Bodies of water have always mesmerized and challenged the human mind and soul—their sublime nature evoking a sense of wonder. Perhaps it’s because water is so vital to our survival that makes us so deeply connected, or maybe it’s that oceans, rivers and lakes are worlds where humans cannot exist—leaving us in awe of their commanding, ultimately unknowable and dramatic nature.
Whatever the case may be, we have artists to thank for providing insight and context to our universal connection to water. Ranging from the majestic, powerful force of an ocean wave; the tranquility of a sparkling lake; or the energy of a rushing river, artists have tackled it all.
Billis Williams Gallery, Untitled, oil on canvas, 24 x 30”, by Stephen Wright.Great American artists like Winslow Homer (1836-1910), in the later part of his career, produced epic seascapes inspired by his home in Prouts Neck, Maine. “He enjoyed isolation and was inspired by privacy and silence to paint the great themes of his career: the struggle of people against the sea and the relationship of fragile, transient human life to the timelessness of nature,” notes the Metropolitan Museum of Art. “In ambitious works of the 1880s, men challenge the ocean’s power with their own strength and cunning or respond to the ocean’s overwhelming force in scenes of dramatic rescue. By about 1890, however, Homer left narrative behind to concentrate on the beauty, force and drama of the sea itself.”
Referencing paintings like Northeaster, 1895, Met representatives point out that Homer’s late seascapes “capture the look and feel (and even suggest the sound) of masses of onrushing and receding water. For Homer’s contemporaries, these were the most extravagantly admired of all his works. They remain among his most famous today, appreciated for their virtuoso brushwork, depth of feeling and hints of modernist abstraction.”
Top: Craig Mooney, Another Day is Done, oil on canvas, 46 x 46”; Blue Rain Gallery, Cool, Clear Water, oil on panel, 20 x 20”, by Matthew Sievers. Bottom: Blue Rain Gallery, Reflection, oil on panel, 48 x 24”, by Matthew Sievers; Olmsted Plein Air Invitational, Chattahoochee Rest, oil on linen panel, 11 x 14”, by Bob Upton.
Contemporary artist, Craig Mooney, takes a more tranquil approach in his waterscape paintings. For Another Day is Done, “it’s really more about a feeling that comes with the literal end of the day,” says the artist. “The cool blue/gray foreground balances out the warm, saturated and busy sky—the last gasp of daylight.”
He continues, “When I paint water, it’s a journey for me. I grew up in Midtown Manhattan on a dead-end street that overlooked the East River. I’d watch tugs and barges, sailboats and freighters go by. It was an escape hatch from the hustle and bustle of the city. The river and sea’s immense power, the endless sky above carried me along—something I try to capture in my work.”
Stephen Wright’s ocean wave paintings, found at Billis Williams Gallery, are inspired by the photos the artist takes when swimming in the Pacific Ocean in Southern California. “There is an immediacy to the experience of Wright’s paintings—the beauty of the sun dappled sea is juxtaposed with the power of a wave rising in front of us in these compositions,” says gallery managing partner Tressa Williams. “Bubbles and light dance across the surface and hints of the shore are visible on the far away horizon—we are adrift in the in-between—alone with the motion of the waves.”
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Northeaster, 1895; reworked by 1901, oil on canvas, 34½ x 50”, by Winslow Homer (1836-1910). Gift of George A. Hearn, 1910. Courtesy The Met.
Continue reading for additional insights into the genre of seascapes, rivers and lakes, and advice on how to establish or expand a collection.
Represented by Blue Rain Gallery, artist Matthew Sievers’ mastery of waterscape paintings is evident in his ability to capture the essence of these liquid landscapes with a unique and captivating touch. “The vibrant light that permeates his works infuses them with a dynamic energy, illuminating the interplay of sunlight and water in a truly mesmerizing way,” says Leah Garcia, gallery marketing director.
Sievers adds that he has always enjoyed camping, fishing and boating on the lakes around southeast Idaho. “Growing up with my father, artist Gregory Sievers, he was keen to point out colors that might be missed,” says Sievers. “Most especially in a magnificent sunset that is reflecting off the water. Now with four boys who get older every day, I find myself connecting brilliant skies, reflecting in water with the most precious moments I have spent with my own sons. Painting these emotions into a sky has changed my painting style with much larger and immediate application. Rollers flipping paint in one confident stroke can actually feel a lot like fishing with my boys. I love trying to communicate these emotions as I paint, a beautiful factor I had not fully understood until this most recent series of paintings.”
