Staying Put, Low Tide

Pastel 9x12 on Wallis

For this painting, I worked under the constant threat of rain.  The overcast broke from time to time giving sunlight and broken shadows on the marina.  The tide was low and going out further when I started this painting.  The first thing I did was sketch the basic masses of the cord grass and put in the water that was left.  When I finished with the basics, the foreground and middle ground were reduced to broad mud flats. 

This painting is about contrasts.  I wanted to show a contrast of the organic shapes of the grass with the straight line of the bridge and boat masts in the background.  I emphasized the contrast in colors between the light lavender of the sky, and water, the deep purple on the sandy mud, and red/brown of the grass.

This painting was originally done as part of a workshop with Kathleen Galligan.  The painting has been put away in a box for three years.  I got it out of storage last week, and today I retouched and adjusted some of the colors and values.