Seven Seas - A Journey Through the Human Spirit
Updated: Aug 19
Throughout human history, the sea has represented the unknown.
Before maps were complete and before horizons were understood, humanity looked towards the ocean with equal measures of fear and wonder. The sea was a boundary, a challenge, and an invitation — a vast realm where courage was tested and destiny was revealed.
Figure 1 - One of the tall ships in the Seven Seas project
The Seven Seas Project explores this timeless relationship between humanity and the ocean: the journey into uncertainty, the pursuit of discovery, and the endurance required to navigate life's greatest storms.
In these paintings, the ship is more than a vessel crossing water. It becomes a metaphor for the human condition — carrying our hopes, dreams, memories and ambitions across an immense and unpredictable world. A lone ship upon the horizon reflects our own journeys: moments when we leave the safety of the familiar and venture towards the unknown.
Inspired by centuries of maritime exploration, ancient myths and the enduring stories of human adventure, this collection draws upon the sea as a place where legends are born. From the voyages of ancient explorers to the mythical journeys of heroes who crossed impossible waters, the ocean has always been a mirror of humanity's deepest questions:
Who are we?
What lies beyond the horizon?
How far are we willing to travel to discover ourselves?
Each painting in the Seven Seas Project represents a different chapter of this eternal voyage. The changing waters, winds and skies are not simply elements of nature; they represent the emotional landscapes of human existence — hope and uncertainty, struggle and resilience, solitude and triumph.
The sea is never still, and neither is humanity.
Through this collection, I seek to capture the quiet moments before a great journey, the courage required to face the unknown, and the enduring spirit that drives us forward even when the destination remains unseen.
The Seven Seas is not only a journey across oceans.
It is a journey within ourselves.
You can see the videos of the back scenes of the creation of the Seven Seas tall ship sketches on my Facebook and Instagram accounts.
Project update
June 2026 - I decided to paint ships 8 and 9 and name them Beyond the Horizon and The Last Wind, respectively. See them here.
July 2026 - Sketches of all 10 ships finished. Started painting ship No 10, which refers to Christopher Nolan's recent movie (2026), Odyssey.
July 2026 - Dropped Odyssey. Intentionally used a simple acrylic ink design for the ship and left it unpainted. In contrast, I used dynamic, high-energy water and acrylic to portray the storm in the background. See Odyssey here.
August 2026 - Dropped The Crossing. This is a painting of a model's two-masted type ship that was used to transport European settlers to the new land, America. I left the sketch in its original format. The ship is sailing from east to west towards a golden star on the top-left side of the painting as a symbol of hope.
