A challenge! I love it. Floating on the water all summer and the water everchanging as the estuary drains naturally for the winter salmon spawn. It is a constant source of new beauty every day.
In these paintings, I wanted to become thoroughly one with the water, from the surface to the elements underneath. As I advance as a painter I have come to understand that I am still that child who wants to be that fish/butterfly/leaf and can immerse my imagination so deeply that I am so. Art gives me the ability to manifest it one step further in a form.
For these three, the first one I wanted to master the light on top of the dense cool water. The reflection of what is above in the surroundings and how it breaks the image of the water.
In the second image, I wanted to capture the light reflection and also the branches that were submerged just under the water.
The last image was so much more compelling and difficult to wrap my head around because all of the interest is what is under the water. Light reflection above, playing on the surface and touching on the seaweed growing just under the surface.
All of this work is melted wax. So it is melted and blurred dozens of times until I decide what is and how much to pull into clarity. It is like building something up and then purposefully smooshing it down, just to build it up again. The wax needs to fuse together and I need to let go of what I created and melt again to a blur, knowing I can do better next round.
You know that saying, right?
It's not the destination..... it's the journey
May your journey be filled with joy
Angela Tahara
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