I have always loved spending time near water. Whether it’s the sea, a lake or a stream in a woodland. It captures my imagination and has been the inspiration of one of my most thought-provoking series to date, “BLUE WAVES.”
It intrigues me that each movement is different in its form and intention, and there’s something mysterious about where the wind starts and where it ends.
Water is never the same
Water, just like our lives, can be so unpredictable. Sometimes it’s calm and peaceful, and other times one big wave might roll in with such power that it changes the state and flow of everything around it.
“BLUE WAVES I” shows the peace that water can bring in our lives.
Many people have commented that when they look at this work that they can almost hear the ebbs and flows of the waves that are naturally soothing. I hope that by looking at this painting you feel this too.
Hidden depths
So much of the ocean is largely unexplored. Who knows how deep it really is and what beautiful creatures are living there.
“BLUE WAVES III” shows how intriguing the ocean can be. There’s something so mysterious about where the ocean starts and where it ends.
Calm water acts as a reflection
As I was standing at the edge of Lake Marie in Antioch, Illinois (one of my favorite places in the world), I caught my reflection in the water. Being near water has always been a comfort to me and has provided a great space for developing my self-awareness.
When the water and the wind are both perfectly still then the reflection above is a mirror image. This is what inspired painting a kaleidoscope effect with BLUE WAVES to show the water totally calm and acting as a reflection of everything that lies above it.
Capturing the movement of the water
The more movement there is in the water, the greater the distortion. I tried to capture this in “BLUE WAVES IV” showing the rippling movements of the water in watercolor, and the beautiful greenery and wildflowers that grow around it.
I made a gradual change by fading out the blue color as it moves towards the center of the canvas, capturing the shallow, more transparent water, compared to the deeper parts of the water that are more mysterious.
My “BLUE WAVES” series caught the attention of so many of you at my latest Duo Art Exhibition and I’m thrilled I can inspire you all with this painting of how powerful and beautiful the water can be.