Vaquita Marina

The word vaquita is Spanish for “little cow”.  He is a species of porpoise and on the brink of extinction.  One of the world’s most threatened marine species is a tiny porpoise.  It only exists in the Gulf of California, outside of Mexico. It is officially one of Mexico’s threatened species.  No one knows for sure how many are still alive today; but by 2018 there were less than 19, according to researchers estimate. Unless the decline of this species can be halted, the vaquitas are likely to go extinct before 2021.  What a beautiful little guy.  It is frustrating to watch the process and we can’t do anything about it.  So if all I can do is draw.  I draw.
With the lock down in place from covid 19, I should have lots of time.  In reality, I don’t have more time.  I am just busier than ever, and that’s a lot for me.  I chose to get into the guts of photoshop and learn a new interface and grapple with new tools and the wonderful Cintique as my venue.  What is normally so easy for me in watercolor is still a struggle in this new format.  I’m not thinking tonally. I”m in essence trying to paint tonally like an oil painter with digital tools that I can’t find easily, so it’s coming out crude.  I keep getting messed up by the interface.  Practice time I am sure will fix this.  Every day I tackle the challenge. Here you go baby