The Enduring Rock

$800.00

This painting is about contrast—between beauty and abrasion, calm and resistance, exposure and endurance. The location is close to my home, overlooking Casco Bay in Portland, Maine, a quiet place I return to on warm summer afternoons when I need space to think and breathe.

As the tide retreats or returns, this rugged rock formation is briefly revealed. At high tide it disappears completely, concealed beneath the water, yet it has stood here for centuries, enduring wave after wave. It isn’t conventionally beautiful. Its jagged edges and weathered surface resist easy admiration. And yet, against the softer beauty of Baxter Island and the gentle shoreline beyond, it asserts its own defiant presence.

I chose to paint this piece with bold, expressive brushwork inspired by Van Gogh—allowing thick paint, texture, and color to carry the emotion of the moment. The late-afternoon New England sunlight breaks into golden yellows and light greens, pushing against the deeper greens of shadow. The foreground moves like a river slipping away from the exposed rocks, while the rich browns of the formation stand firm against the green-blue of the receding bay.

For me, this painting reflects the parts of life that feel unyielding—the aspects of ourselves or our circumstances that may appear bruised or unrefined, yet remain essential to our survival. What may look harsh or unlovely to others can be the very thing that holds us steady when everything else feels in motion.

This work is a quiet declaration: I may be worn, but I am still standing.

If you recognize that feeling—if you’ve lived through seasons where resilience mattered more than polish—this painting may speak to you. Imagine it in your space, a daily reminder that strength doesn’t always look smooth, and that standing firm has its own beauty.

For collectors drawn to work that honors resilience, contrast, and the honest complexity of life, this piece offers more than a view—it offers recognition. Consider welcoming it into your collection as a testament to endurance and the courage to remain standing.

This painting is about contrast—between beauty and abrasion, calm and resistance, exposure and endurance. The location is close to my home, overlooking Casco Bay in Portland, Maine, a quiet place I return to on warm summer afternoons when I need space to think and breathe.

As the tide retreats or returns, this rugged rock formation is briefly revealed. At high tide it disappears completely, concealed beneath the water, yet it has stood here for centuries, enduring wave after wave. It isn’t conventionally beautiful. Its jagged edges and weathered surface resist easy admiration. And yet, against the softer beauty of Baxter Island and the gentle shoreline beyond, it asserts its own defiant presence.

I chose to paint this piece with bold, expressive brushwork inspired by Van Gogh—allowing thick paint, texture, and color to carry the emotion of the moment. The late-afternoon New England sunlight breaks into golden yellows and light greens, pushing against the deeper greens of shadow. The foreground moves like a river slipping away from the exposed rocks, while the rich browns of the formation stand firm against the green-blue of the receding bay.

For me, this painting reflects the parts of life that feel unyielding—the aspects of ourselves or our circumstances that may appear bruised or unrefined, yet remain essential to our survival. What may look harsh or unlovely to others can be the very thing that holds us steady when everything else feels in motion.

This work is a quiet declaration: I may be worn, but I am still standing.

If you recognize that feeling—if you’ve lived through seasons where resilience mattered more than polish—this painting may speak to you. Imagine it in your space, a daily reminder that strength doesn’t always look smooth, and that standing firm has its own beauty.

For collectors drawn to work that honors resilience, contrast, and the honest complexity of life, this piece offers more than a view—it offers recognition. Consider welcoming it into your collection as a testament to endurance and the courage to remain standing.