Thalassophile
$1,000.00
SOLD
Artist: Erin Hollingshead
Medium: Oil
Artist Statement:
Thalassophile explores the relationship between body, place, and land through a simple moment of physical connection with water. Painted realistically in oil, the work depicts a hand touching deep blue, crystal-clear water illuminated by sunlight, where sparkles move across the surface. In relation to the theme of Out of Place, I interpret “place” not only as a physical experience, but as something experienced emotionally through interaction with the natural world. Water becomes a place of connection, reflection, and grounding. The title, Thalassophile, refers to a person deeply drawn to the ocean or sea and reflects my own connection to water as a source of peace and restoration. For me, the work represents the importance of maintaining a relationship with nature that reconnects us to ourselves and our surroundings. Whether through the ocean, a lake, or a river, water offers a calm presence that feels essential to my life and, I believe, to many others who are drawn to it as well. I hope the viewer of this piece will interpret the painting as an invitation to slow down and reconnect with their own memories of, and ways of connecting with, nature. I hope the work evokes feelings of nostalgia, calmness, longing, or recognition. In turn, I hope it encourages viewers to reflect on their lived experiences. For those who feel especially drawn to water, I hope the work reminds them of the ways nature can restore a sense of peace, comfort, and presence. My thought process while creating this work was centered on capturing a fleeting, familiar moment of connection with nature, like the instinctive act of trailing your hand through the water while canoeing or sitting near the edge of a dock. I wanted to preserve a simple interaction that is easy to overlook but deeply meaningful in how it creates closeness between body and environment.
Artist Biography:
Erin Hollingshead is a painter, illustrator, and printmaker based on the east coast of Canada in Kjipuktuk (Halifax, Nova Scotia). Living near the Atlantic Ocean has strongly influenced her creative practice, providing an ongoing source of inspiration through the changing landscape, coastal experiences, surfing and quiet moments spent near water. Working primarily in oil painting, lino-cut printmaking, ink, and watercolour, Erin creates work that explores the human connection to the ocean and the natural world. A graduate of NSCAD University with a major in painting and printmaking, Erin has spent over ten years creating paintings, illustrations, and lino-cut prints inspired by the
Atlantic coastline and the experience of spending time near water. Working primarily in oil paint, watercolour, ink, and relief printmaking, her work reflects an ongoing fascination with the ocean and the quiet, everyday moments that shape how people experience and connect with nature. Through realism, Erin often focuses on small but meaningful details, such as: a hand moving through water, sunlight catching a wave, or familiar coastal scenes that invite pause and attention. Her work is driven by a desire to preserve moments of stillness and connection that can easily be overlooked, while encouraging viewers to reflect on their own experiences with places that feel grounding, peaceful, or familiar. Erin believes that spending time in nature, particularly near water, can offer a sense of connection. Through her work, she hopes to share some of that feeling and encourage viewers to slow down and reconnect with the natural world. Her work is represented by Argyle Fine Art in Halifax and carried in shops throughout Nova Scotia and Ontario.
