Secrets:  This whale leaping out of the waves is very different from my usual sculptures and when I decided to try it, I wasn’t sure whether we would release it or not! Popular subjects like whales and sea lions have always caused me problems. The difficulty is in trying to get a finish that is both smooth and black and that I am happy with. I decided to experiment with a black resin, adding white inserts for the whale’s white cheek flashes. Although successful in achieving the true black required for a whale, this new technique brought several new problems, so I probably won’t use it again - this piece may really become “one of a kind”.