ORCAGIRL

Over the past 5 years, I have documented, developed, integrated and managed an online whale watching platform for the public through blogs and free online documentation tools. From there other individuals, companies, groups and organizations are participating in this event. I started documenting in 1998 and blogging in 2000. The idea is to give the public full perspective of the killer whale species in their natural habitat and why they are important to all life. Through this the public has now become apart of the initiative by participating with the projects online. Together we produce a massive information platform for all to enjoy and learn through. It is an amazing global community effort. This work is not about just pretty pictures, but is about the bigger picture of life.

The project began after I documented solitary orca L98 and needed to put into place an immediate documenting broadcasting platform and since then my website has focused on delivering killer whale based media. Why? because since I was a child I have loved whales especially killer whales. It's that simple.

Along the journey of documentation, I also started to notice another phenomenon occurring in my work, that of manifestation. Since then I have been able to draw upon my work for educational examples of all life. I find the magic in life is manifesting in my work and I give thanks everyday for this. This has been more then a dream come true.

I work independently. I work with individuals, corporations, non profits, educational institutions and government. My work is sighted on tv, in documentaries, in books, in universities, and on the internet.

>> Go to the subjects page to learn more about the work

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My past lives include being a TA at Ryerson University, a film animation and photographic specialist at Harbourfront Centre for HarbourKids in Toronto, an assistant to several ("Vision Quest" - a large project heavily integrated into Aboriginal and Missing Women awareness media campaigns) projects at UBC through the departments; First Nations House of Learning, Womens Studies and Gender Relations and The Peter Wall Institute. I also provided art direction services in Vancouver and Victoria with corporate marketing agencies both as an employee and contractor.

(Neurofeedback - featuring Pat Wong / 1997)

In the late 90's my short video ("Breaching" - recipient of the Victoria Film Festival award of $500.00) had been screened in various national festivals and on Knowledge Network. One of my films entitled "Neurofeedback" was a nominee for "Best experimental short" at the HOTDOCS film festival, it was also screened at the Images, Digi Bodies and Reel Madness Film Festival. I stopped making art films after receiving my first grant from the Canada Arts Council for my film "Sea of Souls" (2000) (screened at the Victoria Film Festival, Knowledge Network and Reel Madness Film Festival) and began my amazing journey of manifestation and documentation. Zed CBC featured and aired my projects; "Eye of the Traveler", "History of Whaling" and "Breaching".

(Sea of Souls - featuring Penny Couchie / 2000)

This work and this website arrive from my own experience dealing with the topic of health. Over the past 10 years this work has been a healing arts case study and outreach project and it has been successful. While researching the topics of whales and humans, nature and industry, environmental and occupational health, I have personally endured a variety of factors and circumstances that bring attention to bigger world events. This website has served as a collection of various works and experiences that together tell a bigger story. At this point, my work, my life and my developments are changing. In order to take preventative measures against further health complications, I have evolved my life into a very new exploration.

By moving to another country (Playa del Carmen Quintana Roo, Mexico / Maya Riviera / Caribbean) and focusing on sustainability and ecological friendly behaviors, I am practicing a better lifestyle and improving my health tremendously. I have had to remove, change, and sacrifice much but it has been worth it so far.

(New Life - featuring Live PA John Tennant / 2004)

I watch more and more people around me facing the same consequences of change based on their own impacts in their lives. We are all facing this change. Back in the day of creating "art films" I explored the concepts of whales, spirituality and health which I realize now was merely a training ground for the reality that would be come my life.

(Respect - featuring Live PA John Tennant / 2004)

At the time, I did not know, we did not know, what we know today as fact. Since embarking on this journey, much has come to pass in my life and in front of my lens. Remarkably I have documented dreams come true and manifestations along the path. Aside from much anxiety, there is much magic unfolding on the planet. I have been so busy documenting it that I have barely had the time to produce and publish it - this is now my focus. I have watched nature imitate life and art in it's most primate state. Life is so intelligent, that we really do not yet understand it's capabilities at all yet we experience it's power all the time. It has truly amazed me beyond my wildest dreams. And yes, dreams really do come true.

