Mosquitia
Certain areas of the Honduran Coast can be a bit sketchy but this view of the jungle is anything but.
Painting of Beach, Ocean and Sky.
18″w x 36″h acrylic on canvas. Pine frame.
2012 – Perdition
Perdition from 2012 embraces the fiery depths of passion or the eternal summer vacation that is life in the afterlife of Hades or even more southerly nether region, Tartarus. (Not to be confused with that other warm, moist, nether region, third base.)
While many superstitious believers hold that Hell is the eternal fate of unrepentant sinners after this life, most modern believers in science know Hell to be waiting at the DMV, being on a long airplane flight with crying babies, some variation of being in a traffic jam, far from an off-ramp when you really have to pee or as Sartre so aptly put it, Hell is other people
And while the rages of gin is bereft among teetotalers, the gift of warm colors ranges from yellow to Almighty Red. Romans 6:23a
By believing in all of the colors of the rainbow, and not just the watery, beachy ones, Artist Stu Coleman has embraced the soul’s free choice to imagine a warm world with consuming heat. This the largest of the Perdition series, with most of the others being smaller vertical paintings.
Painted in 2012
48″ x 30″
Visit Perdition
To visit in California, make an appointment.
Barbados
Bimini
Bimini is just a day trip from Florida and has great beaches, great diving and some really fun bars. Hemingway’s bar was a great place to get a beer but burned down a few years ago. Chalk’s Seaplanes were fun to watch land between Alec Cay and North Bimini.
Bimini has three islands, the North Bimini, South Bimini, and East Bimini. The District also includes Cay Sal Bank, more than 62 miles (100 km) further south, which is geographically not a part of the Bimini Islands but a separate unit. North Bimini is about seven miles (11 km) long and 700 feet (210 m) wide. Its main settlement is Alice Town, a collection of shops, restaurants, and bars on a road known as “The King’s Highway”. The second major road is called Queens Road and runs almost the length of the island parallel to Kings Highway.
The ocean surrounding the islands is considered to be one of the world’s top big-game fishing spots. Because Bimini is close to Miami, Florida, many American anglers go to the island by boat to fish or to enjoy the local nightlife. Scuba diving and snorkeling are also popular activities, as there are many shipwrecks in the area, such as the wreck of the SS Sapona, which ran aground in 1926 during a hurricane. The top of the ship is exposed to the air while the bottom half is submerged. Parts of the wreck were stripped over the years and some of the wood was used in the construction of the Compleat Angler Hotel and bar on North Bimini.
South Bimini features a shark research institute that is definitely worth a visit.
Painted in 2012
Bimini, Bahamas
Painting of Beach, Ocean and Sky.
24″w x 36″h acrylic on canvas. Pine frame.
Blue Friday
Blue Friday is the companion piece to Blue Monday. Blue Monday is of course and excellent song by New Order and Blue Friday is the name of an as yet unreleased song by The Absolution.
Painting of Sky.
36″w x 18″h acrylic on canvas. Pine frame.
Bolongo Bay
Slip on your flip flops, chill out and have fun at Bolongo Bay Beach Resort on St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. The casual beach resort, tucked in a cove on beautiful Bolongo Bay, is the place for good times with great people. It’s small and personal, with just 62 true beachfront rooms. The sand is literally right outside of your door. And, they have a lot to offer including the best All Inclusive anywhere and live entertainment 365 days a year!
Bolongo Bay Beach Resort was just included in Frommer’s list of “The World’s 10 Best Beachfront Hotels”
If you are planning a destination wedding, Bolongo Bay is one of the most popular venues for Beach Weddings on St. Thomas.
Bolongo Bay on St. Thomas isn’t the greatest beach for swimming but has a great bar, Iggies, and the best Dive Operator on the Island, St. Thomas Diving Club, where Stu Coleman used to work as a PADI Scuba Dive Instructor.
Bolongo Bay, St. Thomas, USVI
Painting of Beach, Ocean and Sky.
24″w x 36″h acrylic on canvas. Pine frame.
Chepes Utila
Sold at Reef Check Auction Fall 2016
Chepes Beach on the south shore of Utila features a few beach chairs, some hammocks and laid back bar serving ice cold Port Royal, Salva Vida and Barena beers.
Located just past the Driftwood Bar and Grill, it is at the opposite end of the road from Bandu Beach. It’s about a 20-25 minute walk from one beach to the other if you do’t stop to talk to anyone, but if you are here to dive you can make friends quickly and see people you know everywhere you go. So this walk can take quite a bit longer to traverse the island.
Painted in 2012
Chepes Beach , Utila, Honduras
Painting of Beach, Ocean and Sky.
24″w x 36″h acrylic on canvas. Pine frame.
Clearwater
Clearwater is a laid back place if you can avoid the Scientolgists. I learned to windsurf here while in high school. Gulf side is the sweet side.
