A one-of-a-kind original artwork painted directly onto naturally weathered driftwood, Past & Present explores the meeting of memory, landscape, and the living coast.
A pod of four orcas moves quietly through the waters beneath a luminous West Coast sky. Beneath and around the present-day scene, traces of an earlier landscape remain visible—an island with tall, wind-swept trees, partially revealed through the layers of paint. The trees appear almost like remnants of another time, gradually fading into the current seascape.
This layered approach is intentional. The earlier landscape becomes the “past,” while the pod of orcas and open water represent the “present.” Together, the two images create a sense of a landscape remembered, changed, and still alive.
I love allowing the natural texture of the driftwood to remain visible beneath the painting—the grain, ridges, and weathered contours become part of the story. Once finished with a clear resin layer, the tactile surface transforms into a smooth, polished plane, creating a beautiful contrast between the organic character of the wood and the crisp, glass-like finish of the artwork.
Displayed on handcrafted copper feet, this original driftwood artwork is designed to stand beautifully on a shelf, console, mantel, or tabletop.
Details
Original, one-of-a-kind artwork
Hand-painted on natural driftwood
12" L × 4.75" H
Features a pod of four orcas
Layered underpainting revealing an earlier coastal landscape
Clear resin finish
Handcrafted copper feet
Signed by Mara Szyp
Ready to display
A one-of-a-kind original artwork painted directly onto naturally weathered driftwood, Past & Present explores the meeting of memory, landscape, and the living coast.
A pod of four orcas moves quietly through the waters beneath a luminous West Coast sky. Beneath and around the present-day scene, traces of an earlier landscape remain visible—an island with tall, wind-swept trees, partially revealed through the layers of paint. The trees appear almost like remnants of another time, gradually fading into the current seascape.
This layered approach is intentional. The earlier landscape becomes the “past,” while the pod of orcas and open water represent the “present.” Together, the two images create a sense of a landscape remembered, changed, and still alive.
I love allowing the natural texture of the driftwood to remain visible beneath the painting—the grain, ridges, and weathered contours become part of the story. Once finished with a clear resin layer, the tactile surface transforms into a smooth, polished plane, creating a beautiful contrast between the organic character of the wood and the crisp, glass-like finish of the artwork.
Displayed on handcrafted copper feet, this original driftwood artwork is designed to stand beautifully on a shelf, console, mantel, or tabletop.
Details
Original, one-of-a-kind artwork
Hand-painted on natural driftwood
12" L × 4.75" H
Features a pod of four orcas
Layered underpainting revealing an earlier coastal landscape
Clear resin finish
Handcrafted copper feet
Signed by Mara Szyp
Ready to display
