Community post
Everyone Needs a Whale to Love
I don't buy art often. It's so expensive - and justifiably so. But I kinda knew I'd splash our on one of these whales when an exhibition opened up at the local art house. I'd seen them online for a while, and the artist was featured in a local newspaper, and I'd fallen in love with them straight away.


Each whale came with it's own story. Many, like Esmee, she'd thought about before she put hands to clay. My whale is called Esmee.
"Esmee is an elderly humpback whale whose gentle spirit has brought comfort to generations of whales. With a heart full of kindness and a lifetime of ocean wisdom, she has a gift for knowing exactly when another whale needs company, encouragement or simply a quiet moment swimming side by side. Young calves adore her, while older whales treasure her steady presence and thoughtful advice. Esmee believes the greatest strength is found in compassion and that every whale deserves to feel seen and cared for. Her calm nature, patient heart and unwavering love make her the nurturing soul of the pod, reminding all that kindness is one of the ocean's greatest gifts."

She's definitely the kind of whale I need in my life right now. Someone to swim along life's hard currents with, compassion and kind and just there. I need a bit of nurturing right now.


The exhibit was so lovely - there was also ocean themed jewellery and ocean themed photographs, and if I had more money to burn, I woulda.

I can't stop staring at her. She fills the empty space in the corner so beautifully, purposeful, noble, eye catching, magnificent.

She's whale-y awesome, don't you think?
Check out Mazz Cole's whale ceramics here on Instagram or read this brilliant article about Mazz and her whales here.
Replies (30)
She is so cool. Love her story. Sometimes having little pieces like that mean a lot. Wish I was there. We could swim along this time together. Maybe we can negotiate it together on Hive instead.
I'm fundamentally anti-art. If it has no utility, why on earth would I want it?:)
I like this piece of art. It would make a great avatar for you in a couple of years, once you become a whale on Hive.
It depends what you mean by utility. Bringing joy has its own value.
🐋
ha!!! Imagine. I forgot about the Hive whale connotations! I don't ever think m about it !
I have found that knowing I'm not the only one has helped, and that my friend son Hive are so caring and willing to listen X ❤️
Love that the artist had a story to go with her...
Hello everyone I hope you are all good and well today in this post is some of the evidence to prove my case
If you didn't know I've been getting downvoted for a long time on Hive
They have been trying to bully me with downvotes and words but it doesn't affect me I've been online for over 25 years
So I've dealt with people like this before it's nothing new
But what they are doing is bad Very bad I joined steemit like everyone else thinking it offers freedom but I must say steemit offered much more freedom than Hive does
Everyone already knows I only post my own original content I have no need to steal anything from anyone
I've been labelled a lot of things on Hive 😂 by the biggest farmers scammers and downvoters
Actions speak louder than any words do especially when them words are coming from a compolsive liars
I will keep updating this post when I get time
https://hive.blog/hive/@ureka.stats/the-untrending-report-hive-downvote-analysis-16-09-2025-20250916181314
https://hive.blog/hivedev/@makerhacks/please-peakd-allow-me-to-completely-block-spammers-would-you-ever-vote-for-this
https://hive.blog/hive-167547/@dlmmqb/re-kgakakillerg-t34wy6
https://hive.blog/hive-170475/@acidyo/re-kgakakillerg-t32sw1
https://hive.blog/hive-167922/@themarkymark/re-kgakakillerg-t30ziu
https://hive.blog/hive/@ureka.stats/the-untrending-report-hive-downvote-analysis-29-09-2025-20250929172045
No downvotes for this racist person 🧐
https://hive.blog/hive-196387/@acidyo/re-kgakakillerg-t41yr6
https://hive.blog/dvs/@dhedge/re-kgakakillerg-t3clz3
https://hive.blog/hive-150329/@kgakakillerg/t3a8fu
https://hive.blog/musical/@steevc/re-kgakakillerg-t2kz1m
Hello everyone I hope you are all good and well today in this post is some of the evidence to prove my case
If you didn't know I've been getting downvoted for a long time on Hive
They have been trying to bully me with downvotes and words but it doesn't affect me I've been online for over 25 years
So I've dealt with people like this before it's nothing new
But what they are doing is bad Very bad I joined steemit like everyone else thinking it offers freedom but I must say steemit offered much more freedom than Hive does
Everyone already knows I only post my own original content I have no need to steal anything from anyone
I've been labelled a lot of things on Hive 😂 by the biggest farmers scammers and downvoters
