Fred Davis is ranked among the very best by his peer Haida artists. He was largely known for miniatures carved in argillite, wood, gold, silver and ivory, often using inlays for added details. His early work was mostly in argillite but he transitioned to wood as he pursued new levels of detail and perfection in the round. Due to his obsession in detail, he preferred sculptures in miniature rather than jewellery which allowed him to push both his interest in narrative story-telling and exceptional detail, demanding that the sculpture be held in the hand or studied at close range. He had one solo exhibition at the Derek Simpkins Gallery of Tribal Art in Vancouver which opened in 1994 and it required years to complete the nine pieces included in the catalogue. Following this exhibition, his work was largely acquired by a local private / corporate collection which bought most of the pieces completed between 1995 and his death in 2014

Spirit of the Orca references the ghost-like appearance of the whale, carved in translucent ivory with thin tapered fins and an exaggerated dorsal fin that allows light to activate the sculpture. The abalone shell base mimics the water patterns and reflects more light into the arching whale. Small, well-placed inlays bring the forms to life and draws the viewer into the fine details that can only be experienced at close range.