While out for a day sail, we cruised near a group of harbor seals from our local rookery. They were hauled out on a row of low-tide ledges. Peering in for a closer look, I found my focus through the binoculars. I could see them all with perfect clarity. Nudging each other. Grunting and barking. Basking in the warm sun. The zoomed in detail was a pure delight.
Wanting to retain this intimate perspective, I photographed the lazing seals. My camera couldn't capture them nearly as well as I could see them through my binoculars, so I thought to combine the two and put my camera lens up to the binoculars. It worked beautifully. However, my spontaneous photo technique left an interestingly distinct greyed-out, fuzzy loop around the central image of the seal. From this instance was born the idea for the Porthole Series: Down East.
Each vivid, central scene is painted in acrylic. The surrounding, fuzz laced scene is sculpted in clay. Joining the two allows a focus on what's important, while keeping the context of its surroundings. That moment sailing ~ this series of paintings ~ each lets you take the time to look longer, to see the world more clearly.