Nehalem Bay Sunset

I was driving home from Nehalem, Oregon at sunset. After the rainy winter we had enjoyed a fabulously beautiful sunny day. It was the first sunset I had seen in months. I missed pulling over when I first caught a glimpse of it. I didn't make that mistake again. I pulled over at every turnout the rest of the way home at took pictures as it slowly sunk beneath the horizon. Oh, the glory and the beauty of this earth.

Beach Boy

Well, here he is... my little beach boy. He makes my toes curl with excitement. I want to get down to the beach and help him collect rocks and stomp in puddles with him. Capturing him on film was such a joy. He ran from puddle to puddle to puddle. I was afraid that by the time I got to him, asked his dad for permission to take his picture, and got settled in, he would have run out of energy or interest. I was so wrong. His dad said he'd been running across the puddles for over half and hour and I was there with him for nearly as long. It was a rare moment, such as this one, when he would stop and find a treasure, and then be off running again. 

I often wonder why all of that energy is allowed in those tiny bodies when my body can't seem to get enough energy to keep up with my own schedule. Watching the carefree child always stirs something deep inside that causes me to yearn for that same freedom to run and laugh and explore at will. Some days I let myself be that child. We should all do that a little more often... 

The Moving of the Water

My little guy is picking a stone up out of the water. Painting water is very interesting. We tend to think of water as always being blue. Water, however, is colorless. It simply reflects whatever is above it. Because most of the time that is blue sky, we tend to think of water as always being blue. There is almost no blue in this puddle, however. So finding the colors that really are there is a fun challenge.

Tide Puddles

When I think of tide pools I think of the ponds left by the ebbing tide that are filled with star fish and sea anemones. When they're only filled with plankton, are they still tide pools? Or just tide tide puddles?

Trying to paint the texture of the wind-blown sand was an interesting process. On a larger canvas I might have become obsessive. On these 8x10 canvases, however, I am forced to keep things loose and keep moving. It is a good exercise for me.

It was also fun to note how the water rippled in some places and was completely calm in others, even though it was the same tide puddle. The earth is such an amazing thing.

Beach Cherub

Well, here she is at last... my hot babe on the beach... my bathing beauty... my cute little beach cherub. I do love children. To me they represent innocence, hope, potential, purity, meekness, and joy. I love to hold a child's hand, play with a child's feet, and answer every single "why" they can come up with. Painting them, apparently, is no different. I have thoroughly enjoyed every child I've painted. I may have to stick to this genre... 

Back in the Studio

I finally got back in the studio after almost a week. Breaks like this can be good for me, but they are hard on me as well. It's funny how much mental and emotional effort it takes to get myself in front of the canvas. And yet, to not do it is far more painful. 

So I jumped back in to Beach Cherub and got a good start on her face. There's more work to do, but too little time. I am off to a fun adventure today, though. So hopefully I'll have some great references to bring back to the studio.

Possibilities

I had a crazy weekend that flowed over into Monday. When I headed to the beach I found myself there with no sketchbook and no camera. The pictures are pretty bad, but I'm still hoping to get a painting or two out of them. I love watching the wind surfers. I've got to find me a wet suit so I can get out there and do it myself!

Beach Babe - Quick Sketch

This is the gorgeous babe I saw on the beach. I'm always nervous about photographing and drawing children because I don't want parents to think I'm a Creepy McCreeper... These parents were great, though, and let me take a ton of photos. This is quick sketch I did. She was so cute as she toddled in the sand, fell over, picked herself back up, and then plopped down and just played in the sand.