Oil on canvas, 48 x 48 inches 
In the studio, $7950 unframed
 
About this oil:
As a child, some of my fondest memories were at the beach in Galveston, TX. It was an hour drive from our house in Houston and I would excitedly remember some of the landmarks as we got closer to the beach. Finally, we would go over the arched bridge and into the coastal town.
 
The beach was an enormous expanse with water and sky going out into infinity. There wasn’t anything else like it. I stayed close to mom and dad, played in the sand with my toys and when my parents were ready, they would take me by the hand into the moving waters with the waves and foam.
 
10 years ago, I was again in Galveston and took photos of those patterns and began this oil. After a few attempts, I let it go for a decade, finally getting back to it a few months ago and finishing it today. 
 
Years ago, I simply wanted to represent the scene but the result wasn’t very satisfying. I can’t say why it took so long, but when I came across the unfinished oil in the racks recently, I understood where I wanted to go with this piece – color and serenity.
 
Unneeded detail was eliminated and the colors shifted from the brownish green waters of that day to hues of blues, mauves and greens. Motion is indicated but not in an obvious way, and as the image recedes, a colorful atmosphere emerges.
 
Wrapped in this view are the fond memories from my childhood and how I view the world now as a colorist painter.