Between Departures

About this piece

A row of small tenders anchors the foreground, while fishing vessels and a dense lattice of masts fill the harbor beyond. Muted blue and gray tones are punctuated by red hulls and yellow crates, bringing measured color to a working waterfront framed by mountains.

The story

I framed the harbor from the little boats outward, letting their rounded bows lead toward the taller, more complicated shapes beyond. The water held the masts in wavering lines, softening the geometry of ropes and rails. My eye kept returning to the red tender among the pale inflatables. Against the mountain ridge and low gray sky, that small patch of color gave the crowded waterfront a quiet center.