The Desert Porpoise

As promised, here's the other half of the two-part vaquita commission I recently completed. A full-colour, more emotive painting to accompany the scientifically 'minimalistic' species illustration.

Not only are vaquita very rare, they're also very inconspicuous, meaning that finding them and taking good photographs is a pain. They do not spyhop, they do not jump, so the most iconic picture you'll ever get is a single eye peeking out over the waterline. Which is a bit of a problem when the animal in question is highly endangered and needs some good PR to get people to care. For that purpose, this painting was made. It is to appear on the website of the Porpoise Conservation Society, accompanying articles and campaigns.

I was given almost complete artistic freedom with this piece, which was difficult at first (I couldn't think of anything!) but also allowed me to work out the idea I eventually did have The only requirement was that it had to show a mother and calf underwater. I did a lot of looking around at what the waters in the Gulf of California look like, and they're a most beautiful bluish green. I coupled that with twilight at the end of a hot desert day, when the sun has set and the moon is out, but the sky is still light.

Vaquitas are in a strange place; their numbers are hopeless yet more people care about them than ever before. I tried to show that duality in this painting. It's the end of the day, and the symbolic end of the vaquitas too, perhaps? Yet in the remaining light a single calf swims, bringing some hope for the species in what may prove to be their swan song.