Monday, September 15, 2025

Morgan's Beach

 
Acrylic on 36x36 canvas

I painted this beach scene in memory of Morgan Parton, who passed away February of this year. It was the backdrop for the ofrenda exhibit I made with fellow artists Margaret Bussineau and Ellen High for the Detroit Institute of Arts' 13th Annual Ofrendas: Celebrating el Día de Muertos.

This painting marked a return to acrylic paint after many years, and required many layers of paint. I completed this painting in two weeks, painting during all the daylight hours after work. I used mostly Liquitex acrylics, though I also used Golden for the iridescent gold shimmer on the sand.  I chose an Impressionist style because Morgan loved this art movement and had a print of Van Gogh's Starry Night behind his desk. I painted a tropical beach with hyacinth flowers because Morgan loved tiki culture. It felt wonderful to celebrate Morgan through art. He meant a lot to me.