As I reminisced over our recent trip to Southern France and St. Tropez, my imagination took me to that beach near our hotel, Château de La Messardière. Since I had taken ill with fever and felt drained, I had to rest in the hotel room, which was a first for me on any vacation. For me, not to be in and out of the water for an entire day at such a location was an antithesis to my innate instincts. I had to be feeling really lousy, unable to get out of bed, to miss such an opportunity. My wife and two daughters took a hotel shuttle to the beach, and once there, called me frequently to check on me and also to implore me to join them at the idyllic location. Our family has always been intimately involved in activities on vacation, especially when it relates to water sports, so for one or more from the family to not be there truly creates a void for the others. My son was working out and was going to join them later at the beach.

I painted this image to capture what my imagination perceived as the reality of that scene on the sands of St. Tropez. The intense conversation between a mother and her daughters, all in beach attire dressed to their individual taste, fashion, glitz, glamour, and seating arrangement so cohesively representing their unique personalities. My elder daughter is seated under the shade of the canopy avoiding the direct sunlight, the younger one is basking under the sun with a cap and shades, and my wife positioned between them dressed in not-so-subtle elegance. They are intertwined in spirit and body language, enjoying one another’s company. The colors of sand, surf, and vegetation with a prized pooch intermingled summarize the cherished moment.