Inspiration for Papa’s Requiem

I painted Papa’s Requiem en plein air just down the road from my studio in Gulf Breeze, Florida, along Pensacola Bay. The National Park Service preserved a span of coastline just off Highway 98 as a National Seashore. The area is designated “Naval Live Oaks” because of the land’s historical use; it provided oak wood to the United States Navy for shipbuilding during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. It’s a quiet, serene bit of shore that overlooks Pensacola Bay to the north and Santa Rosa Sound to the south. It was also one of my Father’s very favorite places to spend a day fishing or crabbing. Learn more about the Naval Live Oaks National Seashore from the National Park Service or Wikipedia.