The Story

This piece was created before my professional art career kicked off, which makes it a bit special. When you’re painting just for you – spending a Sunday with a friend, no pressure, no audience – the creation feels completely authentic. Your headspace is free from concern about how it’ll be received.

Some meanings I’ll keep to myself for now. But one fun detail: my painting companion wanted to paint a wave, and it was rewarding to guide them through capturing the movement with the right brushes and strokes, creating that beautiful whitewash effect of a crashing wave. I host art classes on the side, so this feels like a lovely early marker of that teaching instinct – guiding friends even before the professional chapter began.

The Creation

Deep blues, black, and white – rough ocean, stormy vibes. I used a medium-sized flat brush for most of it, working in that cross-hatch style that builds energy through directional changes. The contrast between the dark blues and bright whites gives it that churning, restless feeling. It was a collaborative, relaxed painting session, more about the experience than the outcome, though the outcome turned out pretty great.

The Piece

More Than A Storm carries that raw, moody ocean energy. It’s bold and a bit brooding – perfect for spaces that can handle some intensity. The deep blues and dramatic whites make it ideal for modern interiors with darker accents or as a statement piece against lighter walls. There’s something about stormy ocean paintings that feels both powerful and calming, the chaos contained on canvas. I’m looking forward to creating more pieces in this cross-hatch style across different colour palettes.