Sea Caves
"Sea Cave at Holborn Head" - watercolour - 24 x 36 cm
I think most people probably find
caves interesting: a primordial fascination with the feeling of a
portal to an unseen world. If this applies to a cave on land, it must
be even more the case for the kind of sea cave which can only be
reached by boat. There is no way of knowing, from dry land, what lies
beyond the entrance: how far it extends or whether it leads to a vast
cavern. We can watch the waves wash in and disappear into the depths,
maybe listen to the crashing sounds from within, and then see the
resulting surf wash out again. Sea birds also, come and go from their
roosts high up in the cave, inhabiting a world we can never be part
of; a world we can only try to imagine.
Perhaps the greatest attraction of
caves is the way that they allow our imaginations to play.
Superb!!
ReplyDeleteThanks René, it's not a typical subject in your part of the world, but maybe you saw something like it in Ireland.
DeleteHi there Keith!... You have once again successfully translated the mood and distrinct character of the subject before you... both in paint and in words!
ReplyDeleteThe austere and threatening presence of this seaside underworld is made more palatable through the warmth of your palette and the presence no matter how fragile... of the soaring and exploring gulls!
Loved your thoughtful commentary regarding our inability to enter the domains of some creatures. That is a good thing perhaps... given how our presence often forever sullies what is naturally wild and beautiful before our arrival on the scene.
Good Painting!
Warmest regards,
Bruce
Hi Bruce, I hadn't thought of the idea of caves as a wildlife refuge, but you're certainly right. How ironic that caves were once a shelter for Mankind, but now they protect against him.
DeleteAll the best,
Keith
That is so beautiful... I also enjoyed your description, and I wonder whether or not I would dare brave those waters to find answers to what cannot be seen. Perhaps it is sufficient simply to look and to imagine. Thank you, Keith.
ReplyDeleteYes Diane, sometimes the mystery is the most important thing.
Delete