Now that I’ve finished my Spring Collection of Paintings, I’m starting on summer, and what says “summer” more than the beach, right?
I thought I’d show you pictures of the beach that will be the inspiration for my summer paintings. This is the beach at Point Dume in Malibu, near where my parents live, and where I grew up. I spent my childhood summers on this beach, surfing the waves on an inflatable rubber mat, exploring the tidepools, and soaking up the sun.
There is so much beauty here — the vivid blue sky, the soft warm sand, the seaweed-covered rocks, the blue-green sea anemones, the purple and orange starfish, the multicolored shells, and of course, the water — the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean.
My roots here are deep, but I haven’t actually been to this beach in a while. It’s the usual litany of excuses — lack of time being the primary factor. The beach remains much the same, but the demographics have changed, and this beach is now a playground for the wealthy. I feel out of place when I do visit.
I think the beach is perhaps better left to the confines of my memory, a time of carefree days and endless possibilities. It was fun, it was beautiful, and there will be other fun and beautiful things to come in my life.
What are your memories of summer? Tell me about them by posting a comment below.
