Shoreline Symphony

Shoreline Symphony comprises artworks that portray the sights and sounds at the water’s edge. The hypnotic nature of water attracts artists, who observe and skillfully capture an ever-changing landscape while interpreting the rhythmic sounds.

Historically, artists used water as a symbol of wisdom, transformation, and reflection. Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) was fascinated by teeming water and studied it as both an artist and a scientist. He perceived water as the earth’s

lifeblood; in his seething and powerful depictions, the associated sounds are easy to discern. 

British painter J.M.W. Turner (1775-1851) was fascinated by the turbulence of the sea. His monumental canvases are alive with violent motion and roaring water; they tell stories of conquest and survival. American painter Thomas Hill (1829 1908) created transcendent landscapes filled with surging waterfalls and thundering rivers that plunge down mountainsides. Winslow Homer (American, 1836-1910) devoted much of his life to studying and interpreting the sometimes hostile, always rugged seas; the struggle to survive is a dominant theme in his work. Beauty abounds in Shoreline Symphony. Challenge your senses. Hear the sounds, feel the wind, and imagine yourself transported to another place.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website.