Whispering Dunes

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Oil on panel. Artwork dimensions are 32” X 15”. Mahogany float frame made by the artist, outside dimensions are 36” X 19”.

A sunset walk on the west facing beaches of the Vineyard can be a truly magical experience. The color of the light in the sky here is different than on the mainland because we are surrounded by an enormous reflecting mirror, the ocean. At the water's edge, the crisp, casting sidelight of the sun, unimpeded by shadows, illuminates the wall of dunes. It is here, on Lambert's Cove's westerly facing beach, that you can truly appreciate the sculpted forms of the frontline, sand dunes. They show their dimensions in highlights of cream and shadows of purples and blues backlit by the cerulean sky. The shifting sands are constantly being smoothed out by the wind. But the dunes hold their shape because of a deep, fibrous mass of roots, a network of creeping rootstalks that have grown horizontally beneath the surface. When the wind picks up the beachgrasses roll and undulate tufts of yellow and green, mirroring the movement of the low waves coming off the Vineyard Sound. The billowing wind on your ears is loud and whipping, but also serene as it is all-encompassing. There's a silence in the loudness. And here and there you feel flecks of warm sand crystals scintillating against your neck and lips. At that moment there is nothing else but you and the dunes.

I created this piece using oil paints, on a gessoed mdf panel. With this piece I was trying to change the way I approach oil painting, opting for a healthier approach using no solvents (mineral spirits). That’s the stuff that makes the paint thin and “watery” and very easy to brush in thin strokes. I used to always start and finish my paintings using lot of mineral spirits. The first layers applied as lean, big washes, and then at the end as I create many small details. Since I’ve been using egg tempera as a medium, I’ve become very interested in applying paint with sponges, like I used to do when I did scenic set painting. Egg tempera dries rapidly so you can’t blend out paint very easily. So, I take tiny sponges and soften out the early layers with lots of alkyd mediums, but no solvents. This makes the paint very thick and soft. It creates a dreamy appearance.

This frame a a float frame fort his piece. I like float frames because you see every inch I created. There’s no hidden edges.. This one is made from mahogany decking that I’ve mitered with darker mahogany keys inserted into the joints for strength and beauty. My aim is to make artwork that is elegant in every aspect of its construction. I hope you like it.