Rarotonga Underwater

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This is a very special painting and is an artistic labour of love to Rarotonga. Rarotonga is a beautiful tropical Island in the Pacific Ocean. The unique archipelago is inside a reef and is surrounded by calm turquoise waters.

This one-of-a-kind artwork looks like a 3D aquarium with tropical fish, turtles and lots of other beautiful sea creatures.

The painting has a real sense of depth and is deeply layered. It feels like you're underwater.

It has a stunning and vibrant colourway of turquoise, deep blue, green and a fresh squeeze of lime. There is iridescence which sparkles like sunlight flickering through the water.

I paint at different times of the day and night to create special effects, as my paintings interact with light sources. Depending on which way the light hits the painting different things will become more prevalent and noticeable.

It's quite tricky to pick up the special effects in the photos, so I've popped up a few short videos or movie clips.  The short reels show the vibrant colours and sparkly bits which look like droplets or refractions of light hitting the water.

This large wall art piece is inspired by an incredible underwater turtle experience with amazing guides at Ariki Experience. If you ever get the chance to go to Rarotonga, I thoroughly recommend Ariki Experience where you get to swim with the Sea Turtles which are native to the Cook Islands / Rarotonga. The sea scooters are literally like having your own buoyancy and jets to zoom around with! The knowledgeable Ariki guides put you at your ease, and take you into the turtles’ natural marine environment, close enough to touch but their sustainable tourism policies mean only looking – no touching. Turtles can’t consent, lil cuties.

The guide showed us the resident native giant clam or Tridacna maxima,  which can weigh up to 250 kilograms and grow as long as one and a half metres. Some species are thought to live for over 100 years. Right at the bottom of the painting, the giant Clam offspring is represented as a tiny wee pearl - that the wee tropical fish are swimming towards. Apart from the turtles, there are Saddled Butterflyfish, Teardrop Butterflyfish, Morrish Idol fish, Picasso Trigger Fish, Angelfish, Emperor Angelfish, Teardrop Butterflyfish, and Seahorses hidden in the seaweed.

Adults and children alike will love this piece, it's a happy, feel good, whimsical underwater fairy tale, and will certainly be a generational family talking point for years to come.

Yes, wee hands feeling the painting are allowed, as the surface wipes clean.

The last photo is of me swimming with the Turtles, and an underwater clip taken snorkelling in Rarotonga.

I've paired this painting with a track called 'Blink, by Coco House Bros' who are an indigenous Cook Island / Rarotongan DJ trio. It's got a Balearic, Ibiza house or Ibizan chillout sound to it, but is made in the Pacific! Love it. Listen here on Spotify, or on YouTube.

My paintings all come with hardware on the back ready to hang.

I’d really like children to have access this artwork, so am happy to offer a discount to schools, non for profit, or ministries where lots of children can see and touch the painting.  Can also provide a GST invoice.