Aeolia

After being battered by the infamous Cyclops Polyphemus, Odysseus and his men come upon Aeoli: the home of Aeolus, Keeper of Winds. There they find refuge and hope – a bag of winds to carry the crew home. The island is one of many symbols of divine hope and faith in “The Odyssey”, a promising path to their homeward goal – to be squandered only by the failures of men. 

I’ve been wanting to paint out a concept for the mythical floating island of Aeoli for some time now. An epic, monumental place, glowing with hope in golden light. Underneath the fantastical island is the darker, more somber reality of man. This gouache painting measures 5.5×8” on 7×10” Arches watercolor paper.