Hermosa Beach Sunset, 2026 by Ray Patrick — original gouache painting — 2026.108.037

Subject

The sun going down behind palms on a seafront promenade, with figures and a bicycle in silhouette on the lit path and buildings in shadow to the left.

Composition

Two palms stand close together just right of centre and the sun sits directly between them — the picture is built around that coincidence. The promenade runs out of the bottom edge toward it, and the left third is held in darkness.

Palette

Cream and lemon at the sun, spreading to apricot and lilac, against a sky of teal and cobalt at the top. The foreground is violet and olive; the palms and figures near-black.

Handling

The sky is laid in flat dabs that lighten in steps toward the sun rather than graduating. The palm crowns are struck in with quick dark strokes, and the figures are single marks with their shadows drawn long across the path.

Medium and support

Gouache on paper. Matte and opaque. Unpainted margins all round.

Signature

Along the lower edge, raypatrick, in red over the foreground, letters widely spaced.

From the artist:

Bars line the street walking up to the Hermosa Beach pier. The heat of the sun competes with the roar of the crowds. The excitement is palpable and I wonder how the night will turn out.