Undine Slipping Under

During the winter I had a thing going on with dried grasses and blue water and forgot to post this then when it was finished! 

Undine Slipping Under

50cm x 65 soft pastels 

I think I mentioned that as a child I was fascinated by mythology whether Celtic, Norse, Greek or Roman and amazingly water creatures, gods and goddesses, nymphs and mermaids appear across the broad palette of different mythologies and folklore. 

In Scotland we believe in Selkies, who are shapeshifters in sealskin; they are usually female and go ashore, if a man falls in love with a Selkie he has to hide her sealskin, otherwise she will return to the sea. Kelpies belong to the realm of lakes, springs and rivers, they often appear as horses (or good looking men), dangerously they drag humans down into the depths and drown them. Mermaids are found everywhere, and Undines (or Ondines) are mystical nymphs who inhabit the realms of springs, lakes and rivers. According to legend they only receive a soul when they marry a human, cheating on an Undine means immediate death, so it’s worth some serious thought before straying. Undine's have a beautiful singing voice, like sirens and can lure men to their death, in German lore Lorelei is an Undine, and although there are many different versions of her story, her singing voice lures sailors to their death. Soooo, definitely not a gal to be messed with. 

In my painting, I'd like to think I nearly came across an Undine on my walk and the circular ripples are her diving down into the depths, hhhmmm wonder what she looked like? Well, maybe like this!