About Us
Deep Impressions Underwater Art
Hi,
Kim here! I’m a scuba diver and artist, in case you can’t tell 😉
I’ve been painting underwater scenes since 1998 and went full time when my Mum and I opened our art studio in 2018.
Growing up I had no idea what to do with my life and no self confidence. I started diving, at first to please my Dad but I later realised that being in the sea was the key to my happiness and well-being and this changed my life. By painting my diving experiences, it keeps me connected to the ocean and I can go to another place, living totally in the moment and feeling free.
I grew up with a BSAC First class diver & instructor Dad and a Mum who loves snorkelling. So naturally my entire life has revolved around the sea. To cap it all, my partner Mike (a marine biologist) and I live and dive off our boat in Plymouth. I started diving when I was 14 when my Dad guided me down the harbour steps in Guernsey and I took my first breath underwater, I was hooked. Later, I packed myself off to Australia and I can’t describe the high I felt diving the Great Barrier Reef for the first time. Even after 30 years diving that excitement never fades as you never know what you may encounter underwater and this keeps me wanting to get back in. I started taking underwater photographs straight away and after that, because my Mum and I are painters, we began turning those pictures into multi-layered paintings, just to do the beauty justice and add more dimension than a simple photograph can capture.
Creating our art:
Around that time, I was at Plymouth College of Art and Design training to be a sign-writer where I mastered some invaluable skills. I could now spend weeks meticulously painting in all the detail needed to make my paintings accurate for their location. Mum, having painted forever, took to it like a duck to water. Lately, our work is far more abstract, exploring different textures and mediums. This more organic process gives us the freedom to express how we feel about the ocean in different ways. I’m always delighted when I find marine creatures hidden in the many layers of paint or if a painting takes a completely unexpected turn.
A customer remarked that she thought our detailed art represents all the things that she sees underwater, while our abstracts captures how she feels. It’s extremely touching and humbling that our work can have such an effect on people.
Our work on show
We opened our studio in Plymouth, as my boat was bursting at the seams with artwork. This amazing space has given us the opportunity to grow as artists and we’re right next to the beach so we can swim, recharge our batteries and be continually inspired.
Over the years we have exhibited at many international shows, including the Dive shows at the NEC, Olympia, the Excel centre and in the Netherlands. We’ve also exhibited at the NEC Spring and Autumn Fairs, the Festival of Sea in the UK and in Belgium and more recently we were guest artists at Scott Gleed’s ‘Oceanic’ exhibition in Findhorn, Scotland.
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I think we all know how good the sea is for us, for both body and mind, whether we’re under, in or next to the water. And it is unsurprising that the latest Scientific research is finding this to be true. Through painting we inspire and remind people of their own connection to the sea and by doing so hope it reinforces the importance of ocean conservation and sustainable marine life management.
We are continually grateful to all our customers for their encouragement and support and who make all the hours of work worthwhile. Thank you!
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