This post is in response to the Write, Edit, Publish (#WEP) blogging community June 2021 challenge.
This month’s challenge was particular interesting to me because it is inspired by The Great Wave, a piece created in the 1820’s by Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai.
Water is perhaps one of the more challenging subjects to paint convincingly in any landscape painting. Whether one is inspired by the ocean, a river, a pond, or a lake, each requires a studied familiarity.
Ocean waves and their constant motion are particularly challenging. The wave changes color and value as it gains height, and just before breaking becomes frothy. A wave can share the color of the sky until it begins to break. And as it rises, there is a certain transparency or a window into the ocean, when greener hues begin to appear. Just before breaking, the wave may pick up the color of sand or rocks for an instant as it unleashes its energy onto the shoreline.
Several years ago, I traveled the Pacific Coast highway from Mendocino to Big Sur. The power and the drama of the Pacific ocean were a constant source of awe and wonder. I spent hours staring at and listening to the waves thrashing and pounding the shorelines. One night the waves were so powerful that I was convinced trains were colliding below.
“The Wave” is a cold wax medium and oil painting that was inspired by that trip, and by photos I took capturing the natural beauty of the iconic Point Lobos State Natural Reserve in Carmel. The technique I used for painting the turbulent waters of the pacific and its giant wave were inspired by an accident of color and texture that appeared on my palette while working on another piece.
I noticed how the layers of wax on my palette made a pattern that to me looked like the turbulent waters of the Pacific. Expanding on the idea, I decided to introduce a closer look at the power of a wave as it hits the shoreline.
The final piece entitled “The Wave” is composed of many thin layers comprised of a mixture of a cold wax medium and oil paint. To achieve the multi faceted colors of the ocean and texture, I used several shades of blue and green oil paint applied with palette knife and scrapers. For me the beauty of working with cold wax medium mixes a freedom of style and technique while building a rich brilliance, luminosity, and textural surfaces.
@Jackie Begue Art. All Rights Reserved 2021
Word count: 431
FCA and all comments and feedback welcome.
Pennie Nichols says
Amazing how beautifully wax is water and still is motion. Wonderfully captured in your art.
jbegue says
Thank you for your feedback Pennie. After writing this, I’m wondering why I haven’t created another one. Maybe another ocean piece will come soon.
Olga Godim says
Love your painting. You caught the unending motion and the terrifying beauty of your wave and its unstoppable power.
jbegue says
Thank you Olga for the feedback.
Lenny Lee says
Wow, how cool is that! Love how you’ve made it look so real. I can hear the roar of the surf.
jbegue says
Thank you Lenny. Appreciate the feedback.
Peggy SMc says
Stunning and so real! Carmel and Big Sur are some of the most beautiful places in California and I can hear the waves crashing on the shore. Thanks for bringing back the precious memories!
jbegue says
Thank you Peggy. It brought back some strong memories for me too just writing about it. I love the power of the Pacific and would love to visit it again.
Nilanjana Bose says
You’ve captured the magnificence and the movement of the oceans brilliantly. Thank you for sharing this beautiful entry for WEP.
jbegue says
OH! Thank you! It was a last minute decision to submit my story and I am grateful that I did. I really do appreciate all of the feedback.
Charlotte (MotherOwl) says
I admire your artisitic skills. This wave looks wet, like real water.
jbegue says
Thank you so much for your feedback. This was a fun challenge.
Michael Di Gesu says
Hi Jackie…
I enjoyed your prelude to your AMAZING painting. I am not familiar with the cold wax and oil technique, but the result is truly incredible. Thank you for sharing your art with us!
jbegue says
And I thank you for your feedback and comments. Capturing water is a formidable task and I do spend lots of time staring at water and rocks…LOL.
lgkeltner says
Your painting is stunning! I’m always amazed at how artists discover and develop new techniques to create beautiful art. Sometimes accidental discoveries can yield wonderful results. Thank you for sharing this with us!
jbegue says
Thank you for your wonderful comments! It was the happiest type of discovery.
Steph W says
Fantastic painting. I love your accidental discovery and how it worked to create something so effective!
jbegue says
Thank you Steph.
Nancy Williams says
That is simply gorgeous. I traded in my paints for words, though I still will do an occasional watercolor. I loved how you explained the colors of a wave changing to pick up nearby colors. What an eye you have,
Nancy
jbegue says
Hi Nancy – I must confess that I like the writing portion as much as I like painting. The go hand in hand for me. I also create mindfulness cards etc., but painting and the creation part of it is still my favorite. Thank you for the feedback and just what I needed to hear today 🙂
Rebecca Douglass says
Beautiful! That is really cool.
jbegue says
Thank you Rebecca. Appreciate the feedback.
Yolanda Renee says
Wow, what can I say that hasn’t already been said? Just beautiful. I get to watch the waves daily and am amazed at how hypnotizing they are but also the sounds they make. I can’t imagine trying to re-create that but you managed to do it and do it magnificently!
Thank you so much for adding your entry to this challenge. Very special!
jbegue says
Lucky you that you are able to see those waves daily. I am always mesmerized by the water but unfortunately live in a land locked situation. I need to get to the coast! Thank you for your feedback.
Jemi Fraser says
Gorgeous! Such talent and patience required to create such beauty!
jbegue says
Thank you Jemi! Always appreciate the feedback.
cleemckenzie says
It seems you passed my house on your trip down the California coast. I know those crasing waves well, and they’re not well captured on canvass by very many. Kudos on your success.
cleemckenzie says
It seems you passed my house on your journey down the California coast. I know those crashing waves very well, and capturing them on canvas isn’t often done well. Kudos for your success.
jbegue says
I probably did pass by you on my journey! Thank you Lee for your comments regarding my creation.
Denise Covey says
Jackie, welcome to WEP, and what a fabulous entry. Even though we welcome original art/essays, we don’t often get them. Which is why I’m blown away by your wonderful original artwork and your essay. I’m sure you enjoyed staring at the ocean for inspiration and it shows in your cold wax and oil rendition. (I’m sorry being late to visit, but my list didn’t refresh!) I hope you’ll post again!
jbegue says
Thank you for the welcome Denise. And I appreciate the feedback on my work(s).
Anne Nydam says
Beautiful. Water is indeed hard to capture and you’ve done a wonderful job.
jbegue says
Thank you for the feedback Anne!
Kalpana says
My comment has disappeared so here goes again 🙂 Firstly, I love looking at your painting of waves and your description of how the colours of a wave change as it peaks and crashes was also fabulous. Welcome to WEP.
jbegue says
Thank you for the welcome and for the feedback about the artwork and writing. Very helpful!
Naughty Netherworld Press and Readers Roost (@readersroost) says
Beautiful artwork. I’m glad you shared it with us.
Terribly sorry to be tardy to the party. I had a bit of a mental crisis but am back to abnormal now.
Your post is included in this week’s Roost Recommendations. I share the Roost Recommendations posts on Twitter with readers looking for their next read.
https://ornerybookemporium.blogspot.com/2021/06/roost-recommendations-27-june-2021.html
jbegue says
Glad you’re back to abby-normal🤪😂. Thank you for the Roost Recommendations too!! That’s incredible.
hilarymb says
Hi Jackie – congratulations on your Brilliant Debut award – highly deserved. I’d love to be able to paint or draw – sadly not in my brain repertoire … but I love how you describe finding your technique for this – amazing piece of art … and such an inspirational story for this post – cheers Hilary