There’s something about a child at the beach—the wind-tossed hair, sun-warmed cheeks, and that happy squint that comes after hours spent in the sun and water.
This original acrylic portrait captures one of those fleeting childhood moments during a special family vacation by the sea. Max’s grandmother, professional photographer @peggykeelan, captured the original photograph of him alongside his sister on Jacksonville Beach, Florida. Cropped into individual portraits, the two images became wonderful references for a pair of paintings—and a way to preserve a memory their family will always share.
I was especially drawn to his wonderfully tousled hair and the easy happiness in his expression. Against the soft blues and turquoise of the ocean, his brilliant green shirt brings an unexpected burst of color and makes the entire portrait feel alive with summer.
Painted with loose, expressive brushwork and layers of warm and cool color, this custom child portrait is less about capturing every detail and more about capturing him in this moment—young, joyful, windswept, and completely at ease.
Painted alongside his sister’s portrait, the two custom sibling portraits preserve something photographs so often make us wish we could hold onto: not simply what children looked like at a particular age, but what it felt like to be there with them.
A grandmother behind the camera. A family together at the beach. And one beautiful childhood summer captured in paint.
Portrait #49 of my 100 Faces Project.