I Thought This Girl Was Drowning, But When I Saw What Was *Really* Happening?? WHOA.

At first, I almost dropped my coffee. Is this a close-up photograph of a woman DROWNING!?! If this image disturbed you, trust me: you are not alone. The wet tendrils of hair couples with the nose submerged just below the surface of the water are bound to send shivers down your spine.

But to answer your question, this woman isn't in any danger…because she's not a woman at all.

She's just a painting!

Welcome to the watery world of Alyssa Monks

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Alyssa specializes in hyperrealism paintings, and that's exactly what it sounds like: she makes a kind of art that looks so real, you almost think you're looking at a photograph.

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Alyssa uses oil paints on linen to masterfully create these wet-looking creations...NONE of these are photos.

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Some of her works evoke feelings of anxiety: are these people okay, or do they need help getting out of the water?

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Whereas others are simply sublime...

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Monks carefully examines the way we interact with water in all parts of our life...from submerging in it, to showering:

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Her later works at the element of glass to paintings - notice the woman's fingers in the lower right-hand side pressed just so...

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On thing is for sure: when you look at Monks work, it's hard to determine where reality begins and ends...that's how talented she is!

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Love these fabulous hyperrealistic artworks? Please SHARE with your friends!! Thank you for reading.

See more of Alyssa Monks work! Click here!!