Great Day for Kite Surfing

The north west corner of Skaha Lake beach in the Okanagan is known for its lovely sweep of large waves, which is enjoyed year round by the powerful kite surfer community. To represent the movement of the water, I used heightened colours of greens and blues, and complex layering techniques creating semitransparent veils of colour to create depth and richness. The blurry, misty atmosphere in the background is meant to create a feeling of space. The dark figure in the foreground provides a sense of scale, which stands in sharp contrast to the much smaller figures in the intermediate zones. The creation of space in this painting depends on the drama of colour used expressively, to convey the joy of being out on the water on a windy day.