11 x 14 oil

I honestly could spend a year just painting this lighthouse and cliffs. The nuances and extraordinary colors are lovely. The name Gay Head is to signify the lovely brilliant colors of the cliffs.

Here is some more fascinating history for this region on Martha’s Vineyard so treasured by visitors and natives:

The character Tashtego in Herman Melville’s novel Moby Dick is a harpooner from Aquinnah. This makes me want to re-read Moby Dick!

The beach below the cliffs is called Moshup’s Beach, named after a giant sachem who used to lead the tribe and of whom many myths are told. The ocean is a rare aqua color here with waves heights that are above average for the area. The water sometimes has a reddish tinge resulting from the above cliffs. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the beach was a haven for nude sunbathers who delighted in “clay baths”, though this is now not allowed.

To learn more about this painting and other seascapes:

Martha’s Vineyard Seascapes: Aquinnah Gay Head Lighthouse