Carrie Goller Gallery, Cape Flattery III, oil and cold wax, 14 x 11” by Carrie Goller; Beth Cole, For Such a Time as This, oil, 20 x 16”
The Olmsted Plein Air Invitational in Atlanta celebrates its 10th anniversary in April 2024. “We are the only top-tier plein air show in a large urban area,” say organizers. “However, invited artists may paint anywhere in the State of Georgia for the first few days of the competition. Many take advantage of the opportunity to paint the beautiful Georgia coast, the tranquil mountains of the Blue Ridge or the rolling farmlands of the Piedmont before gathering in Atlanta. Of course, Atlanta is not all urban landscape. We have lovely parks, rivers, streams, vistas, wooded respites, quiet leafy residential enclaves and cityscapes. The city and the state offer a wide variety of visual delights to artists.”
Sam Paonessa, Listen to the River, acrylic on birch panel, 14 x 18” ; Beth Cole, River of Life, oil, 24 x 18”
The invitational includes more than 350 paintings to preview, in a wide range of style, medium and subject. Collectors will find fresh original work, and of course, extraordinary waterscapes, that document a place in time and provide years of visual pleasure.
To create gorgeous waterscape paintings like River of Life and For Such a Time as This, Beth Cole remains inspired, even by the small things, “The beautiful thing about painting is it allows one to speak without saying a word. Like many, my happy place is in the back of the room, in front of the easel or behind the camera. So, to my relief, I have found paint to be a universal language that radiates emotion and transmits feeling on its own. The message may not be received by everyone, but it may resonate with someone. Knowing this helps me to continue sending messages in my own quiet way and sleep well at night.”
Blue Rain Gallery, The River Leads, oil on canvas, 96 x 60”, by Matthew Sievers.
In regard to forming a collection, Cole says, “Art-making requires confidence, vulnerability and discipline. It is not for the faint of heart. Many paintings have been lost in the battle. The ones that survive are strong and worthy. All this to say, if you are a collector, your interest in and support of someone’s work is such a huge gust of wind in the sail. You are important. On behalf of artists everywhere, I thank you.”
Bainbridge Island, Washington-native, Carrie Goller, discovered her artistic calling after a life-changing experience. Her work, found at Carrie Goller Galleryin Poulsbo, Washington, reflects a blend of classical and experimental approaches, drawing inspiration from nature’s organic forms and vibrant colors. “My portfolio spans various genres and multiple media, including oil, cold wax, encaustic and egg tempera, which I frequently blend into mixed media pieces,” says the artist. “Mentored by Max Hayslette, I also studied under renowned artists such as Brad Kunkle, Juliette Aristides, Gabriel Lipper, Jim Lamb and Ned Mueller.”
Olmsted Plein Air Invitational, Amicalola Rapids, watercolor on paper, 8 x 16”, by Jeff Williams.
Goller’s pieces grace private and corporate collections worldwide, and she has exhibited in museums and galleries in Washington, Arizona and California. Her solo exhibitions of her encaustic seascapes and creature paintings at the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art garnered attention. She is a signature member of Artists for Conservation. Working from her scenic Hood Canal, Washington, seaside studio, Goller continues to explore the delicate balance between tradition and innovation.”
Olmsted Plein Air Invitational, Big Wave, oil on linen panel, 6 x 8”, by Olena Babak; Carrie Goller Gallery, Cape Flattery IV, oil and cold wax, 14 x 11”, by Carrie Goller.
For Sam Paonessa, winter and water are his favorite subjects to paint. “Water has a spiritual connection which represents cleansing, purity and refreshing one’s soul, while providing a narrative for the landscape,” says the artist. “Inspiration for Listen to the River, came while visiting a familiar woodland creek after a heavy snowfall. Crisp light with strong cool shadows framed the chilling jade-colored water. Careful observation and skill are required in rendering the characteristics of water. This is very important to me and what I desire to express to my viewers and collectors: the feeling of frigid aqua, the sounds of splashing, moving and rushing water, the sparkles playfully bouncing on the surface. To further add to the richness of water, a convincing reflective quality is carefully applied. Reflection on water can be very meditative and evoke feelings of calmness and peace which is how I hope my collectors will connect.” —
Featured Artists & Galleries
Beth Cole
www.bethcoleart.com
beth@bethcoleart.com
Billis Williams Gallery
2716 S. La Cienega Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90034
(310) 838-3685
www.billiswilliams.com
Blue Rain Gallery
544 S. Guadalupe Street
Santa Fe, NM 87501, (505) 954-9902
934 Main Avenue, Unit B Durango, CO 81301, (970) 232-2033
www.blueraingallery.com
Carrie Goller Gallery
18801 Front Street Poulsbo, WA 98370
(360) 779-2388
info@carriegoller.com
www.carriegollergallery.com
Craig Mooney
www.craigmooneystudio.com
Olmsted Plein Air Invitational
931 Monroe Drive, NE Suite 102A-604, Atlanta, Georgia 30308
(404) 282-8283 www.olmstedpleinair.com
Sam Paonessa
(647) 923-9615
www.sampaonessa.com
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10028
(212) 535-7710 www.metmuseum.org
Powered by Froala Editor
