Surf's Up

This seascape features a local surfing hotspot ‘Steamer Lane’, located by Lighthouse Point in Santa Cruz, California.  I was painting outdoors on the Santa Cruz municipal wharf on a cool and blustery day. The interplay of light and shadow, along with waves crashing against the cliffs, provided a powerful contrast. It was a fun challenge to portray the changing moods of the sea and sky while dealing with gusting winds and chilly temperatures.  In my studio, the watercolor was finished with a wax coating. Once fully dry, I added thicker paint and highlights in the foreground using water-soluble oils.

This 12" x 16" water media painting is mounted on a cradled wood panel and framed using a black floating frame.  It is protected with a UV spray and comes ready to hang on your wall.