Bailey Ferguson presents abstract paintings that explore her connection to the ocean in Blue Mind. Inspired by author Wallace J. Nichols’ book of the same title and her passion for surfing, Ferguson is a keen observer of the movement of water and its effect on her mental well-being. Her creative process is informed by the material aspects of paint itself- how it puddles, splashes, smears, drips, and mixes on a surface. The resulting compositions are gestural, and although static, evoke the calming and turbulent movement of water.

Ferguson explains, “My abstract painting language was developed while displaced in 2018 by the Kilāuea volcanic eruption. I used painterly expression to process the grief involving trauma, impermanence, and loss. The ocean was a place of healing – specifically within the physical, mental, and emotional meditations of surfing — offering connection, gratitude, well-being, and a continued source of inspiration.”