“Solace in a Sunset”, 6″x 8″, Acrylic on birch panel, NFS

“Break”, 6″x 8″, Acrylic on birch panel, available

“Splash 2″, 9″x 12”, Acrylic on birch panel, available

The crisp clear winter days on the coast has provided much needed time for beach walks.

“My favorite song is the ocean embracing the shore.” Dana Hulburt

As I walk in the sand the slurping undertow pulls my thoughts away. The ocean fluidly swishes my thoughts around and washes back a surge of serenity. This rhythmical satisfying sound of pulling, washing and eventually splashing to the shore clears my mind and comforts my heart. Feeling cleansed and in the awe of God’s creation I sip the salt air and sense the changing light, color and form of the waves. These moments are embedded in my mind and later flow from my paintbrush onto panels.

This is a new process for me! Usually, I paint from reference photos I take or paint on site. Now, I just show up at the easel with my panel, paintbrush, 3 primary colors and white. I begin mixing with my paintbrush the colors I’ve experienced. Next, I make marks that reflect the movement of the ocean in the undertow and break. These are quick intentional marks. Then, I hurry back 20 feet to see what is emerging from the marks and color. After reflection, I zip back to the easel and respond quickly making color adjustments and add another layer of spontaneous marks. The pacing continues, another look from a far to what shapes are emerging. Do the shapes need adjusted compositionally? Are the colors beginning to sing? What will this look evoke? Back to the easel, another layer tightening values and adjusting color temperature. Sometimes there is rubbing a thin layer of color over the whole panel to bring forth color harmony. Also, splashing paint to create water drops. Exploring, experimenting, pacing back and forth to refine an image that is emerging. Then suddenly, it’s there, just there! I feel as if I’ve just found something.

“The object isn’t to make art, it’s to be in that wonderful state which makes are inevitable.”

Robert Henri

More wave paintings in portfolio 2024, 2025.