Why I really like to paint beaches

We see in art history that artists throughout time have been inspired by the shoreline as a subject matter. I'm just one of many who find this a compelling subject to paint... the place where land, sky, and water can interact as a trio.

Having grown up in Massachusetts my whole life, my family went to the beaches of Maine and Cape Cod for vacations in summertime, and for larger family gatherings in the fall/off-season. These were extremely formative times for me - times that gave me a sense of seasonal rhythms, belonging to a family, and counting on returning to the same places and rituals. Rolling up our sleeves and eating lobster. Rolling up our jeans cuffs and walking barefoot on the cold sand. Collecting driftwood and seashells with my mom and aunts... making sand sculptures and creating washed-up found-object sculptures on the beach with my creative relatives. We as a family are fortunate to continue the tradition of going to the Cape each summer and I personally love going in the off-season even more, even in winter.

Spending time by the water is somehow both calming and invigorating for we humans. I have listened and watched people, even in my city studio, respond to my paintings of water and nature with deep sighs, changes in breathing and pace, and staring or gazing quietly. Art and nature helps to center us - it is universal.

I also enjoy a little or a lot of abstraction, depending on the piece and my inspiration. This can free up the mind to 'play' as the viewer, and you can enter the picture plane knowing you're at the beach (familiar) but with abstract/imaginative elements of surprise (adventure).

I have stored so many photographic memories of different beaches in my mind, I only have to call them up and they are right there for me to draw from. Many of my paintings are created by memory, and they are all created from a deep well of experiences of light, space, movement, and feeling. If you are interested in reading professional reviews of my work, which talk more about this, feel free to check out this page.

Speaking of beaches, ​this National Geographic article came up in my news feed. I was thankful for this welcome respite from regular news reporting. Read it if you'd like to know how our brains and bodies are deeply nurtured by going to the beach!

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