When you look at Edward William Cooke’s 1856 painting, “Violent Squall on the Adriatic”, it becomes so much more than a painting of a fishing boat, instead it comes to life and plays out like the dramatic climax of a movie.

Poetry provides a unique glimpse into the past, present, and future. The vibrant words written on a page project a scene in our minds strung together by words, emotions, and memories from our own experiences and imaginations.

Looking at this work, we’re immediately struck by a stillness that feels, not stagnant, but rather meditative and peaceful. This stillness comes from the many horizontal lines that run through this piece. We see them in the clouds that don’t puff up, but rather spread out wispily in the sky, and in the horizon, the water, and the shore.

The Carta Marina depicts the geography of Northern Europe, the British Isles and Iceland. More importantly, it is populated with figures from Scandinavian history and folklore, and with animals both real and imagined.

For most indigenous groups around the world, there are gender-based roles and skills, and these skills are taught by their elders in order to pass on their traditions from generation to generation.

Learn more about the inspiration behind our new  monthly video series Beyond the Frame!