The Seattle Aquarium is proud to display two new murals from celebrated artists Ray Troll, Grace Freeman and the late Marvin E. Oliver (Quinault/Isleta Pueblo). “Salish Seascape” and “Ocean Travelers” now adorn the walls of the Aquarium’s Marine Mammals habitat.
“Salish Seascape” celebrates the diverse array of life that make their homes in and along the Salish Sea, which is a coastal extension of the Pacific Ocean that includes Puget Sound. The fish are drawn in Ray’s signature style, which has been dubbed “scientific surrealism.” For this piece, Ray dug deep into the catalog of drawings he’s created over his decades-long career. Many of the fish featured in this mural are ones Ray originally created for the University of Washington in 2010.
“This mural is a combination of a career’s worth of work with all my fish stuff from the Pacific Northwest,” Ray says.
The mural came to life when artist Grace Freeman digitized Ray’s designs and added her own touches, like the mermaid swimming around in the upper right section. The artists added other hidden gems to the seascape, including a pencil, paintbrush and portrait of Ivar Haglund, founder of the seafood restaurant chain Ivar’s.
“Ocean Travelers” features a run of salmon in the styles of Ray and the late Coast Salish artist Marvin E. Oliver. Ray and Marvin ran adjacent art studios in Ketchikan, Alaska before Marvin passed in 2019. Throughout their long friendship, they discussed doing a collaborative piece. This mural fulfills that wish.
“A friend of mine once said that art stands in the river of time,” Ray says. “And I’ve always liked that phrase. Marvin is no longer with us. But Marvin is still with us through his art.”
Marvin’s son, artist Owen Oliver (Quinault/Isleta Pueblo), said the work is a testament to the friendship between his father and Ray. It also pays homage to Indigenous values, as Coast Salish people have looked after these waters since time immemorial and continue to do so today.
A CHANCE TO GIVE BACK THROUGH ART
Ray has lived in Ketchikan for the past 40 years, but Seattle holds a special place in his heart. He moved to the city in 1977—the same year the Aquarium opened—and sold his prints at Pike Place Market. Since then, he’s spent a lot of time at the Aquarium because he considers it one of the best places to see fish in action without having to take a dive.
Ray has long been fascinated with underwater creatures, a feeling he hopes to share through his art. He’s proud to have his work displayed in the Aquarium that helped feed his curiosity and continues to inspire that same feeling in others.
“If you get people to stop for a second and marvel at something as tiny as a Pacific spiny lumpsucker, you have fostered a sense of wonder and awe and fascination,” Ray says. “And if you become fascinated by something, you begin to care for it.”
The Aquarium would like to thank Marvin’s family, Ray and Grace for allowing us to display their art. We are proud to showcase art from such talented, passionate people who care deeply about nature. These murals reflect our S.A.L.I.S.H. values, which include inspiring a sense of excited curiosity in our guests and honoring the Indigenous peoples who were the original stewards of this area and currently play a valuable role in guiding its conservation.
Come check out the new murals on your next visit to the Aquarium.
