INKY THE OCTOPUS
CONTE CRAYON AND WATERCOLOUR ON TWO RIVERS PAPER

dimensions:
16” x 19.75”
43.5cm x 45.5cm

Writer and animal rights activist Sarat Colling commissioned me and several other artists to contribute artwork for a book she was writing about animal resistance. The book was to feature stories of animals who have resisted human oppression in various ways, accompanied by illustrations of the animals. The intention of the book was to acknowledge and celebrate animals’ powerful resistance, and to inspire people to think more deeply about the lives and plight of animals in our society.
Sarat, a young woman of talent and promise who had already published other groundbreaking illustrated books on animal rights, died in tragic circumstances on 16th May 2025. I hope that her latest book will eventually be published as a memorial to her.
In the meantime this is my contribution, which illustrates the story of Inky the octopus who was found injured (two tentacles had somehow been amputated) and taken to the National Aquarium in New Zealand. One night Inky climbed out of his tank, travelled eight feet across the floor and squeezed through a small hole into a drainpipe which ultimately opened into Hawke Bay where he escaped to the ocean.
To research the subject I read about and watched videos of octopuses and became both fascinated and deeply respectful of such wonderful creatures.



INKY THE OCTOPUS
CONTE CRAYON AND WATERCOLOUR ON TWO RIVERS PAPER

dimensions:
16” x 19.75”
43.5cm x 45.5cm

Writer and animal rights activist Sarat Colling commissioned me and several other artists to contribute artwork for a book she was writing about animal resistance. The book was to feature stories of animals who have resisted human oppression in various ways, accompanied by illustrations of the animals. The intention of the book was to acknowledge and celebrate animals’ powerful resistance, and to inspire people to think more deeply about the lives and plight of animals in our society.
Sarat, a young woman of talent and promise who had already published other groundbreaking illustrated books on animal rights, died in tragic circumstances on 16th May 2025. I hope that her latest book will eventually be published as a memorial to her.
In the meantime this is my contribution, which illustrates the story of Inky the octopus who was found injured (two tentacles had somehow been amputated) and taken to the National Aquarium in New Zealand. One night Inky climbed out of his tank, travelled eight feet across the floor and squeezed through a small hole into a drainpipe which ultimately opened into Hawke Bay where he escaped to the ocean.
To research the subject I read about and watched videos of octopuses and became both fascinated and deeply respectful of such wonderful creatures.