FisherMan stmt

Olivia's Art Studio - Seascapes & Water

Artist's
Inspiration

24" x 36" Oil

The FisherMan In The Storm

Inspiration:

He is everywhere.

Like an outlandish heron, this Man clad in traditional ‘saram’
fishes the south coast from a wooden perch.
Are you the one He is fishing for? Will you come?

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said,
“and I will make you fishers of men.”
Matthew 4:19

Technique:

The eye is drawn first to the storm, then, inexorably, by the lines of the painting and the tilt of the fisherman on the perch, to the curve of the boat. He is not at the center of the painting; rather He is at the upper left-hand corner. Nor is He bathed in light; the storm is what is most apparent visually. The figure of Jesus is framed in darkness, but once the eye makes Him out, we see light emanating from His clothes (transfiguration).

The turmoil of the storm brewing is balanced and countered by the peace of Christ as He fishes for us. The storm is depicted with frantic movement and evocations of destructive power. The space around Christ, bathed by His light, conveys serenity. Those who turn to Jesus, the artist is showing, can have peace in the midst of turmoil and suffering. Just as He calmed the storm of the Sea of Galilee, His presence can calm the storms in our lives. Will you be in the boat?

As our eyes play over the painting, we become involved in a spiritual meditation. The theme, in all of its contrasts and complexity, emerges from the composition of the painting (the balancing of light and dark, motion and rest, the power of the sea and the power of Jesus Christ). The meaning of this painting comes from the merging of its content and its form.