This painting is about the gentle beauty when the light returns after a heavy storm. I worked on this commission for months, building each layer carefully. There were so many subtle details with all the reflections in the water, wet sand, and the light coming through the clouds. It was a huge technical challenge, but a very beautiful. one. There were times I would get overwhelmed and thought I would never finish. Luckily I know myself well enough to stop painting when I feel that way. But the beauty of the scene always led me back in. I really believe that if you can slow down and get quiet enough, beauty always flows back into your heart. Then, when I was nearly finished, Hurricane Helene hit my town of Asheville, NC. The devastation was utterly overwhelming. Luckily my house was on high ground and my studio didn't flood. Because we had no power and I had no light in my studio, I brought the painting outside to finish it. It was so poignant to paint the light coming round the edges of the clouds, glimmering with the promise of a brighter future. I could hear the sound of helicopters and sirens missed with songbirds as I painted. Miraculously the painting came together in a shorter time than expected. It was a beautiful feeling. I really felt the light returning to my heart.
