Harmony in the Tides. My Tidepool Adventure

Painting the Tidepools

“Harmony in the Tides” 5 ft by 8 ft, acrylic on unstretched canvas.

I painted this painting in my studio but worked from a photo I had taken at Montana De Orp, where we camp often. I did not paint it plein air as to set up my easel on a rocky tidepool can be dicey.. I did not want to try balancing on uneven rocks, trying not to drop a paintbrush into a crab's living room. Painting outdoors is always unpredictable, but add slippery kelp and curious seagulls and you have a real potential for danger. I called the resulting canvas "Harmony in the Tides, " an attempt at coastal art inspired by the sea and all the little surprises it holds.

Capturing the Rhythm of the Tides in Art

“Harmony in the Tides” 5 ft by 8 ft, acrylic on unstretched canvas.. This image is to give you a sence of the painting’s size.

The goal for this sea-inspired paintingnwas to capture the rhythm and balance of the tides. Have you ever noticed how the ocean cycles mimic life? Low tide brings solitude, when everything is calm and the tidepools sit quietly under the sun. High tide brings connection, as each pool is swept into the ocean again. And then there's the ever-comforting renewal when the waters retreat and leave behind new material. I tried to reflect these cycles on canvas, using brushstrokes that flowed like water and colors that ebb and flow across the scene.

An Artist’s Tidepool Adventure

Painting the tidepools teches me more than just how to fend off the seagulls. For one, I learned that a clump of seaweed makes a poor substitute for a paper towel. More importantly, I experienced a deep connection with nature while painting. This isn't just a pretty seascape painting. It's a memory of me at the tidepools recalling it’s beauty.

Finding Balance and a Bit of Zen

I find moments of real peace out there when I am photographing the tidepools. Painting of the sea can feel like meditation. – There's a sense of balance in matching your brushstrokes to the rememberence of crashing waves. In those moments, I not just painting tidepool art, I am part of the scene, as connected as the anemones clinging to the rocks. The experience reminded me why I love being an artist: sometimes you have to literally go with the flow.

Life Lessons from a Tidepool

After a few hours of being out there photographing the tidepools, both the tide and my inspiration rolls back in. My painting "Harmony in the Tides" now holds a story of solitude, connection, and renewal. All this is wrapped in a great afternoon at the tidepools. I walk away with photographs for future paintings, and a damp backside (thanks, sneaky wave), and a renewed appreciation for nature’s timing.

Who knew a tidepool painting can be an adventure reinforced a simple truth: life, like the tides, has its ups and downs.