Navigating Warm Waters

These fluid acrylic Strappo mono prints evolved from on-site research of observed sea life, and the kaleidoscopic layers, textures and colors seen through the lens of crystal clear waters of the Turneffe Atoll off the coast of Belize and the warm waters surrounding St. Thomas and St. John. Turneffe is a marine reserve and the largest coral atoll in the Belize Barrier Reef System. St. Thomas and St. John are neighboring U.S. Virgin Islands in the Caribbean. Both areas are home to an astounding array of marine life. Acrylic strappo prints seemed the perfect vehicle for conveying visual response to these beautiful waterways. Strappo prints – so named by artist Harold Garde – are mono prints created by painting with acrylic paint on a glass plate, then transferring that image to paper or canvas by pulling it from the plate and adhering it to the new substrate. The paint flows over the glass, similar to the fluid motion of marine life living within these warm waters.