The first painting I ever recall painting of a specific location on the California coast was of the Seal Beach Pier. It was for a 7th grade art class. It wasn’t painted on location. It was painted with watercolors. And I’m sure it had lots of details conveyed through the awkward lens of a 12 year old’s eyes. I don’t know where it ended up.

They say some things never change, and I’m inclined to agree.

Except this is not the Seal Beach Pier. It’s not for an art class. It was painted on location. It wasn’t painted with watercolors. And it’s details are conveyed through the awkward lens of my 43 (now 44) year old eyes instead.

Speaking of this pier and my eyes, I’ve never seen a pier with architecture quite like this one. I should have just painted that part on the left that really interested me, but there was that wave that kept breaking off the pier that I just couldn’t leave out, so I ended up foolishly attempting to paint it all in one painting. When it’s my first time painting a place I have a tendency to do this so it’s nothing new, but 2 1/2 hours into these paintings I start questioning my life’s decisions when I realize how much tedious work I’ve taken on. Once finished though, the burrito that follows tastes that much better.