EBB AND FLOW
An Exhibition of Watercolor Works 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
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 Cape Cod watercolorist who has worked in a variety of artistic mediums throughout her career. She studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and became a self-taught potter and glass mosaic artist. She taught mosaics for 15 years, and her mosaic work can be found throughout New England.
For the past eight years, Caren has focused on painting, developing an unconventional approach to watercolor that combines watercolor, inks, acrylic, pen and ink, and other materials. Inspired by the beaches, marshes, and waterways of Cape Cod, her work explores sea life and the unexpected treasures she discovers along the way. Horseshoe crabs, oysters, fish, and octopus are recurring subjects, drawn from her fascination with their intricate textures, markings, individuality, and history.
Caren has exhibited at the Provincetown Art Association and Museum (PAAM) for the past four years. Her work is held in private collections throughout New England.
