I painted Wake Up Call during one of those in-between moments when the world is neither dark nor fully awake—when everything feels suspended in possibility. Misty morning light softens edges, turning the familiar quietly dreamlike.

As I worked, I kept thinking about the sailboat resting in the harbor, its owner just beginning to wake as gulls call across the water. That kind of stillness feels almost audible if you pause long enough.

Rose-gold light drifts across the water, creating luminous reflections that glow from within, while the shoreline dissolves gently into atmosphere, framed by darker marsh grasses in the foreground.

For me, this painting is about light as the main character—shaping everything in those first moments before the day truly begins. You can read more about my painting process insights here.

Scroll through the slideshow below to view close-up details and room settings.

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