Mesmerizing Paintings Capture the Movement of Splashing Waves

Seascape Paintings Wave Paintings Wave Painting Phoebe Sonder Art

Brooklyn-based artist Phoebe Sonder creates captivating seascape paintings that present the “power and vulnerability of the water's movement.” Ranging in both scale and stylistic approach, her striking series of ocean art showcases the beauty and buoyancy of splashing waves.

In each energetic piece, Sonder skillfully captures the moment that splashing waves break. Even as the translucent waves crash against the coastline or slosh against each other, the paintings manage to convey a sense of calm amid the chaos. This striking duality is due to Sonder's ability to visualize the undulating rhythm of the tide, which she compares to the “inhale and exhale of breath.”

While a number of her paintings are impressively lifelike, the artist notes that her “aesthetic language of drawing and line is to experience water's essence, not to represent or reproduce.” This painterly perspective is particularly evident in her smaller studies, which capture the fleeting nature of the waves with loose brushwork inspired by Impressionism.

Whether rendered in minute detail or painterly strokes, however, each of Sonder's paintings seeks to celebrate the sea, the artist's main muse and “the truest monument to the depth of time in its delicate absolute.”

Specializing in seascape painting, artist Phoebe Sonder captures the movement of splashing waves.

Seascape Paintings Wave Paintings Wave Painting Phoebe Sonder Art

Many of her wave paintings are impressively realistic.

Seascape Paintings Wave Paintings Wave Painting Phoebe Sonder Art

Seascape Paintings Wave Paintings Wave Painting Phoebe Sonder Art

Seascape Paintings Wave Paintings Wave Painting Phoebe Sonder Art

Seascape Paintings Wave Paintings Wave Painting Phoebe Sonder Art

Seascape Paintings Wave Paintings Wave Painting Phoebe Sonder Art

Others are beautifully Impressionistic.

Seascape Paintings Wave Paintings Wave Painting Phoebe Sonder Art

Seascape Paintings Wave Paintings Wave Painting Phoebe Sonder Art

Seascape Paintings Wave Paintings Wave Painting Phoebe Sonder Art

Seascape Paintings Wave Paintings Wave Painting Phoebe Sonder Art

See Sonder in action below!

A post shared by Phoebe Sonder (@phoebesonder) on

Phoebe Sonder: Website | Instagram | Facebook
h/t: [Reddit]

My Modern Met granted permission to use photos by Phoebe Sonder.

Related Articles:

Energetic Large-Scale Paintings of Splashing Ocean Waves

Watercolor Paintings of Waves and Whales Mimic the Calming Undulation of Blue Oceans

Translucent Paint Layers Capture the Energy of Ocean Waves

Interview: Warren Keelan Captures Stunning Ocean Waves That Look Like Brushstrokes of Paint

Kelly Richman-Abdou

Kelly Richman-Abdou is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met. An art historian living in Paris, Kelly was born and raised in San Francisco and holds a BA in Art History from the University of San Francisco and an MA in Art and Museum Studies from Georgetown University. When she’s not writing, you can find Kelly wandering around Paris, whether she’s leading a tour (as a guide, she has been interviewed by BBC World News America and France 24) or simply taking a stroll with her husband and two tiny daughters.
Become a
My Modern Met Member
As a member, you'll join us in our effort to support the arts.
Become a Member
Explore member benefits

Sponsored Content