15th Meridian East

The 15^th meridian (longitudinal line) east of Greenwich extends from the North pole to the South pole, and very nearly bisects the country of Slovenia.  Slovenia is a [mere] 27-year-old independent democracy, part of the former Yugoslavia, and bordered by Croatia (south), Austria (north), Italy (west), and Hungary (east).  My husband and I visited there in fall of 2017, drawn particularly to the natural beauty of the country. 

Slovenia claims only about 30 miles of coastland on the Adriatic Sea, but has some of the most breathtaking inland lakes and waterways you’ll ever see.  Particularly beautiful are the rivers in the western part of the country, where rainfall and Alpine snowmelt seep down through the karst (limestone) topography and into rivers as the most stunning, naturally-occurring shades of aqua and teal.

While the focal point in “15^th Meridian East” may appear to be surrounded by [the color of] water, Slovenia is all but land-locked.  With the striking colors of these rivers so prevalent in my memory, I couldn’t help but “wrap” a representation of the country in similar hues.  (Note:  I say “representation of the country,” because its shape in my painting does not strictly follow the outline of the country.  Artistic license is a wonderful thing!)