Monday, January 11, 2010

Bolivar, Early Morning-WIP

Bolivar, Early Morning, acrylic/collage, 12 x 16
Sold

Two summers ago, I went with my family to Bolivar Peninsula on the Gulf Coast of Texas, just east of Galveston.  We were celebrating my parents' fiftieth wedding anniversary.  The following September, hurricane Ike blew across the narrow strip of land, decimating the small year-round community of Crystal Beach and larger part-time community of vacation homes.

My sister and mom went to see Bolivar about a year later.  The porch of the house where we had stayed had been ripped off, but the house was still there in large part.  Nearly all the houses around it had been flattened.  Originally, it had been on the second row of houses from the beach with a lagoon in between.  It now sits right on the water. 

I painted this from a photo that my mother had taken that summer we were all together.  This day, the sunrise was particularly breathtaking.

10 comments:

Anna M. Branner said...

This painting turned out beautifully Elizabeth! What a great start to the new year!!

Tracey Clarke said...

This is beautiful.

Sandy Maudlin said...

WOW! Even in your painting, there's a message about the power of the weather. What a very dynamic and striking painting.

Elizabeth Seaver said...

Hey, Anna, Tracey and Sandy:

I appreciate the positive reactions. It is not finished. I still need to tweak it here and there. Thanks for commenting on this WIP!

Saundra Lane Galloway said...

WOW Elizabeth...can you do clouds or what!! Beautiful memory you shared and beautiful painting! Can't wait to see the finished product...what else could you do?? :)

Leslie Hawes said...

Intense painting!
Yep. Ike messed up the coast.

Incognito said...

Powerful indeed!

Elizabeth Seaver said...

Thanks, Saundra, Leslie and Incognito--I'm afraid that the sunsets and sunrises are so dramatic on the TX Gulf Coast because of oil and gas pollution. I do appreciate your comments, blogger friends!

ariel freeman said...

Beautiful. You really captured the granduer and drama, very moody with and hint of danger.

Elizabeth Seaver said...

Thanks, Ariel! I hope we get to see you at Ltown soon.