Title: One Last Dance
Size: 20″ x 16″
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Artist: Matt Beard
Funds Raised: $350
Benefiting: Save the Waves
AidCurrent artist Matt Beard recently completed this piece on location somewhere on the California Coast. Painting outdoors, in “plein air”, has been Beard’s preferred way of working these days. “Why be in the studio, when I could be here” he says, pointing to the scene around him as he quickly sketches out some foliage. Birds are chirping, the breeze is blowing, and we have to agree. In fact, the more we think of it we just may move our AidCurrent office out in “plein air” as well.
This particular painting of his was done after a 3 week road trip all over San Diego, where he painted nearly every day, with every single painting being a commissioned request from area collectors. But this one was different, instead of going straight to a collector he left it with his friends at Save the Waves Coalition for them to auction at their annual fundraiser in San Francisco, where it was nabbed for a deal, but still raised $350 for the group’s ongoing conservation efforts.
There is something fitting in working out in this pristine environment and using that work to help preserve pristine places like this all over the world. Full circle.