The starting point for this painting was remembering my time in Kato Paphos, Cyprus. The pelicans would wander the harbour, hoping for fish. When I began the painting, it was quite conventional. There was even an actual pelican. But I wasn’t happy with the it. I needed a flight of fancy to take it to the next level. I rotated the canvas 90 degrees clockwise so that the woman became an Angel. Pelicans are a symbol of piety, sacrifice and humanity. There is a legend that says pelicans peck their breasts until they bleed, so they can feed their blood to their children. So the painting became about love - motherly love or love from the universe. I don’t know. But it’s about trusting that the universe has your back and enjoying the golden life moments. I painted over the pelican and added a young woman, lying on the beach, her feet in the water, fish in abundance. The universe will provide. Life is good. Enjoy the moment.

Catherine Pring

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As with most artists, I paint about the human condition. I paint things that have impact for me and that I hope other people can relate to, connect with. I often use myths and legends as a starting point for my paintings but I work unconsciously so I can veer off at a tangent or change course completely. Making art is a bit like dreaming for me. I let things suggest themselves and go with it. If I don't love the 'finished' painting, I spin the canvas and start again. The previous painting becomes an under-layer. A hidden or partially hidden part of the painting's history. Each canvas tells a story in itself but sometimes canvases have their own story of evolution as well, their own journey, just as we do. It's a very playful process, it's fun - but it's serious fun.