My name is Violet Maxininoski, and I am a student at Carmel High School. I grew up in the secluded Santa Lucia Mountains of Big Sur, where living closely with nature shaped how I understand connection, stillness, and community. From an early age, I noticed many people around me becoming increasingly disconnected from the natural world, absorbed in technology and the pressure of constantly moving forward. Painting became my way of slowing down and reconnecting, not to make a statement, but to share the emotions that nature gives me.

My painting Below the Surface is one of my most personal works. While I often explore landscapes that feel unfamiliar to me, such as deserts or snow-covered mountains, the ocean feels like home. Growing up on the coast and being introduced to the sea by my father, a former professional scuba diver, created a deep bond that has stayed with me throughout my life. In this piece, I wanted to capture the feeling of being underwater: the weightlessness, freedom, and quiet sense of hope that exists beneath the waves. I chose oil paint for its fluidity and softness, which mirrors the calm, still environment of the ocean and the subtle movement of light below the surface.

At a time in my life when everything feels uncertain and every decision feels heavy, art and the ocean remain constants. Below the Surface reflects that sense of refuge, offering viewers a moment of warmth, solitude, and peace found just below the surface.