This week of June 2025 here along the Salish Sea on the West side of the bay downtown Olympia, a story pole ~ Life is Water, created by artist Taylor Krise from the Squaxin Island tribe was installed at the West Bay Park.
The carving underscores how vital clean water is for sustaining marine life and reflects the deep interconnection within the ecosystem. Krise hopes it will serve as a lasting reminder—and an invitation—for the public to safeguard our local waterways and the creatures that depend on them.
As the final bolt was secured, an ancient echo seemed to answer: a pod of Orcas surfaced in the bay, where they had never before been seen. Their sudden appearance felt like a blessing—an acknowledgment from the living waters that the stories carried in cedar are heard far beyond the shore.
To connect with Taylor’s art, check out his Instagram Page at tk_salish
(The sculpture was commissioned by and in celebration of the Rotary Club’s 50th anniversary as a gift to the City of Olympia.)
