The Shore Holds Still

About this piece

Sea turtles rest on a sandy, pebble-strewn shore, their overlapping shells forming a sequence of rounded shapes behind a large foreground animal. Warm light picks out the ridges of sand and the intricate scales of their flippers, while a narrow band of golden water brightens the upper edge. The close, low viewpoint gives their stillness a substantial presence.

The story

November draws to a close beside a strip of water bright with gold. The nearest turtle rests its head against the sand, its broad flippers spread on either side. Behind it, more shells rise in quiet succession, their worn surfaces catching violet and copper tones. Between the textured shore and the luminous shallows, the moment seems to widen.