“The Sister Waves” oil on canvas (each canvas 24″ x 48″)
You feel the full frontal force of nature coming toward you in both of these waves. They are majestic in shape and color. I love how oil paint can be thinned to transparency and layered to achieve the sensation of looking through water. Blend and dab the paint opaquely, and it looks like billowing foam. Oil paint which is ground pigments infused with linseed oil, resonates with an organic quality like no other medium.
Everything is changed now, so what does it mean?
I’ve headed to the Ocean for solace and for space to figure it all out since I was a kid. If you found answers at the shoreline too you know how a walk in the sand can help. But who are we now and how do we operate now that Covid has us all in flux? Some of us are experiencing paralysis and can’t get into gear. Many, including me, are racing their motors as if accomplishing more and more will dull the reality. I can’t quite get a grip in the way I used to…..
The waves I paint are dazzling and dangerous. They celebrate the good life at the shore -fresh air, space and relaxation. You might think that my wave paintings are beautiful and a symbol of everything easy and perfect but you would be wrong. As the waves tumble forward, I bravely confront their awesome power . I stand with respect to face the inevitable thunder of energy as a wave tumbles to the ground.
“Never turn your back on an incoming wave, you could get wiped out.”, my Dad said. I think about those words all the time. Because as hard as it is, we must pay attention to what is going on. In this time of Covid, the Ocean and her moods, her energy and her beauty are an apt metaphor for life. There is so much happening and we never quite know what is under the surface. We need courage and patience and resolve.
My prescription is to aim for balance. Withdraw when you need to, refill your soul when you are depleted with quiet- just sit, reach out to help others if you can. Loosen expectations and allow more space for decisions, demands and desires. We are all so fragile and vulnerable now. We have to let some stuff go especially pesky self-criticism. Be as good to yourself as you would to everyone else and hopefully we will each learn a little more about how to be the people we want to be.
I believe in the Ocean as a place to recalibrate and rejuvenate. Even if all is not crystal clear, we can have a moment of peace when we look at the ocean in a painting or in real life. I’m hoping that one of my paintings can bring that moment to you.
Until next time,
Casey
