Joaquin Sorolla, a Spanish painter during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s is best known for his large, broadly painted beach scenes. He depicts playful children, beautiful women and rugged fisherman with an eye capable of capturing the intensity of light that one would expect to experience at the beach.

I have copied Sorolla’s Woman Swimming, from 1906. I chose this painting for two reasons. First, I really enjoyed how this is essentially an abstract painting. His fluid brushwork amazes me. The whole painting just feels so natural and believable. Second, I just really love that green. Yep, that’s it. I love that aqua green and just had to paint a little bit of it.

My initial concept was to copy and recreate a series of Sorolla’s beach paintings much like this first painting. A color palette mixture specific to that painting would surround each postcard-sized recreation. I wanted each postcard to float amongst a swirling sea of color. Unfortunately many of the paintings to accompany this one are still in limbo. This finished work is the start to something much larger.