The Arts & Culture Journal

Welcome Fallyraggers to the mysterious under water world of Chantel Schott. This week Chantel has given us a mesmerising collection of her latest forages into the psychedelic colours of the sea.

All of these pictures are created using acrylic on canvas and it's the rich colours that Chantel applies that ensure a rich and vibrant experience. Winged amphibians and jellyfish swim and float among electric greens and aquatic blues. But that is not all - adding to the surrealism of her work, Chantel adds a few creatures that seem a little out of place - elephants and peacocks also appear creating a whistful dreamy ambience.

Her animals are often created using flatter, bold colours that beautifully contrast their exquisite backgrounds, first drawing your eye and then throwing it about the canvas.

Under water art can be tricky to execute but Chantel captures the dancing sunlight filtering through the water with all the confidence and exact draftsmanship of a true professional. The images offer us a glimpse of a dream-like world that many of us have never seen. Indeed the rainbow of colours make you yearn for more.

Serious in their appearance these are not - but then Chantel isn't concerned with accurate recording but of something far superior: a celebration of nature.
celebration of nature.

Chantel: 'At the moment I am exploring the concept of a fantasy life from under the sea. My vivid abstracts have been inspired from fairytales and sea creatures combining a place I like to call 'the other world'.'

When viewing these pieces it is important, rather expected, for the viewer to dig deeply for the story within. Chantel explains, 'each work tells a story with no ending for the audience to interpret themselves'.