Spring of 2016 turned out to be quiet a spring. The first of May I was painting in Italy (Texas), and by the end of the month I was set up on the beaches of Oahu. An awesome place to paint, and visit friends.
I had to make paint box form materials from Asel Art Supply, Hobby Lobby and Home Depot just for that trip. It was a good exercise, though, as it forced me to lighten my painting gear by at least 40 percent. I am liking the lighter version. Donna and I flew to Oahu by way of Los Angeles and was immediately blown away by the beauty of the island.
Painting on the northwest shore of Oahu
After settling in, one of the first things we encountered was the boundary where sea and land meet. The clear, turquoise/blue water rolling onto the beautiful sand of the beaches, the crash and thud of the powerful waves sliding in as if trying to reach new ground, then slipping back into the deep waters of the Pacific Ocean – it all screamed of God’s glory revealed in His creation.
Psalm 95:5 and 6 says: “The sea is His, for it was He who made it, And His hands formed the dry land. Come, let us worship and bow down, Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.”
We were in awe of His creation. The lush, green mountains that seemed almost always covered in clouds and rain were very intriguing to me, and I enjoyed painting this new subject matter. We were not in Texas any more.
In a few days we covered most of the island, mostly avoiding the touristy area around Honolulu…too many people. I was able to set up and complete 6 paintings during our stay, most of them on the military bases we stayed on. To our delight, the beaches on the bases were almost deserted, and some of the most beautiful on the island.
By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, And by the breath of His mouth all their host. He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the LORD; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. Psalm 33:6, 7, 8
