Written by Anna Itkonen
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Petra Meikle lives and works in Cairns, 15 nautical miles from the Great Barrier Reef, one of the world’s oceanic wonders. In her lifelong artistic career, she has always depicted the natural world around her. Still, the ocean has brought her calm and serenity and has become an endless source of creative inspiration.
Petra Meikle
“There is something about being around water, particularly that turquoise, clear, salty water in the ocean. There is something about it that does unexplained things and evokes unexplained emotions. Is it because it cleanses or because it cools you down, or is it because of the calming effect? I don’t know, but I know it is there, and I know it is strong.”
The Secret Spot | 204 x 102cm, Mixed Media on Wood
This feeling drives Petra in many things she does, including her art. She credits her connection to the ocean for allowing her to paint full-time, from inspiration to financial security.
“I believe most human beings have felt [the feeling]. And I think that is driving me to keep recreating the same feeling each time, just with different scenes. What comes in unintentionally are the little waves, small subconscious details, the parts I am unaware of.”
Beneath the Tides | 204 x 82cm, Mixed media on wooden board
“Ocean does something to your psyche in a very positive way. And I think my collectors feel that, too. I am convinced that they are doing exactly what I am doing: wanting to be around water, bring water into their surroundings, and have that feeling of calm. I hope they recreate memories of floating in the shallow waters or swimming in the deep hole that is beautiful and cool. Perhaps they will remember that feeling when you come out of a beautiful swimming hole and feel invigorated.”
Whispers of the Coast | 204 x 102cm, Mixed Media on Wood
Petra paints large-scale artworks using mixed media. The size creates an all-encompassing feeling of surrounding water and a sensation of serenity, while her chosen, ever-evolving mediums and techniques allow her to capture the delicate details and fluid colour schemes of a rocky shoreline, swimming hole, or sandy beach. “The ocean is so big, and I want my art to have the same impact. If I could, I would paint five times bigger than I do.”
Where Rivers Meet the Sea | 204 x 102cm, Mixed media on wood
But it hasn’t always been like this. As a young artist, Petra painted wildlife and thought her course would be that. She was making herself a name as a wildlife artist and found success in the genre. While she still toys with the idea of painting whales again and mixing illustration and ocean themes, it is the water themes and feelings that now resonate with her the loudest.
Sand and Serenity | 204 x 102cm, Mixed media on wooden board
“When I started painting the ocean, I thought I painted it because I lived by the Great Barrier Reef, and that was what the area was about, why people came here and even perhaps, what they would like to see in a painting. But once I realised that I could not exhaust the subject matter and had more to feel, explore and paint artwork after artwork, I realised it wasn’t that. With the ocean, it is like the world is your oyster: the planet, the big ocean, the endless scenes, the number of different feelings and the vast number of colours. There are many deep or shallow waters, rough and calm waves, sandy bottoms, rocks, and reefs. [The ocean] is an endless source of inspiration and a never-ending source of challenge. The passion won’t go away as long as the challenge is there to recreate different things and different formations.”
Cay of Soft Waters | 204 x 102cm, Mixed media on wood
Petra is aware of all her past trials, failures and errors and knows how they have led her to where she is today. She has described her art and creative career as a one-way track with no end, but the realisation that she can keep evolving while working with one central theme and subject matter has enabled her to trust and enjoy that journey. It is a journey that fills her soul.
“When you are an artist, everything you see is through an artist’s eyes. Sometimes, you paint [something] in your mind, even when looking or exploring. When I go diving or snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef, I think, how I can recreate that bit of coral? How can I relay that from a different viewpoint, from above, when the colours are different? I am looking at the detail, the colour, and the texture and imagining what it would look like from a distance or closer.”
Coastal Drift | 204 x 82cm, Mixed media on wooden board
Petra describes her creative process in three stages: seeing and experiencing, the actual “putting the wet paint on”, and the detailing and finishing off. “They are all good stages, but my favourite is the pouring into place because that is when it really comes to life. That is when you really see what it is going to be.”
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