I delivered four pieces today to William H. Miller Gallery. After dropping them off, it occurred to me that all of them featured images from the Point in Cherry Grove, North Myrtle Beach, S.C. Three of them feature my significant other, Richard, and the fourth, “Awaiting Dawn,” is a photo I took from my beach chair in a quiet, dark, meditative moment before the early morning sun broke the horizon.

One of the pieces (the fourth image below) is part of the gallery’s “Emotional Echoes” exhibit, in which artists are invited to express in their work a range of emotions from joy to sorrow. The reception is this Saturday, March 29, from 5-8 p.m., and the show is up from March 27 through April 8. You are warmly invited to come see all these pieces in person, along with all the other beautiful work hosted by the gallery! You can find the gallery at 702 8th Ave. N., Myrtle Beach, SC 29577.

“Awaiting Dawn,” photograph, 20″ x 26″ framed, 2024.

I love the rawness of the surf in the above photo, and the sailboat just visible past the mist, bravely plying the ocean on a brisk early November morning.

“Spirit Bird at Dusk,” photograph, 10.5″ x 13″ framed, 2017.

This second, smaller photo depicts Richard greeting our friend the Spirit Bird. We haven’t seen this great blue heron in a while now. For several years we would walk down to the first pier at the Point after dusk to see if he was there in his usual spot, the surf breaking across his spindly legs, scooping up fish in the lights of the pier. On this evening he was awaiting us on the beach just past the pier. We could pretty much expect to see him on evenings when the sunset came over us like nectar.

“In the Headlights,” charcoal and PanPastel on Rives BFK paper, 37.5″ x 52″ framed, 2021.

This large drawing depicts a moment with Richard on the nighttime beach near our condo, lit by a vehicle’s headlamps.

“Birdman of Cherry Grove” — photograph, 36.5″ x 29″ framed, 2018.

The first three images above are hanging together at the gallery, reflecting a common dark, moody theme. The above photo features Richard in the full light of day. It was previously exhibited in the 2019 Pee Dee Regional Art Competition at the Florence County (S.C.) Museum, and I was glad to rescue it from our bedroom today and deliver it to the brighter lights of the gallery.