Looking for the Painting in the Landscape

An artist is an editor. When faced with a vast scene, choices must be made about composition and where to focus attention. When I was walking on the beach in St. Augustine, Florida, my visual senses were assaulted with sun, ocean, sand, and people. My emotional senses were tapped, too. This was a beach where I spent time with my late parents and brother, and I had not been back to Florida in many years.  I was in a contemplative mood when I made my sketches and when I started to paint I knew I wanted to reflect an intimate connection to the location. Though I usually paint from life, this painting was made from my reference sketches and the remembrances of the shadows, the warmth of the sunlight on the sand, the haze of the spring sky, the sound of the waves and the scent of the ocean in the air.

This 8" x 10" painting will be available at Open Studios in May.