vessel, bone, shell, belly

bone
acrylic, pastel, and charcoal on paper
8x10"

original artwork: $ 250
reproductions starting at: $ 37

The story behind the artwork

These four pieces were created simultaneously. They were all created from references of underwater life. Soft corals, sea snails, and sea sponges living together in a coral reef environment when observed, sometimes it is hard to distinguish where one creature ends and another begins. They are often splendidly camouflaged amongst one another. They are all animals living together, though especially corals are often incorrectly thought of as plants. I’ve shown them here as soft and fluid and mysterious. I’ve used maternal names for two as vessel and belly, to indicate their reproductive capabilities. And I’ve used the titles shell and bone, to indicate what you are not seeing. The shell is not hard, but soft and fleshy. The bone is white like a bone, but it folds and bulges unexpectedly. Together as a group they represent a small community of sea life living harmoniously together. They are male and female, sometimes even within the same creature.