Santa Cruz Harbor: Same scene, Different Light

Santa Cruz Harbor sunset  6x12 oil

12x24 Oil Santa Cruz Harbor at sunset

Nature's palette is constantly changing. As the sun sets or rises at Santa Cruz harbor the sight is breathtaking. The effects of the sun setting creates a dramatic, ephemeral image. The water's movement echoes the vibrant colors in the sky. The backlit land forms become silhouetted against nature's canvas.
The lighthouse provides an identifying element to the scene.
Working first in a blue orange harmony, I created the small 6x12 sunset painting. The light on the horizon and overlapping land forms  provide calming horizontals creating a peaceful mood for the painting. The small vertical lighthouse brings the viewer toward the sky and provides a feeling of strength and permanence. This feeling of permanence is repeated  in the land and the repetitive motion of the waves. I liked the contrast of the fleeting light and the permanent elements. The diagonals in the water and the diagonal created by the overlapping forms bring the eye back through the landscape. The 12x24  painting, while similar to the smaller version, adds one more layer of overlapping.  The composition is so naturally created that I plan to paint it again. Next I'll try a different format rather than the panoramic view with more sky lowering the horizon to the lower third level now occupied by the cresting wave. Close ups of the backlit lighthouse are also on my radar. Stay tuned!

Making Memories

 Trips to California to visit my daughter always inspire new work. Living on separate coasts makes every visit special. We don't get to see each other too often, so each trip is a memory maker.

"Sharing the Moment"  16x20 OIL

Before my daughter leaves for work in the morning, a beach walk starts the day. After work, watching the sunset is a ritual for us. During the day I descend the steep cliff to paint on the beach while she is gone. Other days I paint from the top of Seacliff. The colors are amazing and always changing.  The colors are reflected in the water and wet sand and move with the rhythm of the sea. The sounds vary depending on the wind and surf. Along with artists and photographers there are couples, people with families, or with pets and sometimes just a solo person. The desire to experience and share with someone the beach magic seems universal. I love to capture these moments both to share with others and to internalize the beauty that each of these experiences brings.