Actions speak louder than any words do especially when them words are coming from a compolsive liars
I will keep updating this post when I get time
https://hive.blog/hive/@ureka.stats/the-untrending-report-hive-downvote-analysis-16-09-2025-20250916181314
https://hive.blog/hivedev/@makerhacks/please-peakd-allow-me-to-completely-block-spammers-would-you-ever-vote-for-this
https://hive.blog/hive-167547/@dlmmqb/re-kgakakillerg-t34wy6
https://hive.blog/hive-170475/@acidyo/re-kgakakillerg-t32sw1
https://hive.blog/hive-167922/@themarkymark/re-kgakakillerg-t30ziu
https://hive.blog/hive/@ureka.stats/the-untrending-report-hive-downvote-analysis-29-09-2025-20250929172045
No downvotes for this racist person 🧐
https://hive.blog/hive-196387/@acidyo/re-kgakakillerg-t41yr6
https://hive.blog/dvs/@dhedge/re-kgakakillerg-t3clz3
https://hive.blog/hive-150329/@kgakakillerg/t3a8fu
https://hive.blog/musical/@steevc/re-kgakakillerg-t2kz1m
Hello everyone I hope you are all good and well today in this post is some of the evidence to prove my case
If you didn't know I've been getting downvoted for a long time on Hive
They have been trying to bully me with downvotes and words but it doesn't affect me I've been online for over 25 years
So I've dealt with people like this before it's nothing new
But what they are doing is bad Very bad I joined steemit like everyone else thinking it offers freedom but I must say steemit offered much more freedom than Hive does
Everyone already knows I only post my own original content I have no need to steal anything from anyone
I've been labelled a lot of things on Hive 😂 by the biggest farmers scammers and downvoters
Actions speak louder than any words do especially when them words are coming from a compolsive liars
I will keep updating this post when I get time
https://hive.blog/hive/@ureka.stats/the-untrending-report-hive-downvote-analysis-16-09-2025-20250916181314
https://hive.blog/hivedev/@makerhacks/please-peakd-allow-me-to-completely-block-spammers-would-you-ever-vote-for-this
https://hive.blog/hive-167547/@dlmmqb/re-kgakakillerg-t34wy6
https://hive.blog/hive-170475/@acidyo/re-kgakakillerg-t32sw1
https://hive.blog/hive-167922/@themarkymark/re-kgakakillerg-t30ziu
https://hive.blog/hive/@ureka.stats/the-untrending-report-hive-downvote-analysis-29-09-2025-20250929172045
No downvotes for this racist person 🧐
https://hive.blog/hive-196387/@acidyo/re-kgakakillerg-t41yr6
https://hive.blog/dvs/@dhedge/re-kgakakillerg-t3clz3
https://hive.blog/hive-150329/@kgakakillerg/t3a8fu
https://hive.blog/musical/@steevc/re-kgakakillerg-t2kz1m
Hello everyone I hope you are all good and well today in this post is some of the evidence to prove my case
If you didn't know I've been getting downvoted for a long time on Hive
They have been trying to bully me with downvotes and words but it doesn't affect me I've been online for over 25 years
So I've dealt with people like this before it's nothing new
But what they are doing is bad Very bad I joined steemit like everyone else thinking it offers freedom but I must say steemit offered much more freedom than Hive does
Everyone already knows I only post my own original content I have no need to steal anything from anyone
I've been labelled a lot of things on Hive 😂 by the biggest farmers scammers and downvoters
Actions speak louder than any words do especially when them words are coming from a compolsive liars
I will keep updating this post when I get time
https://hive.blog/hive/@ureka.stats/the-untrending-report-hive-downvote-analysis-16-09-2025-20250916181314
https://hive.blog/hivedev/@makerhacks/please-peakd-allow-me-to-completely-block-spammers-would-you-ever-vote-for-this
https://hive.blog/hive-167547/@dlmmqb/re-kgakakillerg-t34wy6
https://hive.blog/hive-170475/@acidyo/re-kgakakillerg-t32sw1
https://hive.blog/hive-167922/@themarkymark/re-kgakakillerg-t30ziu
https://hive.blog/hive/@ureka.stats/the-untrending-report-hive-downvote-analysis-29-09-2025-20250929172045
No downvotes for this racist person 🧐
https://hive.blog/hive-196387/@acidyo/re-kgakakillerg-t41yr6
https://hive.blog/dvs/@dhedge/re-kgakakillerg-t3clz3
https://hive.blog/hive-150329/@kgakakillerg/t3a8fu
https://hive.blog/musical/@steevc/re-kgakakillerg-t2kz1m
Hello everyone I hope you are all good and well today in this post is some of the evidence to prove my case
If you didn't know I've been getting downvoted for a long time on Hive
They have been trying to bully me with downvotes and words but it doesn't affect me I've been online for over 25 years
So I've dealt with people like this before it's nothing new
But what they are doing is bad Very bad I joined steemit like everyone else thinking it offers freedom but I must say steemit offered much more freedom than Hive does
Everyone already knows I only post my own original content I have no need to steal anything from anyone
