The Glimpse

This is the second seascape that I worked directly onto a heavy lump of driftwood. This one I picked up at one of our nearest beaches, Perranuthnoe, on the south coast of Cornwall, near to Penzance.

The wood itself is oak. Starting life as an acorn and growing into a handsome tree, it undoubtedly harboured life of many kinds. Nobody knows where it grew, where it was milled, or what purpose it was put to before it ended up floating in the ocean. It has been previously sawn by human hands. There are rusty clout nails hammered around the inch-thick edges, and an even rustier, bent-flat chunk of metal strapping smashed into the underside. I love the idea that it will continue its journey, now a piece of art reflecting its time spent at sea.

The image depicts a 'glimpse-through-the-foliage' of a wave, unfolding in glassy perfection. This is the sight that all surfers dream of and if lucky, occasionally enjoy. The exciting promise of unridden waves, perhaps discovered for the first time, confirmed by the first sighting of the line-up, usually one glimpse at a time.

Acrylic, 450 x 130 x 38mm.

Thanks for looking!