Grey Cube Gallery proudly presents the first Waters online art show for the month of November 2020. The show encompassed a range of artistic styles and mediums (photography, digital, mixed media, oil on canvas, acrylics, collage, pencil, glass, pastel, grahite, watercolor). Each submission has been judged based on the following elements of artistic expression: orginality and quality of art, overall design, creativity, interpretation of the theme, demonstration of artistic ability and usage of medium. Out of all entries, 88 artworks were shortlisted for inclusion in the show. The competition attracted entries from many countries across the world: USA, Canada, Australia, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Germany, Taiwan, Austria, Russia, Spain, Italy, New Zealand, Cyprus, Iran, China, France and Greece. Enjoy the show and thank you for expressing an interest in our competition.

Art is the end result of a creative process through which the artist communicates his or her experiences and emotions to the viewer. Good art is one which actually achieves that the viewer relates to these feelings when exposed to the work of art. Art, and the appreciation of art, are therefore very personal matters; not every painting can resonate in every person. Art is, as the saying goes, in the eyes of the beholder. My art is about my fellow human beings and about our natural world, with its wonderful and ever changing combinations of shapes and colors. Whatever I paint, I am interested in capturing the essence and the specific mood of the scene in front of me. However insignificant some sights may seem, beauty can be found almost anywhere, and I enjoy discovering it and making it visible to others through my art. I prefer to paint from life, and on location whenever possible, and finish most of my smaller pieces in one session. By paying close attention to light and shadow and the way they influence color, I am able to describe form, temperature and surfaces spontaneously and without the need for too much detail. My approach is realistic, with emphasis on good drawing, but not overly defined, leaving the pleasure of discovery and interpretation to the viewer.

“By constant observation, I strive to understand the Ocean’s mysterious magnetism. Water embodies the concept of endlessness, of complexities repeated from one drop to the vast sea, so powerful yet so very fragile. Those fleeting traits impress only on memory. I paint the Ocean as the mind understands it – not a precise recording, nor the rendering of an impressionist’s flourish, but something between the two. My work is built around those singular details, focusing on creating movement and luminosity. My depictions are purely of water, without land, sky or scale, one is lost, consumed, ensnared. The paintings capture a slice of time that the ocean will never again replicate. I notice these moments through visceral reflex. These are the elements that move me and compel me to depict the Ocean. I paint the sea itself, caught in its persistent motion, a meditative reflection on this ancient body, at times so violent and other times so serenely beautiful, that has birthed legend, tragedy, life.”

For my entire life I have been passionate about fostering my relationship with the natural world and have lived with the mantra "if you don't explore you never discover”. That lifestyle has provided many moments of awakening and insight, and has taken me to diverse locales to explore and wander capturing the moments of wonder and awe through photography. I have met many persons along the way, and appreciated exchanging views, ideas, and perspectives with others. What I have learned is that art, culture, and nature go hand-in-hand, and through everyone's actions we can enhance humanity and its relation with the natural world for generations to come. I feel that this opportunity to exhibit my work at the Grey Cube Gallery is not a coincidence but a serendipitous moment. It has presented itself so that I may grow as a photographer and so that I may nurture my artistic expression to inspire others and invoke emotional change.

Mr. Diephouse is a primarily self-taught photographer who migrated to digital photography about fifteen years ago. After retiring from a professional management career, Mr. Diephouse has taken advantage of his time in retirement to explore the technical and creative sides of this media. At this point in his development, John seeks to share images with which he has a strong and instinctive personal connection. Images may be simply documentary, invoke a sense of time and place, or resonate as an abstract blend of color, shape or form. Others provoke an indefinable question that does not readily yield answers without further study and reflection. His creative process follows an intuitive yet patterned path, from capturing a digital image through the process of interacting with and refining the image, searching for the combination of elements that produces an instinctive but undeniable connection. Most often the images that provoke the strongest connection are those that do not produce an immediate reaction but provoke a response through repeated contact and consideration over time. Mr. Diephouse has exhibited widely in local and regional exhibitions and have been published in Nature Photographer and Black & White Magazine. His photographs have won commendations for merit ranging from Honorable Mention to Best in Show. John’s photographs were also selected to hang in the Michigan Governor’s Mansion as part of a year-long exhibition highlighting State of Michigan artists.