WAITING – Outer Banks, N.C – Jean’s Original Art

WAITING

WAITING – Jean's Original Fine Art - To get to the beach in Corolla, North Carolina’s Outer Banks barrier islands, it is a short walk to the stairs leading up the dune to a landing at the top, and then descending stairs to the beach.  At the top of the landing, one can gaze out over the entire broad expanse of beach from end to end until the beach disappears into the mist of distance.  At sunrise, the beach is empty because it is too early for most people to be out and about.  The usual frenetic activity of families with children playing, couples strolling up and down, teenagers showing off their surfing skills, and surf fishermen watching their lines has not yet started.  On this particular morning when I topped the landing, the sun was up, but the soft glow of sunrise still lingered on the horizon.  No one was out and about yet except us.  The newly risen sun glistened on the gentle ocean breakers gliding up the shoreline in the calmness of the morning.  The brilliance of the sun spangles danced on the wave crests and receding washes.  It was dazzling!  There, on the beach below, was the most beautiful beach umbrella I’ve ever seen, looking like something akin to a gigantic happy lollipop, waiting for its people to come back to it.  Its colors were so bright and cheerful, it seemed to scream, “Look at me!  Paint me!” The matching beach chairs enhanced the anticipation of the owners’ return.  I don’t usually paint scenes like this, but this one truly captivated me.  WAITING is painted in soft pastels and framed in a sandy colored molding overlain with mother-of-pearl shells, picking up the beach theme beautifully.  Two thin slivers of inner mats pick up the ocean blue and the delicate sunrise mauve, while the middle mat is a highly reflective, textured silver/white just like the sun spangles on the water.  It is overlain with a lighter ocean blue for the top mat.