Subtidal Passage, acrylic on canvas, 12 inches x 12 inches. Prints available in the Gallery.

Subtidal Passage is made up of familiar friends, anytime I go diving on the West coast.
I sometimes glimpse Harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) cruising past my bubbles,
but most often I see them napping just above the waves on nearshore rocks.
And, although Painted Greenlings (Oxylebius pictus) blend in unbelievably well
with their surroundings, I can spy them when they dash from spot to spot amongst
the swaying red algae (Rhodymenia spp). The Fish Eating Anemones (Urticina piscivora)
appear like ghostly white flowers in the underwater landscape. They have an interrelationship
with Painted Greenlings just like some anemones in tropical seas have with clownfish.
I am grateful for each dive-adventure I take, because each time I see something new and
wonderful in the underwater realm of the sea. — kirsten

The original Subtidal Passage is part of a mural made up of over 230 original paintings. Over 200 artists collaborated to create the stunning 12 foot x 21 foot mural. Artists did not know what image the final mural would reveal while creating the panels, although Kirsten guessed orcas when she saw a portion of the mural tiles. The mural is comprised of 231, 12 inch x 12 inch original paintings and will permanently reside on Galiano Island, located in the Straight of Georgia, north of Puget Sound, between the cities of Victoria and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

 

The original mosaic panel 166 (left) and progression to Kirsten's final panel 166 (far right).

The illustration is part of the Kunamokst Mural, designed and sponsored by the creative trio; Lewis Levoie, Phil Alain, and Paul Lavoie. Prints, mural books, and mosaic puzzles of the entire mural are available directly from the Mural Mosaic gift shop.

If you'd like to find out more about the community of artists Lewis, Phil and Paul brought together to create the mosaic, visit the online mural active grid to find out more about each mosaic tile and the artists that created them.