12 x 16 inches watercolor painting with ink drawing on 300lb paper.

I grew up on the rocky, wild coast of Scotland and spent many hours rambling around on beaches searching for the luscious little worlds to be found in tide pools. I loved to stop and squat down, and look, and look, and look at all that was inside of them. They are packed with rich colors and textures, and change constantly day to day as new things get swept in and out of them with the changing tides. There’s something deeply beautiful about these contained spaces that are covered for half of the time, straddling the boundary between land and sea, between exposed and hidden. I can’t think of another thing quite like tide pools. They captivate me and bring me into wonder.

This painting came from a small series of tide pool pieces where I was experimenting with alternative color choices. How could I celebrate the vibrancy of life, textures, and shapes found in those places with non life like colors?