EBB AND FLOW
An Exhibition by Caren Zane
Exhibition Dates: October 28 – November 8
Location: Provincetown Commons
46 Bradford Street
Provincetown, MA 02657
Opening Reception
Friday, October 30
5 PM – 7 PM
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Artist Website
Gallery Hours
Monday – Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday & Sunday: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
ARTIST STATEMENT
Ebb and Flow My work begins with curiosity and a love of discovery. Long walks along the shore and marshes of Cape Cod lead me to sea life and treasures—the horseshoe crab, oysters, fish, and other creatures that catch my eye. I am fascinated by their intricate textures, markings, and individuality. I am not interested in simply reproducing what I see, but in exploring each subject’s extraordinary beauty, resilience, and fragility. Horseshoe crabs have especially captured my attention. Their ancient history and unmistakable form draw me in, as does their remarkable blue blood. Indigo has become a recurring color in my paintings, a subtle connection to something that is both visually striking and biologically unique. Working with watercolor, a medium that resists control, informs my process and gives me a deeper awareness of uncertainty. I allow watercolor and other materials to move and interact rather than controlling the outcome. My process is spontaneous, with experimentation and an element of surprise guiding each piece. Not having so much control can be freeing. Instead of following someone else’s way of painting, I have found my own way—allowing the materials to respond to one another and letting the painting evolve. Nature is always changing, and I think life is much the same. There are things we can plan and things we simply have to respond to. The unpredictability of watercolor has become part of that experience for me. For me, painting is a way of slowing down, looking closely, and accepting that not everything can be controlled. Each painting becomes a balance between thought and surprise, structure and spontaneity. The octopus, although not native to Cape Cod, eventually found its way into my work as well. Perhaps that is fitting. My artistic journey has never been about staying within a set path, but about following what captures my attention and seeing where it leads. The sea life I paint connects me to something much older than myself. These ancient creatures have endured through constant change, shaped by the shifting of the tides and the world around them. For me, this is the essence of Ebb and Flow—a timeless connection between ancient sea life and the shifting of the tides.Caren Zane EBB and FLOW
ARTIST BIO
Caren Zane is a contemporary watercolor artist inspired by the sea life and treasures she discovers along the shores and marshes of Cape Cod. A walk along the shore can turn into a treasure hunt, an oyster dinner, or the beginning of a new painting. Caren is drawn to the creatures she encounters—their intricate textures, markings, imperfections, and individuality. She wants to look closely, discover what makes each one unique, and honor their ancient beauty and history through her art. Her artistic journey began with glass mosaic before leading her to watercolor, a medium she uses in an unconventional way. She combines watercolor with acrylic, pen and ink, gold and silver leaf, and other materials, allowing them to move and interact rather than controlling every outcome. Spontaneity and experimentation are at the heart of her process. She loves that watercolor doesn’t always do what she expects, and she has learned that not having complete control can be freeing. Rather than following someone else’s way of painting, she has found her own—one that leaves room for surprise and discovery. Horseshoe crabs have become a recurring subject in her work, inspired by their ancient history and remarkable blue blood. Indigo appears throughout these paintings as a connection between science, color, and art. Even an octopus has found its way into her work—a reminder that inspiration doesn’t always follow a map. Based in the Cape Cod region, Caren continues to explore, experiment, and find new ways to tell the stories she sees in the natural world.
