Paintings by Jane Rainey inspired by the ocean and traditional Japanese landscapes

"The ocean can create and break, push and pull, rise and fall, it is always in flux," explains Jane. "In my painting, I work to depict the feeling of standing at the edge of the ocean, marvelling at the serenity and ferocity of the sea.

"When you first look out to the horizon line, it appears static, but under further inspection, you see the waves on the horizon. It's a subtle reminder of the possibility of another world, one that is in view but can never be reached. This world is familiar yet unfamiliar. It is this unknown world that the ocean presents me with every day that informs my paintings, that is why I seek to mix fantasy with reality and myth with observation."

Jane begins each painting through sketching, making visual notes of the landscape around her. "I pay attention to what interests me and catches my eye, usually striking compositions or natural formations. I often draw quickly or from memory using Indian ink, letting the drawings take on a world of their own. The paintings follow from the drawings. The surface has tension within, organic brush strokes fight against controlled planes of paint, creating a surface that ebbs and flows, drawing your eye in and around the surface."

She adds: "My paintings do not attempt to be exact representations of the world around us, but instead express our longing for escapism into nature, tapping into a sense of magic and the inner self."