Terry Pyles
Sea Mammal Sculptures

I'm not particularly superstitious and it was time. After the 2 months it took to build this beast, I wanted the use of my shop back.

The sculpture is of a female orca , young adult size, at 19 feet in length. Construction is epoxy resin and fiberglass cloth over closed cell, fire retardant foam, over paper mache over a plywood and chicken wire frame. Approximate weight: 250-300 lbs. All hand sculpted. No molds were used in its construction. Its eyes I made of Moretti glass.

Despite the rain, my dedicated crew of 17 friends were able to transport and install this leviathan without mishap.

I'd like to thank the following friends for helping with the installation.

Don Wrobel, Craig Koch, Mike Peters, Jim Campbell, Chip Porter, Gregg Poppen, Gary Ohmer, Dr. George Shaffer, Dave Coates, Craig Carson, *Gary Staab, Joe Nichols, Ray Troll, Mike Fleenor, City Mayor Bob Weinstein, Russ Todd and Hall Anderson.

A special thanks to Mike and Kathy Fleenor for helping to cover the cost of materials.

And thanks to Louise Kern and substituting art teacher, Lois Munch and the following art students From Ketchikan High School for help in the paper mache phase of construction:

Period 1:

Garrett Strait,
Joan Manabat

Period 3:

Samantha Anderson, Leanna Booth, Josh Cohen, Brittany Hoyt, Andrew Russell, Kacey Shull, Caylee Timmerman

Period 4:

Forrest McGillis, William Newlin, Amy Sittman, Jake Ostrom

Period 5:

William Bickford, Sheri Fisher, Amanda Houts, Livia Ney, Boyd Runnion-Sunderland, John Wallace, Samantha Yeltatzie

Period 6:

Tiffany Coates, Larissa Figley, Athena Gabor, Emily Willett, Jon Williams, Bonnibell Nacionales

Special thanks to Dave Coates for furnishing materials and providing space and equipment for the installation.

Photos 1, 2 and 3 by Ray Troll

My apology to anyone that I might have forgotten to mention.