"What drew me to this scene was the plethora of rich colors and textures seen between the far bank the base of the boat launch. The water was shallow, showing the sand patterns below. It was a challenge to catch the reflections of the sky, while still showing what could be seen underneath. The sand bar itself was loaded with rich pinks and tans, set against darker patterns of sand, and spotted with shells. I used dozens of layers on every square inch to capture what I saw and felt on this beautiful, sunny, summer day."
“As the dunes of the lower Cape’s outer beaches erode back, it has become more and more frequent to find these spills of stones. These spills usually contain a mixture of clay (green, orange and blue-gray) and stones that look nothing like the standard stones found on the beach. They are rounded as if having been in the sea, but they have an almost metallic shimmer to them that makes them iridescent in the sunlight. They are fascinating to look at. It’s this shimmer, and intensification of color, that this painting aims to capture. This is nature’s composition, including the feather which drifted in on the wind to land amongst the spilled treasure.”
"I was intrigued by the absolutely flawless inside curl of this wave, not a single streak of foam from a previous wave. For whatever reason, on this day the waves were perfectly formed but with long periods of time in between. As a result, each wave had a beautifully clear inside face and the rough water in front wasn’t very rough, a rare but beautiful phenomenon that begged to be painted." — Amy Sanders
“Highland Light is rich with memories and tradition for me. When I was young, I used to lay in bed and watch the flash of light pass across my ceiling. I cherished the fog horn in stormy weather. I once taught a child who had lived there, and now my father is President of the Highland Lighthouse Association. I’ve climbed this light and stood on its upper decks more times, and with more people than I can count.
One morning a few years ago I took my sister-in-law and my father there to see the sunrise and this glorious sight greeted us. It was positively spectacular and begged to be painted as no photograph would ever capture the glory of this scene.
Highland Light is now operated by Highland Museum and Lighthouse, Inc. (of which the Highland Lighthouse Association is a part). However, a substantial part of the financial burden for maintaining this light is borne by the National Seashore, and the Seashore was instrumental in having the Lighthouse moved in 1996. We have the National Park system to thank for preserving this historic landmark for the generations to enjoy.”
“For many years these items hung around in the various outbuildings of my family home. The ship’s lantern, block (pulley), and chain came from my great uncle (mother’s side) George Lewis’s fishing schooner, Arazana, that sailed out of Truro’s Pamet Harbor before it silted in. The fid (wooden tool) was my great grandfather’s (father’s side) from his fishing days. I can't imagine how but the fid was used to mend splits in the rigging and to make and mend fishing nets.
These precious relics now adorn my home's interior. I am particularly fond of the lantern, which was a foremast lantern. When hung, it showed oncoming vessels the port and starboard sides of the Arazana. It still contains the original glass with all its intricacies.
Painting this brought me back to my roots and reminded me that my ties to the sea are part of my heritage. I have found it is a New England heritage that is highly regarded, even by many who have never been here.”
"This scene represents all the parts of the small wave. The back wave is just starting to crest and in front of that is the curl and tumble of a active wave just breaking. In front of that is the whitewater of an already collapsed wave, and then the shallow backwash of a previous wave over the sand trying to beat its way back to sea against the incoming water. Nature provided a beautiful composition here."
“I awoke one morning to see some tremendous billowing clouds scuttling along in the pre-dawn twilight through my window. I remained peripherally aware of them while I prepared for work that day. Later, while on my way to work, they began to light up with the rising sun still below the horizon. At that point I had little choice but to be at least a few minutes late for work! I veered off Rt. 6 to the Fort Hill overlook just as the first rays of sun pierced through to set the hills there ablaze. Obviously, with work calling, I took a barrage of photographs to use as reference but the scene burned a permanent impression of breathtaking beauty in my mind.
This is why I moved here. The presence of the National Seashore has allowed us to savor these precious stunning moments in a way that few are able to experience. It has protected wild areas from the encroachment of 'civilization' which creates the hustle and bustle that so often causes us to lose sight of Nature's beauty and splendor. Living in the presence of the National Seashore allows me at least a part of each day, a reminder of the grandeur of Nature and our responsibility to do what we can to protect this beautiful land.”
"I watched this spectacular squall line zip across the bay while enjoying the beach one summer afternoon. In the painting, I tried to capture the beauty as it unleashed a downpour over Plymouth. About 10 minutes later it unleashed with the same fury on me!"
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