Coastline (2023) Painting

'Coastline (2023)' was inspired by the coast of the North Shore of Kauai. More specifically, it is meant to be a physical embodiment all that a coastline represents, and to bring those traits into the space it inhabits. The coast is traditionally a symbol of growth, renewal, and transformation. It also represents the balance of the natural world, and that what comes in will eventually go out again (and vice versa). This piece brings the traits of grace in accepting change, peace, growth and transformation to the space it fills. The piece was made as a part of a collection in which each painting represents an element of the natural world. The collection visually explores the relationship between movement and structure, and holds both of those opposite qualities equally and brings them together through the masking technique. Each layer is created using an impressionistic style, which is chaotic and emotional. When the layers are combined the technique used creates clean lines and structure, merging different movements together. The concept is that the whole picture is only created when emotions and impressions meet structure, and that holding two seemingly-opposite qualities simultaneously is what makes something worthwhile and beautiful. This mirrors the way we as people interpret the natural world. On one hand, the entities exist within themselves alone. But it is our projection of value and human thought onto those elements that make them meaningful to us, and create the larger ideas we have about nature and natural elements.