also figure in male competition, consistent with the heavy scarring observed on many males.
The artwork translates that secret language into a visual puzzle. Layered, horn-like arcs suggest the internal antlers; a clean, forward thrust resolves into the beak; and a sweeping taper sketches the whale’s body shape. Waves of red, blue, and gold trace the rhythm of long descents and gentle ascents, echoing sonar patterns and the quiet resilience of life far below the surface—where survival and serenity meet.
Recognition: Received Honorable Mention Award by the Marin Society of Artists.
