Clark Little isn’t the only one to explore waves in art. See the famous woodblock print Under the Wave off Kanagawa. It’s also called The Great Wave.

Katsushika Hokusai (KAT-su-SHE-ka HO-koo-SI) was a Japanese artist. He created the artwork around 1830-1832. This print is one of the world’s most well-known works. It shows the elegance but also the danger of the sea. Can you imagine being one of the fishermen in the picture? Notice how the wave tosses them around.

Mr. Hokusai’s print also helped inspire a piece of music about the sea. Claude Debussy composed “La Mer” between 1903 and 1905. (The title means “the sea” in French.) In fact, Mr. Debussy even used part of The Great Wave on the cover of the sheet music. Mr. Debussy had visited the seaside when he was a child. He used his memories to create the piece.

Another painting that features a big wave is The Ninth Wave. Ivan Aivazovsky (ai-vuh-ZOV-skee) painted it in 1850. According to legend, the ninth wave is the strongest and most dangerous. The painting shows people clinging to the wreckage of a ship. They are lost amid a dark sea. But the Sun is rising. There is hope. There also might be a hidden meaning in the painting. Do you notice how the wreckage looks something like the shape of a cross?

Many other artists take inspiration from nature (and not just from the ocean). Ansel Adams and Claude Monet are just two more examples. Ask your parents if you may look up some of their work. What parts of God’s creation might inspire you?

Pray that you will glorify God through your art and other work.