“Sea on the mind”. I decided to call my project this because it links well to my subject and is a fun play on the theme.

My aim in this project was to explore the theme of the oceans positive effect on mental health. I currently live by the ocean, and it has always been a big part of my life, so it often features in my artwork. This theme however is even more personal to me as I have experienced first-hand the sea on mental health and I hope this will show in my final outcome. My biggest challenge was to represent our sensory and emotional response to the sea through my work. To try and produce an abstract image in a gallery that has the calming emotional impact of looking at the sea I first needed to understand the sensory impact of the sea and why people find it so calming.

My Final Piece: The combination of the three elements, the swirling washes of blue , the rhythmic printed pattern and the drawn face feel balanced and harmonious. By using similar washes of blue on the drawing beneath the print and over the finished print, the layers seem to be drawn together , The figure appears to disappear into the texture and only become prominent when you focus in on the key features of the face.

The research that went into this to understand the dynamics and science behind how the sea supports mental health recovery, was really astounding. Not only was that achieved with a fully sensory experience presented to the viewer, but it’s really wonderful to feel the connection of the piece to the artist as well. It is both personal and relatable, which is a mark of a great modernist artist. The innovation and experimentation that led Nina to this wonderful outcome is very progressive with an added social agenda and gives a belief in progress. We feel you have really engaged with your audience Nina in how it can spark conversation and engage the viewer, getting really drawn into its almost hypnotic layers. Wonderful work, well done!