Sweet Tides

24x30 Resin, glass, grace. For Katie & Scarlett. 

I certainly had no idea how I would paint your effortless beauty Katie. There has always been something about you - something that connects nature with the wind and in that - creates a perfect design of brightness and depth. You were always easy to be around and honest - with the ability to juggle your life gracefully, like a dance. Scarlett is your pride and joy in life and to anyone that knows you a little bit or a lot or even just in passing - she is your heart and soul. The pride and love you share about her and being her mom has been a beautiful aspect of life to witness. 

There is nothing on this Earth that I love like I love the ocean. Even when she is peaceful and picturesque I know her power.  I love that you always refer to Scarlett as “Sweet Scarlett” and the photos of you both, illuminated in the open light of the sky stretched over the ocean are what really inspired my direction for this art. I wanted to paint you both a portrait to share of the power of the tides of the ocean, because I believe it is a perfect metaphor for the power and love that you share with each other. I wanted it to look at first graceful and illuminated, just like you both.  If you look more closely you can really see the movement, power and depth that supports the illumination and grace, just like you both. 

Sweet Tides by Thievery Corporation is one of my favorite songs and the inspiration for her title. The track is deep and trippy but whimsical and clear, like a good dream. It’s a love song about freedom, two things to me that as mother and daughter you represent in the hearts of each other. 

This painting also, like a good dream, gently contrasts herself. With her colors, textures and movement, there are about eight different paintings in this one painting. The broken pieces underneath you don’t see at first, but they make up the structure. This is because we all have broken parts that are important and support us as we heal them together. As a whole the textures represent all of the ways you have both grown and changed together ever since Scarlett arrived. Somehow everything that is broken makes the whole picture beautiful and one hundred percent unique. 

It’s the love that makes you who you are and what you become to each other, just like it is the force of a tide that creates the sparkling grace of the crashing waves. I love the strength and sweetness you both share. I feel calm and bright every time I think of you both, walking on a beach somewhere, thriving in the sun. Thank you for all that you are, and for inspiring this painting. You make the world a better place, and it has been an honor to bring even more power and grace forward because of how you have inspired me.