I've been labelled a lot of things on Hive 😂 by the biggest farmers scammers and downvoters
Actions speak louder than any words do especially when them words are coming from a compolsive liars
I will keep updating this post when I get time
https://hive.blog/hive/@ureka.stats/the-untrending-report-hive-downvote-analysis-16-09-2025-20250916181314
https://hive.blog/hivedev/@makerhacks/please-peakd-allow-me-to-completely-block-spammers-would-you-ever-vote-for-this
https://hive.blog/hive-167547/@dlmmqb/re-kgakakillerg-t34wy6
https://hive.blog/hive-170475/@acidyo/re-kgakakillerg-t32sw1
https://hive.blog/hive-167922/@themarkymark/re-kgakakillerg-t30ziu
https://hive.blog/hive/@ureka.stats/the-untrending-report-hive-downvote-analysis-29-09-2025-20250929172045
No downvotes for this racist person 🧐
https://hive.blog/hive-196387/@acidyo/re-kgakakillerg-t41yr6
https://hive.blog/dvs/@dhedge/re-kgakakillerg-t3clz3
https://hive.blog/hive-150329/@kgakakillerg/t3a8fu
https://hive.blog/musical/@steevc/re-kgakakillerg-t2kz1m
Hello everyone I hope you are all good and well today in this post is some of the evidence to prove my case
If you didn't know I've been getting downvoted for a long time on Hive
They have been trying to bully me with downvotes and words but it doesn't affect me I've been online for over 25 years
So I've dealt with people like this before it's nothing new
But what they are doing is bad Very bad I joined steemit like everyone else thinking it offers freedom but I must say steemit offered much more freedom than Hive does
Everyone already knows I only post my own original content I have no need to steal anything from anyone
I've been labelled a lot of things on Hive 😂 by the biggest farmers scammers and downvoters
Actions speak louder than any words do especially when them words are coming from a compolsive liars
I will keep updating this post when I get time
https://hive.blog/hive/@ureka.stats/the-untrending-report-hive-downvote-analysis-16-09-2025-20250916181314
https://hive.blog/hivedev/@makerhacks/please-peakd-allow-me-to-completely-block-spammers-would-you-ever-vote-for-this
https://hive.blog/hive-167547/@dlmmqb/re-kgakakillerg-t34wy6
https://hive.blog/hive-170475/@acidyo/re-kgakakillerg-t32sw1
https://hive.blog/hive-167922/@themarkymark/re-kgakakillerg-t30ziu
https://hive.blog/hive/@ureka.stats/the-untrending-report-hive-downvote-analysis-29-09-2025-20250929172045
No downvotes for this racist person 🧐
https://hive.blog/hive-196387/@acidyo/re-kgakakillerg-t41yr6
https://hive.blog/dvs/@dhedge/re-kgakakillerg-t3clz3
https://hive.blog/hive-150329/@kgakakillerg/t3a8fu
https://hive.blog/musical/@steevc/re-kgakakillerg-t2kz1m
Hello everyone I hope you are all good and well today in this post is some of the evidence to prove my case
If you didn't know I've been getting downvoted for a long time on Hive
They have been trying to bully me with downvotes and words but it doesn't affect me I've been online for over 25 years
So I've dealt with people like this before it's nothing new
But what they are doing is bad Very bad I joined steemit like everyone else thinking it offers freedom but I must say steemit offered much more freedom than Hive does
Everyone already knows I only post my own original content I have no need to steal anything from anyone
I've been labelled a lot of things on Hive 😂 by the biggest farmers scammers and downvoters
Actions speak louder than any words do especially when them words are coming from a compolsive liars
I will keep updating this post when I get time
https://hive.blog/hive/@ureka.stats/the-untrending-report-hive-downvote-analysis-16-09-2025-20250916181314
https://hive.blog/hivedev/@makerhacks/please-peakd-allow-me-to-completely-block-spammers-would-you-ever-vote-for-this
https://hive.blog/hive-167547/@dlmmqb/re-kgakakillerg-t34wy6
https://hive.blog/hive-170475/@acidyo/re-kgakakillerg-t32sw1
https://hive.blog/hive-167922/@themarkymark/re-kgakakillerg-t30ziu
https://hive.blog/hive/@ureka.stats/the-untrending-report-hive-downvote-analysis-29-09-2025-20250929172045
No downvotes for this racist person 🧐
https://hive.blog/hive-196387/@acidyo/re-kgakakillerg-t41yr6
https://hive.blog/dvs/@dhedge/re-kgakakillerg-t3clz3
https://hive.blog/hive-150329/@kgakakillerg/t3a8fu
https://hive.blog/musical/@steevc/re-kgakakillerg-t2kz1m
😁😁😁📸📸🍿🍿🍿🍻🍻🍻
Say hi to Jacob 👋🏾
Hello everyone I hope you are all good and well today in this post is some of the evidence to prove my case
If you didn't know I've been getting downvoted for a long time on Hive
They have been trying to bully me with downvotes and words but it doesn't affect me I've been online for over 25 years
So I've dealt with people like this before it's nothing new
But what they are doing is bad Very bad I joined steemit like everyone else thinking it offers freedom but I must say steemit offered much more freedom than Hive does
Everyone already knows I only post my own original content I have no need to steal anything from anyone
