The story behind the October front cover of Outdoor Swimmer magazine

The October front cover celebrates health and wellbeing with a painting by artist Anita Klein

This month’s gorgeous front cover of Outdoor Swimmer magazine is by renowned painter and printmaker Anita Klein. As you can tell by the joy she captures in the painting ‘Diving with Ducks’, she is also a committed outdoor swimmer!

Anita has always been a swimmer. She was born in Sydney, Australia and moved to London when she was eleven. She studied at the Chelsea and Slade Schools of Art, first painting and later learning printmaking. She used to swim in a pool every day, only swimming outdoors in the summer. But the pandemic and successive lockdowns opened up the world of winter swimming to her and she now swims outdoors all year round. We caught up with Anita to learn the story of ‘Diving with Ducks’, the cover image of October’s ‘Health’ issue, out now.

Where you were swimming in ‘Diving with Ducks’?

“This was my favourite swimming destination in the world, the beautiful Lake Lucerne in Switzerland.”

How did it feel and what you were trying to capture?

“Warm sun and cool crystal-clear water. After a long day driving to get there we were feeling hot, sweaty and irritable. The lake was glistening and still, reflecting surrounding mountains on the surface, and dotted with duck, grebe and coot families in the early summer sunshine. But diving in was entering a magical cool silence. I was enchanted by swimming through the sun’s rays as they dissolved in the water.”

What does outdoor swimming do for your creative practice?

“Outdoor swimming is a kind of meditation. On first entering the water all thoughts and worries vanish with the intense physical experience. Once I settle into a swimming rhythm, I find that the absence of all sensory stimulation, apart from the feeling of the water and the sound of my breathing, gives me space for creative ideas and solutions to pop into my head. I sometimes swim thinking about a painting or print I’m working on, but most often I think about absolutely nothing, which is an incredible luxury in our over-stimulating modern world.”

How does swimming boost your health?

“I swim right through London winters, three to five times a week, and bizarrely find myself in summer longing for those really cold frosty days. Starting or ending the working day with a swim makes me feel truly alive, and after the first 20 seconds or so in really cold water, I feel like superwoman! I think, especially for women and as we get older, it’s very rare to feel physically strong and powerful. And swimming outdoors in winter gives me that. I can’t remember the last time I had a cold, and that’s despite regular exposure to my four grandchildren!”

Follow Anita on Instagram @anitakleinart and find out more about her work at www.anitaklein.com.

The October ‘Health’ issue of Outdoor Swimmer magazine is on sale now.