As a young man I aspired, like many, to be a beach bum but soon enough had to set aside that goal. To this day I continue my fascination with the ocean, beaches and sailing. This became a big part of my artistic practice circa 2016-2018, when I worked from sketches done at Brighton Beach, my preferred place for ocean swimming due to its being nearby (six miles from home as the monarch butterfly flies). The beach is a challenging motif because you have to somehow find a balance between all that empty, wide open space and sky, the glittering, endlessly moving waves, and the presence of often scantily clad figures, lounging and cavorting, along with boats, umbrellas, seaside fixtures and the horizon line. And sand gets into everything!