Red Sail at Blue Hour, Croatia

Step into a moment shaped by travel, improvisation, and the rhythm of the sea. This painting was created while sailing through the islands of Croatia, where painting and daily life unfolded together on the water. The work began on the hull of a sailing yacht, painted in motion as light shifted across the Adriatic.

Before boarding in the United States, my paints were unexpectedly confiscated, leaving me to work with a limited palette. When we later anchored at a marina, my artist friend and I set out to a local hardware store, gathering raw pigments to mix into paint by hand. The resulting colors were intensely vibrant, shaped by experimentation, place, and necessity.

We collaborated briefly on land before continuing in different directions. I completed the painting on a rooftop in Dubrovnik, overlooking a castle in Old Town, where historic stone, open sky, and coastal light informed the final layers. The red sail against luminous blue water reflects both movement and stillness—a pause between journey and arrival.

This mixed media work carries the energy of the sea, the intimacy of collaboration, and the grounding presence of place. It is a reflection on creative resilience, adaptation, and the freedom found in making art wherever you land.

If you want to travel and learn with me, you can explore upcoming classes and creative journeys through the Creative Genius Zone.

Red Sail at Blue Hour, Croatia is a mixed media painting on unstretched canvas, measuring 27 inches high by 46 inches wide.

Process and Journey