Eco Trip, a Florida Beach Painting of Kayaks on Sand by Judy Batterson

When I discovered the colorful kayaks pulled up on the sand of an island on the Intracoastal Waterway, I loved the scene! I took lots of photos because I was in a boat viewing it, and then I painted the scene in the studio. The intriguing part of this was that it was so still, hot and calm that day, and there were no clues to the whereabouts of the people. I found out later that the Marine Discovery Center in Volusia County had sent volunteers out to search for turtle nests. Although I have posted this painting before, I am reposting it because it has been chosen for the Biennial VI Exhibit at the Museum of Florida Art in DeLand, FL. Exhibit runs from Nov. 11 to March 4, 2012.

Eco Trip, a Coastal Florida Oil Landscapes with Kayaks by Judy Batterson

I am very excited about this work because it captures everything I want to say in a painting. I was in a boat on the Intracoastal Waterway when I saw four kayaks pulled up next to an old rowboat beached on a island. The bright colors of the kayaks were dazzling on the white sand. I took as many photos as possible and then started sketching the composition. This was natural
ecological Florida being discovered and enjoyed by modern explorers! The painting took much longer to paint than I ever anticipated because I had to let the layers of the sand dry before painting each kayak. What a joy to paint coastal Florida in this way! I felt like I was "on the island" with each brushstroke. Painting size is 24 x 36" original oil on masonite.
For more Florida natural oil landscapes, visit my website at
www.judybatterson.com.