Folly River Docks at Dusk 16 X 20"

Thousands of people now visit the once lonely town of Folly Beach each day. Once a summer day destination, this tiny town is now an all seasons, 24 hour destination with bars and restaurants, ice cream shops, as well as souvenir shops. This town, in the past, virtually closed when students returned to school at the end of the summer. Folly didn't even have a traffic light until recently, and even then, the light was turned off in November. Once spring returned each year, the light was activated again , marking the  beginning of summer. Until "no alcohol on the beach" legislation was activated, cars full of party goers would line up for a half mile or more before 10:00 AM.  Now, unfortunately, the alcohol is consumed "in the vehicle on the way out" and the party begins in the car as vehicles line up in the traffic..

The well known ship's hull was moved back to Folly Road after it drifted off with Hurricane Irma and still receives a lot of attention from graffiti artists.

 But what about the Folly that we recognize as a fragile nature ecosystem, known for its flora, fauna, tides, and warm breezes. Most visitors drive right by these well loved scenes without a thought to the beauty surrounding them.  Brightly flowering Oleanders lining the road out;  Shrimp Trawlers at their wharfs or cruising in the creeks, either heading out or returning with a haul;  the bird life stalking fish and crustaceans crouch  in the marshes on either side of the road. With the slow moving traffic here ,now year round, there is  more time to observe. Yet, one would hope that more interest is paid to the natural elements that Folly has enjoyed for countless years.

Well, for those who still love this once quiet little "Edge of America" town, there is still a lot to take in. This 16 X 20" acrylic painting is taken at dusk as the sun's lights continue to dim and dock lighting begins to dominate the scene. Multicolored light bulbs dot these docks as the sun sinks, and at transient moments such as this, the outlines of the docks can barely be seen;  the glowing sky with diffuse blue light surrounds each piling from the air and reflects off the water.  Brown and grey pilings are silhouetted but also reflect blue light and almost glow with color. When the day breeze drops, the water settles down and becomes glassy. 

This 16 X 20" acrylic on stretched canvas frame weighs only 13 oz.