I love fantasy, myth and legend; always a huge inspiration for me. I also love the beautiful turquoise colours of a tropical/Mediterranean sea. As a complete indulgence, I have incorporated all in this painting! The turquoise sea was quite a challenge to mix the colours I wanted, but I am thrilled with the outcome.
The legend of the God of the sea, Poseidon, is that after his wife was killed by pirates, Poseidon forced his daughter, Ursula, to sing sailors to their deaths. Eventually Ursula rebelled reasoning that every single human was not evil. She stole a magic bracelet to give her human legs and made a deal with a sailor to enable her to leave her sea home. Poseidon intercepted her plans, and as a punishment, took her beautiful singing voice away and sealed it in a shell.
According to legend, they did eventually reconcile and Poseidon returned her singing voice. The painting is at the point where Poseidon discovered her plan to live on land and use her voice for the benefit of humans, not to destroy them, and he is disappointed in her. She is determined and unmoved!
Gail Cuthbert - Artist 