illustration friday: sea
Father had another simple straightforward statement about the ocean, the only valid one I have ever heard. “The ocean,” he said, “doesn’t care.”
This is all you know about the ocean, and all you need to know. Over the seventy-odd years of my life I have seen the wisdom of this statement many times. I have seen powerful swimmers washed ashore dead in an apparently pacific ocean; I have seen infants carried out to sea by a frothing riptide only to be cast back by a succeeding breaker. I have seen a whale crushed by its own weight on a receding tide, and I have seen a strange and wonderful white mare ride a breaker from straight out to sea – we watched her from among other whitecaps on a wind-tossed autumn day, a mile or so offshore, until she breasted the last wave and galloped off down the beach. I knew then and I know now that she came from Tahiti; I’ve seen her in Gauguin’s paintings.
Comment by Anonymous — January 11, 2006 at 11:15 pm
Your image carries the same mystique as the words. Love the transparency 🙂
Comment by carla — January 12, 2006 at 2:32 am
I love the tension between the fantasy and reality…a little harsher than magical realism, but with the same vibe. What a fascinating passage to go with this compelling illustration….I am held by her blank (lifeless?) stare as she floats, submerged.
Comment by flossy-p — January 12, 2006 at 4:04 am
What a heartbreaking passage. And your washed away lady embodies abandonment completely and tenderly.
Comment by Tony — January 12, 2006 at 10:37 am
Wow…Both the words and illustration compliment each other is a huanting way…
Comment by Trisha — January 12, 2006 at 11:58 am
I am mesmerized looking into her eyes…the look of despair. Awesome illustration!
Comment by Sea Angel — January 13, 2006 at 6:23 am
Very interesting.
Pingback by because it’s FUN. » illustration friday: under the sea — May 4, 2006 at 1:14 am
[…] Goddammit we already did this one! […]
Comment by Loca-Bandoca — May 4, 2006 at 4:32 am
great, love it.
:))