(Dalls Porpoise - Johnstone Strait / 2007)

There is no doubt that our planet is facing an immense challenge and rapid change and people are confused as to how to proceed at the best of times. At this point, I am focusing on a shift and putting my story out there to assist others. Of course in doing so, I am also benefiting by learning other peoples important perspectives. We are going to need each other now more then ever.

(Swimming with whale sharks - Isla Holbox Mx / 2006)

(I captured my aura - purple)

In my current life, I reside in Playa del Carmen, Mexico (Maya Riviera Caribbean) where I enjoy the best health benefits life can offer. While in Playa, I am focusing on integrating my work into new a business of the healing arts. By utilizing the natural environments of the area, I am developing a new service where I hope to help benefit the local and non local people of the region. In late 2004 I became very sick with an invasive allergy problem disabling me. When I came to the Yucatan I was completely healed.

(Pelican - beach of Playa del Carmen / 2006)

I believe we can make the world a better place but we need to be healthy first. I learned this first hand. Above all things, my work and passion are about health. I have had 3 amazing mentors along my journey; Jurgen Lutz, Aiko Suzuki and Gloria Alvernaz Mulcahy. I thank all 3 for their incredible guidance and it is because of them that I am doing this work today.

(I believe - featuring Sapo Acrobat / 2006)

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Many people would probably not believe me if I told them my dreams come true. I am referring to my "sleeping dreams" although I have encountered "waking dreams" come true as well. Of course not all of them come true but many have. The good news is I have documented the process over the past 10 years. The dreams cross all subjects in my life (both good and bad events) especially around the topics of killer whales. My story of "Luna Love" is a direct exploration of my dreams come true blended with my real life manifestations. Here is how I have come to understand this process. I dream, I create, I manifest. Or, I create, I dream, I manifest. Because I take so many images in my life (my flickr account now exceeds 20 thousand of them) it seems my image taking follows the subjects in dreams even when I was not aware of it. I also realize my earlier art films are prophetic and the films were inspired from my dreams. I followed them and it has lead me here.

(An example of a "waking dream" manifestation - I created this montage of a sun halo and my friend kite boarding in the middle of it which is made with 2 images from 2 different days. A few days later I was called to document this friend during a sun halo, and caught a photo of his kite in the halo - below)

This part is a bit obscure trying to explain to people and not everyone is; A. going to dream or remember them or B. going to have dreams come true so they will not believe any of this or will simply disregard this as bogus. I am fine with that. But should it happen to you, over and over, year after year, you will start to pay attention and you begin to ask new questions about life. Thankfully for my own sanity, I've had steady witnesses.

My last 10 years has been this amazing puzzle I am now putting together in both shock and amazement. At first I was scared and thought I must have been crazy and that this could not be really happening. But after much assistance from the medical, spiritual and metaphysical communities, I am relieved to find out that I am not crazy, I just have a unique experience. I have included this in my about page because it is something unique to my life and has found its way taking a key role throughout my work - see the subject page for more about the topics. If anything it has shown me how to "believe" and see the "magic" in life. I am grateful for this.

(Universal Soul - featuring Tabla Matthew Gower / 1999)

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Chronology

1990 : high school graduate (OCI)
1991 : theatre arts (Ryerson)
1992 : film studies (Ryerson)
1993: media arts (Ryerson) / Green Room
1994 : film animation specialist (HarbourKids Toronto)
1995 : film animation specialist (HarbourKids Toronto)
1996: neurofeedback (Hotdocs) / TA (Ryerson)
1997: BAA Image Arts (Ryerson) / (HarbourKids Toronto)
1998: orca401 / breaching (orca dreams and journey discussed)
1999: canada arts council grant (approaching the topic of orcas and legends)
2000: sea of souls film desc / dolphin / orcagirl.com (blog begins - prophetic)
2001: vision quest (UBC) / eye of the traveler (zed) (first nations health doc)
2002: whaling (zed) / global youth (UVic)
2003: marine mammal naturalist / haida gwaii / luna L98 (solitary orca)
2004: respect / orca documentation (5star)
2005: new life / orca documentation (5star & Pow) / e&o health (UVic)
2006: mexico / whale sharks / orca documentation (5star &Pow)
2007: sacbe / orca documentation (Pow)

Your Thoughts ...

