On clear, crisp nights along the south coast of Victoria, the sky is filled with glistening stars, a spectacular light show. When nights like this occur, I find myself outside, walking and looking up, or lying on the grass in the garden.
There, you will find clarity.
The sky is so magnificent and vast that you can’t help but clear your mind of negative thoughts. Its depth and expansiveness put everything into perspective. We are mere specks in this universe, a reminder to relish every moment and strive to be the best versions of ourselves.
Just looking at this painting makes me feel that way – lost in the depth of the ocean and the sparkle of the stars.
In our day-to-day lives, we often build up so much anxiety, even more so given the current state of the world. Now, more than ever, it is important for us to stand together, find our clarity, and forge ahead.
One night, after witnessing this incredible sky, a whale followed me to work.
I was driving along the coast road one morning when I spotted a whale out in the ocean. I stopped to watch it for a while, then got back in my car and kept driving. The whale continued swimming in the same direction. So I drove a little further, stopped, waited for it to catch up, then drove on again. It followed me all the way to Inverloch, where it eventually turned towards Wilsons Promontory.
It was such an incredible moment. I thought about that whale all day. Then I imagined what it must see on those crisp, clear nights, just like the ones I had experienced.
And so, The Milky Way Met the Sea was painted.
A clear, glassy night on the ocean, with a whale.
