Reaching for Safe Harbor

This is one of a few painting that I have done where the composition was an amalgamation of a few photo references and my visual memory and experiences.  I sailed and owned a large sloop. I have admired the Russian painter, Ivan Aivazovsky, for his mastery of ocean storms.  So much to gain from his mastery.  This piece conveys a pending storm and the desire on the part of the small sail boat to reach a safe harbor in which to ride out the storm.  The mood and the emotion are clearly in the piece.  For sailors it is evident that the point of sail is a reach - consequently the title "Reaching for Safe Harbor."

This paintin was done in my studio.  I used several of my photos as referenced as I created a moment when a casual day of sailing ended as a storm approached.  It as the moment of decision to reach toward a safe harbor.