Peacefully standing your ground..

Seahorse have long been a source of fascination and omen of good luck in the magical isles of Great Britain. Seahorses are said to be protective. As parents, they take an active part in incubating the eggs with their partner and they are said to mate for life. When the waters become stormy, they hook their tail over a plant to ground themselves as they ride out the storm. They rely on camouflage to remain hidden from predators. There is much we can learn from them.

The seahorse I have painted is the 'Spiny Seahorse (Hippocampus guttulatus)'. I love this species because of their speckled skin and colouring. Thanks to The Seahorse Trust our native seahorse species are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act which means that it is an offence to kill, injure, capture or possess seahorses in British waters. They are still under threat from oil drilling and boat anchors though.

'Spirit of Seahorse' by Sonia Finch

'Seahorse teaches us to ground and centre ourselves to find inner peace in stormy emotional waters and see all sides of a situation - even those that are concealed.'

Oil painting on a 20x20x1.5 cm stretched canvas with painted wraparound edges. Available as an Original, Limited Edition Giclée Print and blank Greeting Card with a totem spirit message on the reverse. Merchandise for this painting will follow soon.

In this painting, I have tried to capture the unseen subtle energies that the seahorse navigate in times of stormy seas.