About the Beach Paintings

My family spent every summer on Fire Island until I was about 14 and I grew up with stories of the hurricane of 1938 and how in its aftermath there were houses floating in the Great South Bay. Even though the destruction that Sandy wreaked on the island has been fierce and devastating, there is an acceptance of the effects of storms on barrier islands and a commitment to rebuild.

Over the years I returned to Fire Island because it has always been for me a place of escape, solitude and reflection. This sand bar has a scrappy wildness to it that no amount of civilization can erase. These paintings were made during the summers of 2000-2004.  The house I stayed in is most certainly badly damaged if not destroyed and perhaps even the spot where I sat painting has been reclaimed by the sea.

But I know that the beauty and majesty of the ocean remains unchanged as does the rare quality of the light.  And it is this inevitability and timelessness that these paintings were always about: the feeling of being at the edge of the earth and the experience of the line where ocean meets sky, watching the horizon fade into fog or emerge crisp and clean in the sun's bright light. These paintings bear witness to what has transpired for thousands of years: the ebb and flow of tides, occurring at times with great violence but some times with barely a whisper.

How To Participate (please note that the terms of the benefit have changed)

I am offering these paintings at half their retail value to benefit the victims of devastation brought by Sandy to New York. 
The "Sandy relief price" is $450: $100 of which is donated towards Sandy relief.

If you want a painting, please follow these 3 simple steps:

1. Make a donation of $100 to one of the charities listed below
2. Forward your donation receipt to me: [email protected] and include in the body of the email: the title of the painting, your name and mailing address.
3. I will invoice you $365 (includes $15 for shipping & insurance) through paypal or you may send me a check (please request my snail mail address when you forward your receipt)

Please note: These paintings are unframed. They will hang beautifully and easily on any surface using removable "command strips" which I will provide. They were originally shown & sold floated in a wooden box frame, I have a few frames available, let me know if you are interested.

Where To Donate

OccupySandy
This is my first choice; I have been volunteering at the main distribution hub in Clinton Hill and have experienced first hand the level of commitment and understanding that surrounds this effort. What they are doing is AWESOME and an inspiration.
To donate for NY: https://www.wepay.com/donations/occupy-sandy-cleanup-volunteers
To donate for NJ: https://www.wepay.com/donations/occupy-sandy-relief-nj

Brooklyn Recovery Fund
This coalition sponsored by the Borough President's office is creating a pooled fund to provide support to Brooklyn’s nonprofit organizations working with the communities and individuals most affected by Hurricane Sandy.
To donate: https://connect.brooklyncommunityfoundation.org/donate

*Contact me if you wish to donate to a different organization. Part of my concern is to support community based initiatives which will continue the hard work of rebuilding long after this issue fades from public view and larger institutions have withdrawn.

Props to Joy Garnett for the inspiration to do this.

A series of 5x10"beach paintings is now available in my etsy shop, you can see the complete selection on tumblr