Meet the artist.
Originally from Kilkenny in the southeast of Ireland, Orla Doyle is a contemporary resin and mixed-media artist known for her immersive, ocean-inspired art that captures the power and beauty of the sea. Through her brand Every Breaking Wave, she creates realistic ocean slices and abstract ocean art rooted in the Atlantic coast of Ireland and the wider sea beyond.
Her artistic journey began during the quiet uncertainty of the pandemic. Fascinated by how mixed media could mimic the flow and energy of water, Orla began experimenting, layering different mediums, seeing their chemical reactions and adding textures to recreate the ocean's ever-changing moods.
Each artwork is meticulously built up in layers, creating a unique three-dimensional effect that doesn’t just look real, it feels real. Viewers often often find themselves irresistibly reaching out to touch the glass-like surface and the tactile, gritty feel of sand shorelines and rocky reefs. Her work is a sensory connection to the sea.
Her work moves between two registers. There is the realist work; aerial views (like that of the ocean captured by drone photographers), foam laces, sand and shallows, pieces that bring a window to the sea into a quiet room. And there is the abstract, submerged blooms of pigment, electric pinks and ultramarines, depths that seem almost lit from within.
A turning point in Orla’s career came when a video of her creating one of her realistic ocean slices went viral on social media, reaching over 2 million people and resulting in 2,000 new followers within just a few days. The post showcased her intricate resin art details and struck a chord with audiences around the world. Her work has also been featured on RTÉ’s Nationwide.
Through Every Breaking Wave Art, Orla releases her work in exclusive online drops, with original pieces that often sell out quickly. Her community of collectors continues to grow worldwide, united by a shared love for the sea and the stories it tells. She is a member of the Design & Crafts Council Ireland.
Get a slice of the ocean.
Orla finds her inspiration in the boundless sea, capturing its essence from both aerial viewpoints and the intriguing depths below. Infusing her creations with vibrant color palettes, she draws inspiration from the rugged Irish coastline and landscape, as well as her adventures to distant shores such as Jamaica, Grenada, Florida, Brazil, and Australia. These oceans and shorelines, with their mesmerising colour variations, have deeply influenced her work, bringing the beauty of the world's waters to life in every piece.
