Drift at Low Tide

An atmospheric modernist style coastal landscape that captures a quiet shoreline at low tide, where land, sea, and sky dissolve gently into one another, executed in oil onto board and dated 1978.

The composition is horizontally layered, with a wide, luminous sky pressing softly down onto a narrow band of distant water and a foreground of windswept beach and tidal flats. The scene feels expansive yet intimate, evoking the stillness of a pause between weather or the calm after movement.

The style is distinctly mid-century modern, leaning toward abstraction while remaining rooted in observation. Forms are simplified and loosely defined, allowing atmosphere and mood to take precedence over detail. The horizon line is slightly softened, reinforcing a sense of openness and distance.

The colour palette is restrained and harmonious. Pale blues, soft greys, and milky whites dominate the sky, creating an airy, light-filled backdrop. The sea is rendered in muted blue-green tones with darker accents suggesting gentle wave movement. In the foreground, earthy rusts, warm browns, sandy creams, and touches of olive and slate introduce warmth and texture, grounding the composition.

Brushstrokes are expressive and confident, applied with broad gestures. Thick, layered paint creates a tactile surface, particularly in the foreground, where sweeping strokes suggest sand, rock, and shallow water without literal detail. The sky is handled more softly, with blended strokes that enhance the painting’s calm, atmospheric quality.

This oil on board is presented in a complementary gilt frame with an inner border. Both the painting and frame are in excellent vintage condition. 

Size:45.5 x 53.5 cm (including frame)