This week’s Illustration Friday word was Ocean.

From where I stand the Ocean both inspires and intimidates me.  While I am safely at home I can hear its roar which reminds me of its power, its boundaries, and its constancy.  On days where I need a break it is there for me to travel along.  It coughs up treasures for me to find, shells, spray paint cans, seaweed.

The story of HyBrasil is one of my favorite Irish stories.  Much like that of Atlantis, it is an Island with either a city or monastery or castle on it (depending on the version you hear) that lies beneath the waves.  It has been woven into Irish folk-lore since man first sailed away from the shore.  The version I am most familiar with is that of Saint Brendan the Navigator who set sail in a leather boat, and found the island after hearing of it from a holy man, and following tips from a bird on Paradise Island.  I like to imagine this island truly does exist and it is still sitting on a shoal under the ocean.  Once upon a time it was visible and occupied but that was when the tides and currents traveled a different route.  Nowadays the only Monks inhabiting it are of the Seal variety.

In addition to letting my imagination loose on the project I re-discovered how much I enjoy watercolors despite the fact its been over a decade since I last played with them.  I also realized how much I can use some practice at watercolors!  Oh well, the goal was to have fun, which I did.