About Grace Marquez: Underwater Artist and Diver

Hello and welcome! 

I’m Grace, an artist and diver, and I make art for curious souls—divers, dreamers, and nature-lovers—so they can feel calm, connected, and in awe of the world beneath the surface.

The Journey to Underwater Art

I was born on a small island in the Philippines surrounded by ocean—an early imprint that never quite left me. But I grew up in Toronto, where I spent weekends exploring Lake Ontario and summers at a family cottage, swimming until my skin wrinkled and I turned blue from the cold. Maybe you’ve felt it too—how water can calm you, awaken something, or just help you breathe a little easier. For me, it’s been a lifelong throughline—a place of joy, reflection, and transformation.

Years later, scuba diving brought me closer to that sense of wonder in a whole new way. Exploring reefs, caves, and historic wrecks lit something up in me. It wasn’t just about the thrill of the dive—it was about what the underwater world reveals when we slow down and really look. That’s when I began painting the things I’m in awe of: the colours, the movement, the way Mother Nature quietly reshapes everything beneath the surface.

The Passion Behind My Paintings

My work captures the feeling of being underwater—buoyant, focused, and fully present. Whether I’m painting dramatic shipwrecks overtaken by life, the serene stillness of a cave, or a joyful burst of marine colour, each piece is grounded in firsthand experience.

My paintings aren’t just visual—they’re emotional. If you’ve ever looked at an image and suddenly felt more grounded, more curious, or more alive, that’s the kind of moment I try to create. People tell me they feel peace, wonder, and even surprise when they connect with my work. That’s what keeps me going. Even those who’ve never dived tell me my art makes them feel like they’ve been there. That’s the power of painting what’s real.

Connecting Through Creativity

From that point on, I kept returning to the canvas to express the awe I feel underwater—the colours, the energy, the quiet transformations happening below the surface. Whether it’s a wreck reclaimed by coral or the stillness of a flooded cave, I try to capture the resilience and mystery I’ve witnessed firsthand.

I’ve learned that even those who’ve never dived—some even afraid of the water—connect deeply with these images. There’s something universal about the feeling they evoke. Maybe it’s a need for stillness, a sense of awe, or just a reminder to breathe more deeply—whatever it is, I hope my work gives you that moment.

If you’d like to stay connected and explore more of this world with me—both above and below the water—scroll down to sign up for my newsletter