We Are The Mystery Below draws its shimmering palette of sea-green and gold from the layered, living world beneath the Sussex waves. Inspired by marine biologist Alice Clark, this piece reflects the delicate dance of biodiversity she observes along the coast — captured through her video surveys and environmental DNA, the work is a tribute to the hidden species, fragile habitats, and shifting seaweed meadows.

The painting carries both the calm and awe Alice feels by the sea — a space she calls a “safe place,” yet one she respects for its deep power and unpredictability. Tangled among the seaweeds are threads of marine plastic, a reminder of the human hand shaping these waters, echoing Alice’s beach walks where she picks up litter, feeling an almost parental responsibility for the life around her.

Gold glints hint at the preciousness of this underwater world — the kelp forests that once thrived, the tiny sharks, the washed-up seahorse she once found on shore. The painting’s title speaks to the mystery Alice describes: despite years of research, the sea remains vast, largely unknown, both familiar and strange.

Above all, this work is an invitation — to feel connected, to recognize our role, and to remember that even the smallest act, like picking up a piece of beach glass or supporting community-led protections, matters.

We are not separate from this mystery below; we are part of it.