I've been labelled a lot of things on Hive 😂 by the biggest farmers scammers and downvoters
Actions speak louder than any words do especially when them words are coming from a compolsive liars
I will keep updating this post when I get time
https://hive.blog/hive/@ureka.stats/the-untrending-report-hive-downvote-analysis-16-09-2025-20250916181314
https://hive.blog/hivedev/@makerhacks/please-peakd-allow-me-to-completely-block-spammers-would-you-ever-vote-for-this
https://hive.blog/hive-167547/@dlmmqb/re-kgakakillerg-t34wy6
https://hive.blog/hive-170475/@acidyo/re-kgakakillerg-t32sw1
https://hive.blog/hive-167922/@themarkymark/re-kgakakillerg-t30ziu
https://hive.blog/hive/@ureka.stats/the-untrending-report-hive-downvote-analysis-29-09-2025-20250929172045
No downvotes for this racist person 🧐
https://hive.blog/hive-196387/@acidyo/re-kgakakillerg-t41yr6
https://hive.blog/dvs/@dhedge/re-kgakakillerg-t3clz3
https://hive.blog/hive-150329/@kgakakillerg/t3a8fu
https://hive.blog/musical/@steevc/re-kgakakillerg-t2kz1m
Useless objects that collect dust bring me no joy at all.
Thats a very beautiful piece. Hand crafted pottery work can be really incredible. Nice find!
This is a hot take. Lol.
So question, in your ideal can objects both have utility and be esthetically pleasing (i.e. functional art) or do functional objects (clothing, tools, appliances, furniture...etc) need to be void of all beauty as well?
"Art" is obviously a very broad descriptor so I'm wondering if there is nuance to this perspective.
Really? When you see this
Is it not like reading a poem? Does it not have symbolism?
For me, art is a form of communication...which is why I have no use for AI art. It communicates nothing about the human who created the art...because there is no human :)
I agree with you if we're talking about certain kinds of ornamental art. I've no use for that (ex: a hitching post on a front lawn when no horse has passed that way for more than 100 years).
I love the passion for these creatures in every piece - nothing heartlessly mass produced!
Lol, it's not about you - it's about my joy, haha!
Maybe only a few of us understand Esmee's significance now. 🥹
My dream is to actually swim with a whale. In our country, there's a specific gentle giant called a "butanding." They are whale sharks, but they're as gentle as whales. My bestie is a scuba diving instructor. She used to post her sessions, including diving or snorkeling with schools of sardines and whale sharks...so fascinating!
One day, I will overcome my fear of the sea, and the first creature I definitely want to meet is this gentle giant. Hope you're feeling better today. 💕
Objects can be both functional and aesthetically pleasing, and I have no objection to beauty when it comes attached to a practical purpose. My objection is to things like River's Esmee, whose sole purpose is to be looked at.
I have no ornaments, photographs, paintings or decorative knick-knacks in my home, nor have I ever had any. Anything that simply sits around gathering dust is anathema to me, no matter how beautiful it may be.
I may have expressed myself poorly in an attempt to get a rise out of Riverflows:)
Of course I recognise beauty in art, but I have no interest in cluttering up my living space with objects, like Esmee, that serve no practical purpose. I have never in my life purchased anything ornamental, not even a piece of jewellery.
Indeed it is. And I'm sure it gives you great joy to read my fascinating. comments:)
Damn! I just upvoted my own comment again :)
Jewelry:
My husband and I bought our wedding rings with the money my husband received (before we were married) in exchange for a watch I'd bought him. I lost that ring on my honeymoon. I dismissed as irrelevant his suggestion that he buy me an engagement ring. I did buy one for myself,three years before: a faux engagement ring for $6.00. I needed that for work, where I was one of 3 women in a force of about about 250 men. That purchase was purely for self defense.
I definitely share your inclination toward utility.
I hear what you're saying. Each to their own. I actually used to be very similar, like minimalist to an extreme, mainly to avoid consumerism and consumption. I find that style now to be very boring and and devoid of character now though. The best of both world for me now is to try to only maintain select pieces that bring me joy now and nothing massed produced or cheap materials that are "fast fashion." Most of what I gravitate to now is vintage pieces that are good quality and have be enjoyed by others.
I want to see what the inside of your house looks like to see your style. Take a picture for me and post it on the blockchain...
that is a joke. Of course 😂
I try not to let them deflate me too much, lol xx
Hahaha. Yer gas! Y'know, the more I learn about you, the more I like you:)