"I first developed my techniques for recreating the dazzling drama of
natural light with works such as
Pacific Nocturne, an early, rarely
seen epic painting. On the occasion of my second wedding anniversary,
Nanette and I re-visited our honeymoon hideaway at the coastal town of
Mendocino, California, and there I gained the inspiration for capturing the
glow of evening over the gently rolling surf.
In my painting, the sky is a peacock's tail of mauves, purples, and blues,
as clouds of varying density filter the radiant setting sun. Sea foam
bursts in an explosion of brilliant light against the massive coastal rock.
The luminous translucence of the aqua wave shimmers with an internal fire.
Sand gleams golden through the thin liquid skin of the receding surf.
In Pacific Nocturne I created one of my largest and most important
early attempts to evoke emotion through landscape. Here, truly, is a
romantic setting. The glow of moonlight symbolizing the glow of a loving
heart suffuses the scene with its gentle radiance. The benign beauty of
God's creation fills the eye and heart of all who love the splendor of
creation. For many years, Pacific Nocturne hung in my own home as a
private treasure - a personal memory of my early years of marriage. Now,
for the first time, I share it with my collectors."
