The Purple Lighthouse

The Purple Lighthouse began as an exploration of colour using water-soluble pencils. The ultraviolet purple was balanced with the warm yellow and cerulean blue.

The sky was fascinating that day—partly cloudy with the intense heat washing out sections of the horizon. Closer to the sun, the clouds took on golden tinges echoed in shimmering reflections on the sea. There were yellow accents everywhere, from the windows of the lighthouse to the horizon line.

At the base, a palm tree stood in silhouette. I used a paintbrush to soften some of the graphite strokes, blending for a hazy, dream-like quality. The shimmering effect evokes the light I associate with the Canary Islands—the kind of radiance that glides across surfaces.