Californian artist Erika Craig paints extraordinary images of women submerged in water, deep in thought. Though one can only imagine what these pensive ladies are thinking, there is an unmistakable connection between the subjects and their environment. Water has transformative qualities that extends beyond visual distortion. The natural mirror effect of the element forces one to self-reflect.
Craig draws a beautiful link between man and nature in this tranquil underwater series of portraits. She says, “In nature, I see the essence of truth and beauty. As people disconnect from nature, they lose a vital understanding. We become preoccupied with the mundane, obsessed with tiny details of our daily lives, restless and struggling for meaning. Forgetting how small we are and how little we control. How strange it is to even exist.”
Ironically, each of Craig's underwater paintings exhibit a moment to catch one's breath and disconnect from vanity. The series presents an astute representation of a meditative trance in which one can simply float, welcoming the ripples and refracted light to redefine your physical image.
