Beneath Still Waters
A portrait of reflection, silence, and the quiet act of being seen.
Charcoal & dry pastel on Pastelmat
Beneath Still Waters
She rests at the edge of the surface — half-submerged, half-reflected, caught in the
quiet space between visibility and retreat.
This is not a portrait of drama.
It is a portrait of stillness before understanding.
Original artwork: Charcoal & dry pastels on Pastelmat board
October 28, 2025
About the Work
A portrait of reflection, restraint, and emergence from still waters
Beneath Still Waters is a charcoal portrait suspended between surface and silence — a face hovering just above the water while its reflection gathers beneath her.
She was my second human portrait, and another turning point in how I understood realism. The reference I worked from was limited and unclear, with very little visible skin detail to follow. Instead of forcing detail where there was none, I began to let the surface breathe.
Much of the work was built with charcoal dust, soft brushes, and restraint. The toned Pastelmat board became part of the portrait itself, allowing the skin to stay quiet while the highlights of water, light, and reflection carried the emotion.
That limitation became the strength of the piece.
She does not confront the viewer. Her gaze drifts somewhere inward, caught between the outer reflection on the water and the inner reflection happening beneath the surface.
At first, she feels calm.
Look longer, and the stillness deepens.
There is a quiet weight in her — the kind held by those who appear composed while something much larger moves underneath.
Process & Surface
Painted Through Light and Shadow
This piece was created using charcoal and dry pastels, with soft brushwork on Pastelmat board.
Rather than building the portrait through sharp outlines or heavy detail, much of the image was formed through atmosphere — softened transitions, lifted highlights, and the quiet tension between skin, water, and reflection.
The limited reference image forced a different kind of realism: one built not from everything that could be seen, but from what could be suggested.
The result is a portrait shaped by restraint — where the most powerful details are the ones that almost disappear.
Exhibition & Collection
Beneath Still Waters is currently held as an original artwork and forms part of Jen Myhre’s evolving body of portrait and mythic realism works — pieces exploring emergence, reflection, survival, and the quiet moment a presence allows itself to be seen.
For availability, exhibition, or viewing inquiries, please contact the artist directly.
