When I was approached by Gulfshore Life magazine to create the cover image, I was told the theme of the month was "Where We Live." I decided to make it about the one place where we go seek and receive what we want and need and where we are all equal: the Gulf's beaches and the beautiful sunsets everyone gets to experience day after day.
I go to the beach most of the time seeking balance. I connect very well with natural elements. I am most at peace with the air, with the water, with the sun, with the breeze, with the animals passing by. That’s where I seek balance and I seek an understanding of everything else. There’s a calmness. And that is what I get from the Gulf… I know that this mass of water travels all over the planet. And this wind has traveled all over the planet. I see it as a continuous thing. It gives me a sense of endless possibilities. And it is the place that we are all equal.
For eight days I went to different locations along the Naples coast to capture the very moment when the sun was setting. Each piece of artwork was created in 15 minutes. After the eighth day, there was a meeting to decide on the one that will be the cover; the one selected was recreated in my studio with more time.
The paintings and pastels created during the process will be featured at Gulfshore Life's White Party this Friday, April 17, 2015, at Naples Luxury Imports, along with the documentation of the progress (photographs and time lapse video). Make sure to attend this unique event to take home one of these special pieces.
WhereWeLive.GulfshoreLifeCoverProject from Nicole Black on Vimeo.
