Polaroid scapes | The beach I (don't) dream of

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For as long as I can remember, the view of the sea has fascinated me. When I was little, we used to travel rather frequently to Isla de Margarita, where I would spend my days on the beach or dreaming about going to the beach. I would stay in the water, swimming on the shallow waters, all across the shoreline and back. One time, I got caught by the undertow and almost drowned. I have to admit that ever since then the fascination comes mixed with terror.

I often dream of a shoreless sea. In those nightmares, the sea is still an incredibly beautiful, breath-taking view, but it's also a monster threatening to erase me from the face of the earth. Sometimes, the dream involves having to protect someone dear to me from the power of the water. In all cases, I end up almost drowning. Just before waking up, I can clearly hear the waves crash and roar. Then, the tide pulls me down, and a cerulean blue is all I see.

Today's artwork is my way of telling my brain that we are safe. I'm safe. I can see the monster from the distance, in all its beauty, and it can't hurt me. I can sit on the shore, play with the sand beneath my toes, enjoy the sunlight and the salty breeze. And whenever I'm ready, I can go into the sea again.

This Polaroid scapes series seeks to represent the landscapes I love and that have marked my existence in a way or another. Some of them might be associated with my dreams and nightmares, depending on how big an influence they've had in my life story. I decided to start this as a practice of introspection, with the added benefit of learning how to better handle color and depth in my paintings. I hope you like it!


Artwork & texts © @beautifulwreck.

I'd like to thank you for stopping by. I hope my post resonated with you in some way. If it did, or even if it didn't, I'd like to further connect with you, so I invite you to drop a comment and I'll answer it as soon as I can!

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(Edited)

I love this colorful work of yours, as well as the personal story behind it :^)

I am attracted to and - at the same time - somewhat afraid of the sea myself, as I have also been close to drowning, several times and I haveseen JAWS at a young age ;^)

Abraço!

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Oh, JAWS definitely made an impression on those who watched as a kid hahaha it's hard to not picture a huge creature creeping beneath you when you're swimming. I can hear the theme song as I write! duunnn dunnn… duuuunnnn duun… duuunnnnnnnn dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dunnnnnnnnnnn dunnnn... hahaha

Thank you for your support, amigo mío!

Sending a big hug your way. I hope you're doing great!

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Grrrrr, im very bad at painting. Especially doing it traditional.

Oi! On your next post. Can you do it step by step so i can see how you made the progress from blank canvass to Masta Piece!

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Yeah I've done some step-by-step type of posts but the camera of my phone sucks. Sometimes they just don't work out. Hopefully they'll be better next time so I can post them!

Btw I'd like to see your attempts at painting, I'm sure something interesting would come out of it.

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Ehh, too lazy to buy art materials. Especially since the ones i want are only available deep inside the city or within malls.

I might try digital painting though. Hahhaha

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Lovely watercolour and words. The ocean DOES have a beauty and a terror - as an ocean girl mermaid sea lover, I get it!

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Thank you for your words of appreciation! 🌊💙 I had fun working on this one. Actually it was quite stressful at first because I was using watercolor pencils and they weren't cooperating, but then I used a little bit of gouache to save the scene and I'm happy with the result. For a first time, I think it isn't too bad. I might do some post-apocalyptic scape soon!

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Aaww I hope someday you'll eliminate that fear completely. The sea is beautiful and you are safe (being aware of some cautions of course). I also kinda have that fear of the ocean that's why I still don't know how to swim, but I still love being at the shore anyway and just stay there. Crystal clear waters and calm waves are the best.

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Yees, I'm working on overcoming the fear haha I absolutely love being near the sea and the calm always beats the sensation of being in danger. That's what I felt when I did the immersions to get the Scuba Diver SSI certification.

It's just my subconscious mind that likes to play games and push limits 😂 wondering "what if...you drowned?" Haha thank you for your comment 💙🌊

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That's what I felt when I did the immersions to get the Scuba Diver SSI certification.

OMG WHAAAATTTT! You go girl!!!! That's really a big step congratulations :D Hahaha excited for you to do bigger steps 😵

Yes yes it's just the subconscious that's still afraid! There was this one thing I tried tho and it really helped me remove my fear and it might help you. For the past years I've had some bad dreams and a lot of nightmares so I was really scared and mostly afraid of the dark but now I'm not anymore. All I did was to repeat this thing in my head "I am powerful and I am protected" again and again. Literally everytime I remember saying it I just say. Until slowly I don't get scared anymore even when I see some scary stuff during my sleep paralysis I just laugh at them lol.

It's a good method to work with your subconscious :D

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That's really a big step congratulations :D Hahaha excited for you to do bigger steps 😵

Thank you!! It was awesome, I couldn't believe I had made it!

"I am powerful and I am protected"

What a beautiful thing to say to ourselves. I will definitely remember this, and I'll do the exercise of telling these words to myself when I feel the need of it, and even if I don't. Thank you for this advice! ❤️

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