Thoughts Like Ocean Waves — Reynier Llanes

The Painting

The Poet sits in contemplation, reminiscent of The Thinker, but rendered in an ethereal, almost melting translucency. Resting upon a pedestal, the figure seems to merge with the surrounding atmosphere, as though thought itself is eroding the boundaries of the physical world. This work delves into the weight of introspection and the ephemeral nature of ideas, capturing a moment of deep reflection in the ever-shifting landscape of the mind. — Reynier Llanes

The Artist

Reynier Llanes is a Cuban-born, Miami-based artist whose work explores personal and collective memory through painting and drawing. Working primarily in oil and coffee-based inks, his practice blends classical techniques with a contemporary sensibility, often drawing on literature, mythology, and everyday life. Llanes creates layered visual narratives that reflect on identity, migration, resilience, and spiritual inquiry. While his ongoing Poet series features an ethereal figure navigating between past and present, his broader body of work includes symbolic still lifes, allegorical portraits, and dreamlike landscapes. Across series, Llanes invites viewers into contemplative spaces where the emotional and the imagined coexist.

My Thoughts

The moment I saw this painting, it hit me instantly.

Aren't thoughts sometimes just like that? They flood us like ocean waves. They can be dark, powerful, relentless — and without warning, knock us off our feet, take our breath away. They crash into us when we least expect it and pull us under before we even realize we've lost our footing.

But there are also thoughts that push us far ahead. Or when we daydream — they give us a moment of peace. Just like in this painting. We are translucent, empty. Ready for inspiration, for an idea to fill us. There's no resistance, no struggle. Just openness.

Of course, what I see in this painting is a metaphor — because art is metaphor. Being translucent? I think in reality we are already a color. We are already something. But that doesn't mean that when a wave of a different color washes over us, we won't become something new. That being sad, drenched in sunlight, we won't transform into a calm green? That's my hope.

I wish you to be mindful of your thoughts. Let them carry you and change you. Sometimes the dark ones help us appreciate the beautiful ones. I think the most important thing is to stay open — and never get stuck in them forever. 🌊