Martin G Okkerse

Wild Strings – No. III is an expressive portrait of a female bass player captured in a moment of concentration and musical intensity. The flowing movement of her hair, the powerful bass guitar and the strong contrasts of red, orange, blue and black create a sense of rhythm and energy.

I created this work with soft pastel on board, allowing the raw texture and visible strokes of the pastel to remain part of the image. Rather than creating a perfectly polished portrait, I wanted to capture the emotion and physical energy of playing music.

The contrast between the introspective expression of the musician and the dynamic movement surrounding her creates a balance between quiet concentration and explosive musical energy. The work is part of my continuing exploration of expressive portraiture, where colour, gesture and emotion are as important as realistic representation.