Wipeout Paintings

Calm within chaos.
Painting the surf experience from the inside out.

"When a surfer is knocked off her board by the crash of a cliff-like wave, she tumbles into deep swirling water. For a short, scary moment, she is tossed through the dark blue motion and doesn't know which way is up. But soon, she reorients and surfaces, kicking into breath and safety. That brief moment of frightening disorientation is the source of Hawaii-based artist Bailey Silva's new series of paintings, Wipeout." - Betty Ann Brown, PHD, art historian, critic and curator

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The Wipeout Series began in 2018, rooted in the disorientation of a surf wipeout — that brief underwater moment when everything turns and you don't know which way is up. It started after the Kīlauea eruption made representational work feel impossible. I had to stop painting what I saw and start painting what I felt — and what I kept returning to was the experience of being held underwater, turned in every direction, not knowing which way is up.

The work is rooted in a Cubist idea: seeing something from every angle simultaneously. But I'm not the observer here. I'm the centerpoint. Each painting is an attempt to render that disorientation — the chaos, the surrender, and the strange stillness that lives inside it.

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My process begins in the water—surfing and diving, observing the world beneath the surface. I’m especially drawn to the disorientation of a wipeout, when everything turns upside down and time briefly slows.

I often open my eyes in those moments, taking in shifting light, color, reef, and texture. Back in the studio, these impressions guide my work.

Each painting is built through fluid layers of thinned acrylic, poured and manipulated across a horizontal surface. I incorporate pastel and spray paint through intuitive mark-making to evoke movement, energy, and change.

I'm working toward a composition that feels like being inside the wave, not watching it. More than anything, I hope these paintings serve as reminders — of your own moments of disorientation, and the strength it took to surface.

"Bailey’s work has become such a meaningful part of our home and our story. The very first piece we owned was gifted to us by a dear friend when we built our first house. We loved it so much that we ended up designing the entire space around it - even choosing paint colors inspired by the piece itself. From that moment on, I was completely captivated by her work.

What continues to draw me in is the incredible depth within each painting. There is such a visible sense of layering, movement, and intention in her work that you can truly feel the care she pours into every piece. Her connection to nature comes through so beautifully and gives her paintings a sense of calm, richness, and timelessness.

Having Bailey’s artwork in our home makes every space feel complete. Our newest piece hangs in our entryway, and throughout the day the changing sunlight transforms it entirely. In the morning it feels soft and serene; by evening it takes on an entirely different mood.

Beyond her extraordinary talent, Bailey is simply wonderful to work with. She created a custom piece for us that exceeded every expectation, and over the years she has also helped guide us toward pieces she felt would complement our home and personal style beautifully. There is such thoughtfulness behind the way she approaches her work, and it makes collecting her art feel incredibly personal. She has a remarkable ability to create pieces that bring warmth, depth, and atmosphere into a space - a gift that feels truly rare." - Laura Paasch, Collector


Interested in a custom piece? Get in touch.