The sea, with its vast expanses and mysterious unexplored depths, has always attracted and captivated people.

But it was during the Romantic era, at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries, that seascapes became a particularly beloved subject of paintings. For the Romantics, the tumultuous sea was typically contrasted with the calm land, and the sea was likened to the rebellious human soul, the storm of worldly passions, embodying the eternal and incomprehensible divine principle.

Paintings with a maritime theme were also executed in the genre of historical battle scenes, telling the public about the fearless sea voyages and glorious battles of celebrated galleys. Gradually, views of naval battles and shipwrecks took a backseat, and artists became interested solely in the water element itself and the variability of its conditions.

For example, the American artist Howard Behrens, who painted sunny and cheerful seascapes, is very different from the marine painters of the 18th and 19th centuries. Valery Ocean also shares Behrens' approach. You look at her paintings and see a joyful, bright, and calm sea.

Talented American artist Lisa Egeli also paints serene and majestic seascapes. It is her blue and pink warm seascapes that inspire Valeria Ocean to create paintings in this style. In Valeria's paintings, you can see a similar overall mood.

In contemporary American art, there are many artists who have refused all objects and focused solely on the sea and its mesmerizing variability. Valery Ocean has chosen this path: she paints the water in various changing states from such a close distance that even the horizon line does not appear on her canvases. She was inspired by the maritime compositions of artists such as Irina Cumberland and Eva Volf. Valeria Ocean, along with these artists, beautifully captures the plasticity and non-static nature of water, depicting it as alive, refreshing, and full of joy.

Marine painting continues to evolve and receive a great response from both artists and the public. Because the water has the power to calm and soothe people’s souls, and to invigorate and energize them. And artists like Valeria Ocean help people to be closer to it.


10.07.2022
Caroline Evans