Kat Martin: The Last Salmon (detail)
click to view full artwork

By Britt Freda

I had a chance to connect with Kat Martin, winner of the SOS/NWAAE 2024 Poster Competition in the category of Advocacy and Collective Action (detail above).

Britt Freda: First of all, Kat, congratulations on this piece!  Not only are you a first-place winner for the NWAAE / SOS poster competition, when I last visited your Instagram, it looks like lots of people (about 2,400) are seeing it and loving it!  Your Instagram handle is Killerwhaleartist.  You’re a self-described marine activist.  Will you tell us about how you came to killer whales as your inspiration for your creative work?

Kat Martin: Thank you so much for the wonderful opportunity to be a part of the contest. Advocacy and action are my drive, so this was a perfect way to raise that awareness. My love for killer whales started about 15 years ago with Free Willy. Being a young, inspired kid with a drawing pencil always in hand, I took to the sketchbooks. What started as a simple interest and drawing for fun turned into a full-blown passion that went for the stars. The more I researched and drew orcas, the more enamored I became with them. Over the years, I also learned about the dangers certain populations faced, and for years I always felt like there was not much I could do. It then dawned on me that I had the most important tools at the ready to raise awareness: My pencil and paper.

BF: Will you tell us about the story behind the creation of this piece?

KM: Back in 2015 or so, I created an art piece in watercolor with a few Southern Residents circling a single salmon. This was right around the time we had a massive baby boom within the Southern Resident population. While the future was looking up for the whales, at the time, we still had a serious issue on our hands. Our whales needed salmon if they were to survive, especially these new mothers that had babies to feed. Since then, we have lost a significant number of whales to starvation. When the NWAEE contest came out, I pondered at the ideas I wanted to bring to life. As I scrolled through my portfolio, I came across the old watercolor piece again. It hit me right then and there. I was going to do this piece again only this time, we were going to have every living Southern Resident killer whale present. Just to ram home the message that we have too few whales left with not enough salmon. What’s sad is that in the time this new art piece has been out (which is only a few months), we have lost yet another Southern Resident killer whale.

BF: We used this artwork in a recent printing of SOS / NWAAE posters to get out the vote.  When people learn all of the surviving Southern Residents are represented in this one image, we’ve heard how deeply moved they are, and how sad they are to sit with that information.  First, will you expand on what emotions you hope to evoke in people when they see this piece.  And secondly, will you talk a little bit about why it is important to you to call forward that emotion?

KM: When people look at the art piece I have created, I want people to be shocked. When we talk about there being 73 whales, that can seem like a lot of animals to some people. But if you can get them to see the bigger picture, it will hopefully make them stop to think about the severity of the matter. Words can only go so far, but having an actual visual display for people to look at will really get them to see how few whales we really do have left. I sometimes look at my own piece and think to myself “wow, am I sure there are 73 whales in this piece? This doesn’t look like a lot”, and every time it shocks me when I do the counting. If I can get people to connect to these whales and understand their dire situation, I believe people will be compelled to take action. We are in a time when the whales need our help the most. They need soldiers on the frontline to help. They need votes that will help protect their future in the long run.

BF:  You recently created a full-body version of this piece that we’re using on newly released sweatshirts and t-shirts. It is an honor for us to have the opportunity to use your artwork in our advocacy work to fight the extinction of salmon and orcas. If people want to purchase apparel with your artwork that supports Save Our wild Salmon and NW Artists Against Extinction they can find it in our NWAAE / SOS storefront on Bonfire.  Wearing your artwork inspires conversations; conversations inspire action.  What would you most like people to know about the Southern Residents or what do you hope people will be inspired to do?

KM: At the end of the day, it is my hope that people choose to fight for these whales, no matter where they are from. Whether they are on the other side of the United States or somewhere in Europe. The more voices we have for these whales, the better.  As I often love to quote from Alexandra Morton, “if we lose the Southern Residents orcas, it will be the first extinction where every individual’s name was known”. That is not a future I want to ever see. It sounds a lot like a broken record, but please vote, vote, vote! Our policies pave the way for a brighter future, but that future needs people to step up to the plate. The time for action is now. If you can’t vote, then write, call, protest, anything you can to make your voice heard.

BF: Lastly, as we close, what activity in your life most inspires you, right now?

KM: I will finish up by saying I have a lot of inspiration in whale watching and being present with nature. I feel so much more in touch with my heart, soul, and body when I choose to be present with nature, whales and all! Thank you so much for the opportunity to partake in this interview. 

BF:  Kat, thank you so much for taking the time to respond and share.  We are truly grateful to have the opportunity to work with you.