THE MAKING OF A SEASCAPE

I spent the summer of 2017 at the beach~ walking, talking to the birds, and gathering any beautiful thing that I could carry home. The gorgeous orange quartz below looks like a dazzling jewel, and has resisted being moved by heavy surf because it’s so big and heavy. I check all the time and it’s still there!

The first seascapes I made involved paper backgrounds put in place before adding the sand and shells, etc. The idea of working with and around a mat came with the first deep shadow box. This is how it looked as it began preparing the background.

The piece seemed to create itself. The larger stones in the foreground placed outside the confines of the mat, and sand scattered as it fell as if blown by the wind. My daughter liked it, and it’s framed and hanging at the top of the stairs in her house now.

                                                                               Wind on the Sound, 2017 

Another project at the beginning stage. The First step, laying down the paper

The finished project:

                                                                                   Sea Wall, 2017

The Next Project

The next piece was inspired by a point on the seawall at Seaside Park where I often go. I took a picture (see below) to help me get started.

The twig was the first thing I collected for this piece. When I saw it on the ground, I saw the whole piece in my mind.

The project below is about the beach at low tide.

In conclusion

There’s something wonderful about living near open water. I’ve never done so before. The Long Island Sound and Seaside Park stole my heart at first sight, and I knew this was where I wanted to stay. I can walk there in minutes, and as soon as I see the sunlight sparkling out on the water, or the clouds resting on the horizon, my mind relaxes and I feel the simple joy of being alive. Any time of year.

Seascapes help capture the feeling!

This is truly one of my favorites. It was on a cold windy day in November or December. Most of the birds had already headed south. Surf was pounding rocky shore. My heart pounds now just to look at it. The glass on this lovely frame broke when I was taking it apart to start the project. So it became perfect for a 3-dimensional seascape. It’s hanging in the office of our building because I had no extra space on my walls. Sometimes I peek in there just to get a look, and to make sure it’s still there. I’d like to find a home for it that it can be appreciated more. Any takers?