Oil on canvas, 16”x20”

There’s a quiet intensity in the moments just before a storm…that charged stillness, the hush that falls over the landscape. Before the Rain captures that fleeting space in time: moody clouds rolling in, the ocean shifting in tone, and the beach caught between peace and anticipation.

The palette is limited but evocative: greenish blues feel lush and vibrant against the neutral sand, while stormy grays bring depth without becoming heavy. It’s not just a seascape — it feels like a mood. There’s tension in the air. The kind of moment that makes you stop walking and stare out at the water for a while.

Though this scene is from Kauai, where I lived for six years, this painting isn’t rooted in nostalgia. It’s one of my favorite landscapes, not because of memory, but because of the mood, the movement, the layered emotion it carries. The brushwork is expressive but intentional. I love the way the strokes on the water invite a bit of play, while the sky holds a quiet weight. It’s simple, yet powerful. The atmosphere feels both serene and dramatic, a rare and beautiful tension.

When I look at it, I feel calmed, but also alert, like the world is holding its breath. It’s contemplative and quietly stirring.