Cherish Springer

My work employs the visual language of marine life, fishing, and the little-explored corners of the ocean to create narratives of isolation, individualism, and escapism. Growing up in the desert, the ocean felt mystic and unattainable, so I gravitated to it as a source of awe and fantasy. I aim to capture these feelings in my images. 

My process begins with plein-air sketching and photography in markets, aquariums, and sea ports. These references are brought back to the studio where, working with acrylics, I choose not to blend, but rather to create my images with shapes of color and brush strokes. These shapes allow me to create visual patterns that homogenize the image while highlighting the texture of the animals. Control of this texture helps to define individuals or create an intentional muddled crowd. This way of working is often detail oriented and meditative, a state that adds to the feeling of peace and escapism in my work.