The ocean presents displays of beauty and wonderment that have captured the hearts of artists from the beginning of time. Pierce brought this image to production because the motion, palette, and subject reminded him of works by Edgar Payne, the famous seascape oil painter. Painting has always been a major inspiration for Pierce. The luminance and texture of this image demonstrate Pierce’s approach to incorporating a painterly aesthetic into his work. The wave in the foreground has the feeling of brushstrokes, and the swells behind lead the viewer to the slight impression of the channel Islands in the background.

This piece is a museum quality photograph, created and signed by the artist in his Santa Barbara studio.