"Timeless, Tameless Tide"

The timeless, ceaseless rhythm of untamed waves breaking on the shore

make so many things in life seem small by comparison

'Timeless, Tameless Tide'

by Ellen Rice

"Timeless, Tameless Tide" was born of countless memories and imagination, no calculated mapping out or reference photos.

I just wanted to jump into the ocean and the summer I painted it was so busy that even living a mile from the ocean I couldn't find one day where I could go to the beach. I craved jumping into water, diving into waves, and finally decided if I couldn't do it I'd immerse myself in painting it.

I've lived near the ocean most of my life, places like Newport, Charleston as a child and on the Delaware coast since a teen. Painting the ocean, and it's timeless, ceaseless rhythm, is almost second nature to me. I feel my way through ocean scenes,  almost hear the ocean as I paint.

As I painted this oil painting, memories of long family days where the sun is so strong the sand burns your feet came to me, along with the first moment you dip your toes into the shock of the water's temperature, then the exhilaration of diving into the next promising wave, feeling it break over the soles of soles of your feet as you plow headlong through the water barely in time to miss a full hit, hands held together in front of you, parting the deeper water ahead while protecting your head from whatever you might bump into ... jellyfish, sharks.... 

There were plenty of jellyfish over the years and I only saw very small sand sharks. something else once gave me a big scare.

One memory stands out to me, and it took place on a day that looked similar to this painting, though without quite the stiff breeze. I had dived into a wave, swum farther out and began floating on my back backwards over gentle swells past where waves were breaking, calmly gazing up at the blue sky, when I heard frantic whistles blowing. I raised my head and on shore saw a lifeguard jumping up and down and alternately motioning me back in and pointing behind me.

When I turned my head, a few feet behind me over the swell I'd been floating over were very large fins. They were moving laterally, not toward me, but I didn't waste time. I was a very good swimmer, but I think I must have levitated out of that water. It was only back on shore that I could tell from the movement of the fins that it was dolphins, a lot of them, not sharks. You still don't want to be in the midst of wild dolphins when they're feeding in the open ocean water.

I stuck to jumping into waves and swimming somewhat closer to shore after that, and apparently the brief scare never spoiled my enjoyment of it. Heavy tourist traffic is another matter.

I hope you enjoy my painting. I painted it for myself, but also for kindred spirits who wish they could be enjoying the beach wherever they are.

Ellen