Seals

Joe Wilson’s limited edition print Seals shows the artist’s admiration for this semi-aquatic marine mammal.

In Northwest Coast Indigenous art, seals are meaningful symbols often depicted in carvings, masks, and limited edition prints. Among coastal Nations, they are associated with abundance, wealth, and sustenance, reflecting their importance as a traditional resource. Seals also represent playfulness, adaptability, and a connection between land and sea. Recognizable by their rounded forms and flippered limbs, seals are sometimes shown alongside salmon, reinforcing themes of prosperity and the richness of the ocean. Their presence in Indigenous artwork reflects deep cultural knowledge and the close relationship between coastal communities and the marine environment.

This limited edition silk screen print titled “Seals” by Joe Wilson was hand produced by the screen printing process. It is the only limited edition printing of this design. The artist has inspected and signed each copy in the edition. All trial copies of this edition have been destroyed and the printing stencils obliterated.