I painted this en plein air during a glorious summer afternoon in the Bluffs of Montauk at Shadmoor State Park. Paths aligned with rose hips and honeysuckle ultimately led to this unexpected view. Peering over the edge, I saw lots of surfers taking advantage of the crashing waves. I later completed this in the studio working from photographs.

Upon returning recently to the area where I painted this in 2017, I found out that this area of  hoodoos on the cliffs of Montauk no longer exists. The very place I had positioned my easel to paint plein air is gone, having fallen victim to erosion and the devastating effects of climate change. With more intense storms and a rise in the sea-level, the landscape is ever-changing.

Often returning to the same subject, I find each rendition reflects a particular moment. History informs the present and echoes of the past are forever evident. Whether it be a striking barn in the Hamptons reduced to a skeletal frame and disrepair upon a further visit or the haunting hoodoos on the cliffs of Montauk suddenly erased, these moments I capture are just that, merely fleeting moments. But by carefully observing the effects of time and environment on my subjects, my paintings aim to preserve a moment in time. By doing so, the viewer will have indisputable evidence of what was and what will be.