Artwork copyright Preston Singletary. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Killer Whale Fin with Raven, 2004

Preston Singletary
American Tlingit (born 1963)

Location: The Evergreen State College, Olympia

About the Artwork

Preston Singletary ties together two animal spirits by using the raven's beak within the form of the orca's fin in this blown and sand-carved glass sculpture.

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with The Evergreen State College.

About the Artist

Celebrated artist Preston Singletary (Tlingit and Filipino-American) grew up in the Seattle area listening to stories told by his great-grandparents, who were Tlingit (Native Alaskan). In 1984, Singletary took part in his first workshop at Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, Northwestern Washington. In the late 1980s, he began including traditional Tlingit themes into his work. In his own words, “It was only when I began to experiment with using designs from my Tlingit cultural heritage that my work began to take on a new purpose and direction.” Singletary has returned to Pilchuck as both a teacher and student many times, and he has blown glass around the world. In 2018, he was honored with a Washington State Governor's Arts and Heritage Award. In 2024, he was inducted into the Asian Hall of Fame (his grandmother is Filipina).