Beyond Brushstrokes
By Maria Victoria Rufino
A flashback to the past is to dream of the sea. It offers a brief albeit refreshing interlude from the oppressive urban congestion and opaque haze.
Floating on the pulsating water calms the spirit as it empties the mind of thoughts. The rhythmic sell and ebb of waves washes away the clutter and cobwebs.
Gazing at the horizon where sky and sea met and blend into cobalt, azure, and ultramarine is a startling experience. Accustomed to the artificial glare of indoor lights, the eye is overwhelmed by the brilliant colors. Soon, one’s vision adjusts to the subtle nuances of the seascape.
Seagulls swoop to catch fish and perch on random flotsam. Their distinct red flags on orange buoys mark concealed nets outrigger banca chug around the periphery, dragging fishing webs filled with the morning catch.
Suddenly, a flying fish spring up and plunges, playing hide and seek. A lone sea turtle paddles away from a school of eerie orbs, giant jellyfish, and menacing manta rays. Close to the surface, angelfishes dart and weave patterns in the water[1].
One listens to the eclectic symphony of wind and water.
Depending on the weather, the music of nature is a fortissimo passage or the strains of a Brahms lullaby.
During a storm, the clashing cymbals, pounding drums, and crescendo of the woodwinds and brasses are heard in the flash of lightning, the roll of thunder and the tooting horns and clanging bells of ships.
One sees, hears and feels the powerful climax as the clouds unleash angry torrents and currents, tossing flimsy boats on the heaving sea.
On a mild day, the tableau of fluffy cumulus, cirrus, and nimbus clouds move across the powder blue sky. One can discern furry shapes of sheep, lions, and a mirage of angels drifting. A faint siren song beckons.
The scents and images of summer pervade. The warm breeze fades. The air is heavy with moisture. The clouds gather into fluffy layers and towering puffs of gray.
A heavenly growl sounds like distant rolling thunder and marching drums. A flash of lightning and electric streaks brighten the graphite sky. A loud clap echoes and rain pours like a waterfall gushing into the ocean.
A strong gust of wind ruffles the surface causing whitecaps, ripples and waves. The currents toss the flimsy sails of windswept surfers and sailors. Bancas rush to the shore with the day’s catch.
On the beach, kids frolic and run, defiant of the wind and rain. Swimmers seek shelter in the gazebos. The old talisay trees offer shelter form the drenching rain. Their leafy branches, soggy in the downpour, release pints of water.
The little shells along the water’s edge are buried in sand as big waves topple fragile sand castles.
The craggy cliff stands like fortress with a grotto with luminous turquoise water underneath. It must have been a pirate’s lair with a mysterious tunnel that leads to another subterranean cave.
Tiny fish vanish into the crevices of corals and rocks. The clear water becomes blurry due to currents that stir the sand and tangle the seaweeds.
It is a different serene world. Sounds are muffled. One can hardly hear anything save the bubbles exhaled from the snorkel.
The colors of nature are brighter, more vivid in a marinescape composition. Blues, greens, yellows, and pinks shimmer and glow from a phosphorescent palette.
The fishes dart about — in the multicolored hues of a garden. A solitary sea star clings to the rock at the bottom. Brought to the surface, blue turns to brown as it gasps for breath. Tossed back into the sea, it instantly turn bright blue, revived once again.
Boats gather around the rocks at the bottom of the cliff. Nature lovers flock to the carved steps to watch the famed spectacle, the dramatic command performance of light and sound.
The clouds part like drapes as the golden orb begins its decent. Fiery gold turns to orange tinged with crimson. The sky is a pale canvas that is stained with streak of violet, tangerine and peach.
A river of yellow gold reflects its tiny fleck on the glinting water. It spills on the ripples and fades as the sun vanishes into the horizon.
The breeze is suddenly chilly. Twilight casts a magic spell. The changing colors of the sky are elements of a work in progress.
The fragrance of bouquet of nocturnal blossoms blends with the aroma of wild grass. Wind chimes tinkles as church bells peal the hour. A strong gust rustles the trees causing leaves to scatter.
As night falls, a firefly glows tentatively on a bush. Slowly, more fireflies blink and flutter and switch on like fairy lights on a tree. The crickets chirp and tweet in a staccato rhythm counterpointed by the occasional croak of frogs.
The impromptu symphony of nature is soothing and reassuring.
A loud sound brings one back to the city in a blink. One is startled by the amazingly bright super moonrise in the indigo velvet sky. The moonbeams cast a silvery sheen on the open field. Moon gazing, the reverie continues.
Maria Victoria Rufino is an artist, writer and businesswoman. She is president and executive producer of Maverick Productions.
