The Wave

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30" x 60", acrylic on canvas, 2009

 

There was a hurricane passing by the Atlantic Coast of America producing enormous and angry looking, sand-infused, golden waves, which I prefer to the stereotype, pretty blue.  I saw the sculptural effect of the power of those waves and I thought of the famous "Wave" by Hokusai, the great Japanese artist of the 19th century.

I decided to add a peregrine falcon, the most aggressive hunter of the sky, beating along the shore.  For reference for this flying hawk I did a sculpture to make drawings from.  The flock of ruddy turnstones have taken flight and are exploding off the canvas, echoing the exploding foam of the wave.