"Low Tide Marsh Inlet"
24" x 30"
  Oil on Canvas
copyright by Artist,  Brenda Hofreiter

This painting was created in New Smyrna Beach, FL.  I was driving by to paint another painting at Spruce
Creek when I saw this inlet off of US 1 and decided it was my next painting.  It took awhile to get back out there and paint it, but I finally did.  New Smyrna is the southernmost point where these salt marsh
begins.  They are more prevalent North into Georgia and North and South Carolina.  Further South, they are mangroves.   I decided to capture this scene during low tide when the shell fish beds were exposed.  They are naturally occurring beds that you can see throughout the region at low tide.   I loved the way that the distant trees recede into blue, the pink/purple and green of the marsh grasses and the palms peeking out from the pines that punctuate the spaces around the gently winding inlet. 

It was a bit hairy painting at this location, but I was protected by a barrier from the traffic whizzing along US 1.  I have a photo of the set up for you to see below.  You can see the painting on the easel, if you look closely.

Painting along the road in New Smyrna