Sand Trap (Dreaming of the Gulf Coast shore)

Sand Trap, originally uploaded by Mark Nesmith.

I've been missing the Gulf Coast alot lately so I decided to paint myself a little beach vacation. Whenever I go to Galveston, I tend to spend most of my time near the state park away from the seawall. The beaches are less crowded and generally less manicured. I like the rather natural appearance. One of the things I love about the beach is how the sand has a kind of memory. The tire tracks in the distance reveal the past presence of people, even though you don't see them anymore. But just like our own memories, eventually the tide comes and the footprints vanish. This is the largest beach painting I've done in quite awhile (24" x 30"), and I must admit that I really enjoyed playing in the painted sand. Maybe I should paint a sand castle too!