For me, Art begins with the feeling of being uplifted by the powerful beauty of nature. The salty scent of the sea, the shifting light on the water, the way colors appear and change – these are what draw me in. A vivid green, a flash of blue, a soft pink turning lavender. I notice these details on the beach in the Hamptons, where I now live full-time.

Why are we so emotional about the beach? How does it change us internally? Why do we love it so deeply?

The ocean waves and calm bays I paint aren’t just scenes; they reflect something deeper. Each piece is an attempt to hold onto that sense of calm and clarity we often feel by the water.

The ocean is a metaphor for life. It is erratic and unpredictable yet has a gentle intensity. We are astounded by the miracle of the clockwork of tide changes. Here by the water, we feel a restrained force, and yet we feel tranquil. At the shoreline, the ocean snaps us into a state of attention, filling us with awe and wonder.

I am devoted to contemplating these spaces we inhabit at the seashore and how we are quite different there. Something deep inside us gets awakened at the ocean, something bigger than ourselves. The beach forces us to be present.

We are transformed at the water’s edge, and most of us cannot get enough.

– Casey Chalem Anderson