Autumn Dunes

Pastel 6x9 on UArt 320

As the summer has ended and the autumn has come to the beach, the sea oats and other grasses adopt the colors of fall.  In an effort to get more vibrant color into this painting, I started with a turquoise undercoat which I have permitted to show through in places.  I was hoping that the brilliance of the underpaint would set the tone and help instruct my color choices for the rest of the painting. I chose a view at low tide with a wide beach and the surf far away.  I deliberately understated the beach and surf in the background and left the sky without clouds order to emphasize the contrast and colors of the late summer grass and bushes on the dunes.

September Wave

Pastel, 6x8 on UArt 320

At the end of summer, the prevailing wind turns to the southwest, and the swells come in from a flat ocean.  They normally break in regular succession on the beach, but every so often a large sell comes in and rolls over the smaller waves that have come before.  I call these "September Waves."

9/22/15 - My wife Patty observed that I needed something to fill the big empty void in the middle of the painting.  After some thought, I agreed and added some sea gulls.  I like the addition.

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