Acrylic, ink, fluorescent paint (that glows by blacklight!) and gold leaf on wood, 2.5x3.5 inches. Each pieces comes with its own aged mini Certificate of Authenticity and a vegan leaf leather travel pouch to carry it with you if desired . Contact us at info@louisemcnaught.com for purchase enquiries .
The hawksbill turtle has long symbolised endurance, ancient wisdom, and guardianship of the oceans. Moving through tropical seas for millions of years, it carries an almost mythic presence, a living relic of deep time now facing increasing fragility. In this devotional relic, the turtle is elevated into sacred iconography, transforming it into both protector and witness to the decline of marine ecosystems.
The fractured golden halo behind the turtle symbolises sanctity touched by instability, reflecting oceans no longer whole or balanced. The interruptions within the halo introduce subtle tension into the composition, suggesting coral reef collapse, pollution, and the fragmentation of the underwater worlds the hawksbill depends upon.
The fluorescent crimson aura surrounding the turtle cuts through the sacred imagery like a warning signal beneath the beauty, creating a sense of unease within the otherwise tranquil composition. It reflects the contradiction at the heart of the piece: a creature embodying resilience while existing within increasingly threatened seas.
The stars scattered throughout the darkened waters act as divine sparks and symbols of ancient continuity, while the glowing blue bubbles resemble suspended breaths or fragile traces of life drifting upward through darkness. Beneath the turtle, coral-like forms glow in vivid reds and oranges, representing both the beauty of reef ecosystems and their vulnerability to bleaching, warming oceans, and environmental destruction.
The burning heart motif submerged within the water symbolises sacrificial love, ecological grief, and the suffering carried silently beneath the ocean’s surface. It transforms the sea itself into something devotional , sacred, wounded, and in need of protection.
