"Trapped In The Undertow" c.2006. Acrylic on canvasboard. In 2004 during a depressive episode my therapist and I worked on some visualization techniques to keep my anxiety down (since anxiety and depression go together often). He has me visualize a place I felt safe and, ironically, that turned out to be the ocean. I've lived in Southern California most of my life, within a 30 minute drive of the beach, and grew up swimming in pools. Completed swimming lessons at age 4. I love water. So I ended up visualizing myself somehow breathing under cool blue water, very calm. The coolness of the water on my skin was like a hug from the ocean. It did happen to work and I've since made many paintings with water as a theme. This is one. I don't remember the original intention (but by the name it doesn't seem pleasant), however when I see it these days all I think of is the cool embrace of the ocean that I love so much, and not drowning but breathing it like a mermaid. #art #water #coolwater #theocean #breathingunderwater #oceanpainting #backfloat #cool #surrealart #outsiderart #visionaryart #artistsofinstagram #artistsoninstagram #instaart #therapy #therapeutic #likeafishinthesea #breathing #visualization #floating #calm #peace #acrylicart #acrylicpainting #painting #peacefulness #nofear #hypnosis #safeplace #underwater https://www.instagram.com/p/CgkoaLYvgcZ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
