Mural on Discovery Island

Paul Archer, Renee Audy, and Josh Lundrigan

This tribute mural for Takaya was painted on the wall of the old foghorn building at the Discovery Island Lighthouse…Takaya now lays forever on a favourite bluff, overlooking the entrance to the Salish Sea at the junction of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Haro Strait. He is a Sentinel … a reminder to cherish the wild and the unusual. To protect and value our large carnivores and our oceans and land that sustains us.

Paul Archer & crew (Renee and Josh) created this ‘Banksy-style’ mural with passion … and a determination to keep Takaya’s legacy alive.

In his words:

“This was a thought I had after the smaller versions of Takaya.
It came to me several times including many signs. But I just didn’t know where to do the large memorial.
Then, I watched the short documentary on Youtube by Cheryl Alexander. Wow!..one animal changed the entire ecosystem to the whole island! Cheryl studied him for 7 years! New birds came to the island and seedling for new plant life. He thought everything through and was a one of a kind! And he was right here in our backyard! I had to go see Discovery Island.
Scoping out the foghorn building and it was perfect…I saw him (Takaya) on the wall! I saw the shape of the rock…the fog on a foghorn building, the mist the overcast and the continuation of ocean wrapped around to a small Luna in the distance and the seals at the far end!
You couldn’t have kept me away from tackling this project!
My crew Renee and Josh, were such troopers carrying compressors and generators up cliffs and rock crevices.
The whole time, with no phone service, just us,…the birds and seals, Lannah and most importantly “Takaya’s” spirit!
Our music of deep wood flutes and Celtic jungle chanting echoing across the ocean behind us! I put the bluetooth speaker inside that tin chimney on the roof and it made for the perfect place of peace! We sat and meditated and did choreographed yoga on top of the building! A truly magical trip!
I didn’t even think of signing it for several reason’s, but one in particular ..Remembering Takaya”

Outdoor Wall Mural

Paul Archer

Paul Archer, a local Victoria artist, created a large outdoor wall mural to honour Takaya. He posted an image of it on Facebook where he said, “Today I am honouring Takaya ,the lone wolf of Discovery Island. He used to swim across to Victoria for short visits. Recently spotted and tranquilized in James Bay, they relocated him up near Shawnigan Lake, only to be shot and killed by a hunter..last month. He was probably the biggest isolationist in the world. Thanks Wesley Dunlop for popping down and painting some sky in for me. I needed to address this issue as he was slowly getting forgotten from everything that’s going on right now. The mural is at the back of my shop across from the YMCA on Broughton at Quadra.

Instagram: @paularcherairbrushing

Marble Sculpture

Kent Laforme

Kent Laforme, a Victoria-based sculptor and illustrator has been commissioned by Don and Ruth James to create a stone sculpture as a tribute to Takaya. It will express his story and legacy. Kent is currently sourcing the appropriate local Vancouver Island stone, likely marble, and will begin work on it immediately. This is an incredibly exciting initiative and will result in Takaya’s story being preserved and accessible for future generations. An appropriate location for this sculpture will be identified over the coming months.

Driftwood Sculpture: Takaya Larger than Life

Tanya Bub