Tampa Bay

I'm a relatively new painter. I began painting this time last year. Prior to 2023, I drew with pencil on paper exclusively. After working with gouache for the past year, I think gouache is the paint that suits me best because it moves like I move, and changes like I change without the use of extra mediums to alter it.
"Tampa Bay" was designed to be bold and bright. I painted it for an art event in Ybor City, Florida which focused on bold art that paid homage to the city's culture. Representations of the city were allowed. I created this piece from memory, without a single reference. I was born and raised in Tampa, and I couldn't but notice that nearly every beach you went to in the bay, Downtown was visible over the water. This is because of downtown's special central placement. I thought nothing could represent Tampa any better than the sight you see everywhere. So I painted the Bay, but I added a layer of energy that can't be observed with the naked eye. An expressionist, I naturally thought to share what I feel when I think of my home, as well as what I see. The bold colors correspond to emotions and the forms correspond to physical sensations. I am calm, thoughtful, happy, optimistic, and grateful. My feelings spill out from my center, which burns like the sun, and my body imagines the sway of waves rocking it back and forth. A wise haze surrounds my head, leaving my thoughts light while they come and go easily.