Moving and interactive - Zed CBC

A personal exploration into a more universal story - Knowledge Network

A haunting visual poem - Victoria Film Festival

Lyrical and well produced - Reel Madness Film Festival

Let us show our care support for Orca Girl - digitalmalaya.com

Orca Girl Rocks - Dj Hali Wong of netmusique.com

Orcagirl rules! - Dj Khan of ducky.ca

The world is a better place for Chantelle - afterwilma.info

Orca Girl is a great website of Chantelle Tucker who loves orcas, animals and seas - vailas.com

Thanks for your incredible Luna footage. - Suzanne Chisholm, Producer, Director, Saving Luna

Orca Girl, There is a wealth of assorted media here, well worth devoting some time to it. Go look, see, feel - pixelsurgeon.com

She makes me feel really happy and I admire her a LOT for her life style, photos, projects - malotaprojects.com

I cannot describe in words Chantelles work. She definitely catches the moment!!! SHE FEELS IT and anybody whom has ever appreciated her work, will know what i'm talking about - David of kiteboardingmexico.com

Chantelle is a magical individual! This is apparent in absolutely everything she does as she does it all with extreme, passion, vision, and intensity. It is rare to know anyone so driven to better the world one project at a time and for that I have always felt fortunate to know Chantelle - Jared of Seasmoke Whale Watching

Orca Girl is a real eye opener for people like myself who have little knowledge of the sad sad state of our local whale populations. Much respect for the work she does - vancityriders.com

Never have I met someone so dedicated and passionate to their work . . . Out of all the people I met during my ventures online, my all time favorite person is Chantelle. Someday, it's my wish to meet you in person ! Love and best. I also admire you and your work! - Thom of tdcollins.com

No question, she belongs in the festival... So when Tucker set a straitforward documentary about killer whales, her project couldn't avoid the spiritual dimensions of these creatures, and shifted into a film "more about human interactions with them, what the bring to us" - Whale Watcher / Monday Magazine

Photographer and filmmaker Chantelle Tucker has put this website together featuring her extensive portfolio of photographs on and off the water. Dedicated to raising awareness of problems created by human/whale interactions, the site is updated regularly with whale sightings, news about environmental and other hazards to whales and links to various stewardship organizations. Check out the gorgeous shot of an orca off San Juan Island with a surreal Mount Baker floating in the background - Friends of Ecological Reserves

Some that have noted, showed, highlighted, utilized my work; (not in any order)

CBC
CTV
CNN
Discovery Channel
Ellen DeGeneres Show
After Wilma
Playa Maya News
Monday Magazine
Oceana
Crawsnest
Tyee
ZED
Vancouver City Hall
North island gazette
Times Colonist
Orca Lab
Orca Network
Luna Live
Luna Stewardship
Whale Museum
Center for Whale Research
Killer Whale Interpretive Centre
Stubbs Island Whale Watching
Seattle Aquarium
Marine Mammal Research Group
Canadian Content
Northeast Pacific Minke Whale project
The Environmental Investigation Agency
The International Development Research Centre Library
Marine Mammal Research group
DFO Humpback whale ID project
Clayoquot Sound Humpback Whale Fluke ID Catalog
Stubbs Island
The Johnstone Strait Killer Whale Interpretive Centre
Jacques Whitford environmental consultants
ProTours Mexico
Maple Leaf Adventures
5 Star Whales
B.C. Humpback Whale Catalogue (DFO)
Mountainside Films - Saving Luna
Wikipedia
IdN
Tdcollins
Ocean Adventurer
Info Design Canada
Urban Vancouver
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
HotDocs International Documentary festival
Victoria International film festival
Images Film Festival
City of Vancouver
Prince of Whales
University of Western Ontario
University of Victoria
University of British Columbia
Browns University NY
Northwest Wildlife Preservation Society
Turtle Island
Things Magazine
Friends of Ecological Reserve
Reseau Cetace
Cetacean.action-alert
Info design Montreal
Preshaa
Ventilate
Pixelsurgeon

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