GRACE

Open edition print by V. Rae

Image size: 18" x 12"

Whether sailing Alaska coastal waters or snorkeling Hawaiian shores, V Rae chronicles natural life through bold portraits that leap from the canvas to your heart.  Defying convention in a startling fusion of color and negative space, V paints Freestyle Expressions that transport each personal encounter through time and space, sharing with the world her seamless blend of art, nature and individual personality. Like Humpback whales, V migrates between Alaska, the Pacific Northwest and Hawaii each year painting from platforms frequented by her subjects.

Artist's narrative:  After an arduous 48 hour passage across the Gulf of Alaska, shagging boat parts for Captain Carpenter Cleavage and his ailing diesel had me in a mood.  When the smelly beast finally kicked over, I cast off our dock line, grabbed the wheel and barked, “Can we just find a quiet cove and fix dinner!?”  At my side, the mild mannered captain pointed and said, “You may want to steer clear of that Humpback.”  My 'mood' evaporated like mist on a sun drenched fjord as I throttled back to drink in the scene.  Her day must have gone a bit like mine, because the moment I eased our approach she turned, steamed our direction, gave us a mid-ship head butt, turned and flipped us off in a massive shower of sea water.  Soaked and shocked, we watched as she indignantly swam off toward her miniature mirror image, now out of harm’s way.  Thrilled, I smiled, hugged my husband and said, “Ohhh, she was just bein’ a mom.”