New Horizons Collection (Paintings 8-14)
The next paintings in the collection – and their stories
The New Horizons Collection is a collection of original paintings that capture the beauty and variety of the coastal landscape I now call home. All paintings in this collection are from around the little village of Broad Cove, where I live next to the Atlantic Ocean on the South Shore of Nova Scotia.
Each painting comes with its own story, thoughtfully written and enclosed on the back of the artwork. Of course, you can always choose to imagine your own story, create your own memories, and layer parts of your own life into your unique personal experience of the painting.
Yes, it’s a real place… but it’s a place of my imagination… and now yours, too.
Each painting is a gift and an invitation for you to find your own meaning – and be pulled by your own feelings – as you are drawn into the paintings that speak to you most clearly.
Here are the next paintings in the collection and a little bit of the story behind each… (view paintings 1-7 and paintings 15-22)
You can also go behind-the-scenes of how I created the paintings in this collection!
Foggy Coastal Grasses
Sometimes, a close, dense fog descends over the coast. It softens and obscures forms, mutes colours, and envelops everything in an otherworldly atmosphere.
On the closest things to you are visible – mounds of dried beach grasses emerge, along with piles of seaweed that lie washed upon the late-fall shore. The sand is damp underfoot, and it is just possible to make out the quiet shapes of trees and old fish shacks across the cove.
Everything is thick and muffled, with only the quiet sound of water gently lapping the shore nearby.
Original painting in gouache on watercolour paper.
Blanketed Under Fresh Snow
Snow doesn’t usually stay very long near the coast, but this cheerful blue house rests under a thick blanket of fresh snow. It sits at the heart of the village across from the seasonal café – a favourite gathering spot during summer months.
The sky is beginning to brighten after the winter storm. Weathered and moss-covered trees stand sentinel along the property line, their bare branches reaching against the sky.
In this moment, everything was restful and quiet, under its fresh layer of insulated white beauty, and the air was crisp and clear.
Original painting in gouache on watercolour paper.
Snowy Hillside Gothic House
If you were to stand on the rocky breakwater that divides the cove from the open Atlantic, this is the scene you might see. This little house charms with its gothic silhouette and sharp peaks. It sits perched on a hillside overlooking Broad Cove on Nova Scotia’s South Shore.
The windbreak of evergreens march up and over the hillside, casting long shadows on the snow. The sun is low in the sky, warmly illuminating wispy winter clouds. The house roofs are snow-covered and snow piles around the porch and walls in large drifts.
Light is reflected by fresh snow, creating a dazzling array of soft pinks and blues in the shadows. The ocean is a calm and icy steely blue.
Original painting in gouache on watercolour paper.
Beach Grasses at Dusk
These dried coastal grasses line the back of Broad Cove Beach from late summer onward. Their narrow blades are a mix of pale yellows, greens, and tans, appearing even paler in sunlight.
Late-day sun warms the row of old fish shacks and the tops of the evergreens across the water. Soon, it will dip behind the hill and dusk will begin to settle in.
On this day, the clouds were a striking range of pinks, blues, and purples. They changed form and colour quickly as they moved across the sky. A soft breeze rustled the grasses and the sandy path invited a walk down to water’s edge.
Original painting in gouache on watercolour paper.
Bridge Over the Brook with Churches
These twin churches stand tall on the main road through the village of Broad Cove. Their black spires reach into the sky as a hazy light emerges after an overcast day. Bare trees and shrubbery mass together in a pale blur of tiny branches.
The brook tumbles by through the marsh and out to where it joins the ocean. A functional little bridge allows a spot for contemplation as you peer down into the running water and watch its dark depths move over rocks and seaweed.
The slow rumble and crunch of car tires pass by periodically as visitors stop by the beach for a walk. Birds chatter quietly as they forage within the rustling dried grasses and a duck’s amusing cackle erupts suddenly into the air. Another day winds down.
Original painting in gouache on watercolour paper.
Opening Skies Beyond the Breakwater
The dark and protective arms of the rocky breakwater separate the waters of Broad Cove from the open Atlantic Ocean. It is mid morning and the sun is beginning to emerge from a dense cloud cover.
Ethereal beams of light strike nearby clouds, bounce along the top of the water’s surface, and stretch out along the horizon. A glow begins to spread as the skies open.
The occasional gull soars overhead with a cry. Mounds of rich rust coloured seaweed form bands along the damp sand of the beach and the calm waters lap gently on the shore.
Original painting in gouache on watercolour paper.
Perched on a Winter Hillside
Looking across the breakwater, houses and barns are scattered across the winter hillside. Some face the cove while others look out toward the open ocean. This gothic house charms with its sharp peaks and simple silhouette. It sits perched on a hillside overlooking Broad Cove.
A windbreak of evergreen trees marches up and over the hillside next to it, casting long shadows. Fresh snow creates a dazzling array of soft pinks and blues as light is bounced about.
On this day, the sun was low in the sky and radiated warmly through wispy clouds. Many of the buildings were in shade, their snow-covered roofs and wintery drifts creating a dim blue glow. The ocean was an icy steely blue.
Original painting in gouache on watercolour paper.
The New Horizons Collection is a collection of twenty-two original paintings. They capture the beauty and variety of the light and weather of the coastal landscape I now call home. While many are of water and sky, I have also included some of the houses that I pass on my daily walks to the ocean. All paintings in this collection are from around the little village of Broad Cove, where I live next to the Atlantic Ocean on the South Shore of Nova Scotia.
You can read the personal story behind the collection and view the full series of paintings, on the collection page, below.
Artist’s Note:
If you know of anyone who would enjoy these paintings and stories, please share this post with them! 🙏 Thank you, it really helps to get the word out about my work 💙
If you missed it, here’s the link to go behind-the-scenes of the collection!