Clearwater Public Art and Design Program
The Clearwater Public Art and Design Program, adopted by City Council in 2005, is funded through a 1% allocation on all city capital improvement projects valued at more than $500,000 and includes a similar, citywide requirement on all private development projects valued in excess of $5,000,000. Eligible private developers have two options to satisfy the Public Art Ordinance:dedicate 1% of the project’s aggregate job value toward the installation of on-site public art; or contribute 0.75% of the project’s aggregate job value to the city’s Public Art Discretionary Fund, to be used to supplement and initiate public art projects throughout the city. The Public Art and Design Program is overseen by a seven-member board, appointed by City Council and composed of local arts supporters and administrators, design professionals and private citizens, Christopher Hubbard is the Public Art Specialist for the city. The program seeks to “enhance Clearwater for those who visit and live within the city and to contribute to a legacy for generations to come” through the commission of unique, public artworks that enhance the city’s diversity, character and heritage.
Clearwater Beach, Florida.
Painting of Beach, Ocean and Sky.
24″w x 36″h acrylic on canvas. Pine frame.
Cockburn
Coki Beach
Coki Beach, at the East end of St. Thomas, there is great snorkeling and a lot of local color. Some might say too much local color with the many local vendors hawking their wares, licit and otherwise. The beach shop encourages feeding the fishes and the sargent majors will swarm for the fish food or fragments of doggy treats. The crystal clear water is usually very calm and deepens gradually. Natural shade is limited, however umbrellas are available for rent. A near shore rocky, reef area offers great snorkeling. A favorite with visitors and a popular stop on island tour itineraries, the beach gets crowded when multiple cruise ships are in port. Coki is equally popular with residents for picnics and parties so its common to find a crowd on Sundays and holidays. On crowded days the parking situation can be a bit crazy, there is parking available in some spots just off the road close to the beach but not a whole lot.
If you venture out to this corner of the isalnd, a visit to Coral World Ocean Park is definitely worthwhile, especially if it is get out of the rain. the fishes in the aqauriums are a a great way to become familiar with the names of all the undersea life that you can see while snorkeling or scuba diving.
Visit Coki Beach
Painted in 2012
Coki Beach, St. Thomas, USVI
Painting of Beach, Ocean and Sky.
24″w x 36″h acrylic on canvas. Pine frame.
Learn more about Coral World Ocean Park
Fun Video about Coki Beach
Four Women
Some would say this is a color study. I see four women that I have known. These were painted from 2006 to 2008 and exhibited at a group show, curated by Terry Lin, at a Santa Monica Airport gallery in 2008. To date, this is the only painting to be signed on the front. All of the other Stu Coleman Paintings are signed on the back as to not distract from the the art.
This piece consists of four 11″ x 14″canvas boards attached with velcro to a painted piece of plywood and framed with white pine. the paintings can be rearranged to suit.
A rare piece, unlikely to be duplicated.
There is a great song by Nina Simone called Four Women and here is the video
Painted in 2006-2008
48″ x 16″
Painting of Women.
Acrylic on canvas. Pine frame.
Hanalei
Hanalei was the backdrop of several film productions, such as the 1958 musical film South Pacific. Scenes were filmed in the town itself and to the west at Lumahai Beach.
Those who explain the Peter Paul & Mary song “Puff, the Magic Dragon” as a marijuana metaphor explain that Puff’s homeland “Hanah Lee” is actually the town of Hanalei, which, according to them, is renowned for its marijuana. The cliffs on the side of the beach are said to look like a dragon. This interpretation was rejected by the song’s authors.
The beach at was selected No. 1 on “Dr. Beach” Stephen Leatherman‘s 2009 list of top 10 beaches.
A song titled “Hanalei” was a part of the I’m With You Sessions by the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2013.
Hanalei Beach, Kauai, Hawaii
Painting of Beach, Ocean and Sky.
24″w x 36″h acrylic on canvas. Pine frame.
Hollywood
A quiet but fun spot between Ft. Lauderdale and Miami. Love the Beach.
Horseshoe
Horseshoe Beach is famous for the beautiful pink sand of Bermuda, the regurgitation of millions of parrotfish over centuries.
Horseshoe Bay is perhaps the most famous beach in Bermuda. It has been rated the #8 beach in the world by TripAdvisor. A very popular tourist spot, it lies on the main island’s south (Atlantic Ocean) coast, in the parish of Southampton. The sand of the beach is very fine and displays a very white colour. The beach is equipped with one lifeguard station which is manned during the summer between 10 AM and 6 PM. There is also a café where one can purchase lunch during the summer months, toilet facilities, showers and a foot-washing area for removing sand before departing. A shuttle bus is available from 11 am to 6 pm to transport beach-goers between the beach and the nearest bus stop. It will take one down the hill for $1 and up for $2. The Government provides a special bus service for tourist at the top of the hill that leaves about every 15 minutes. This service is there from about 12 to 6 pm. If you miss the last special bus the regular buses come about every 45 minutes and run til about 10 pm.
Horseshoe Bay Beach, Bermuda.
Painting of Beach, Ocean and Sky.
24″w x 36″h acrylic on canvas. Pine frame.
Key West
The Conch Republic boasts many many miles of beach as well as being the southernmost area in the Continental United States
Key West, Florida
Painting of Beach, Ocean and Sky.
24″w x 36″h acrylic on canvas. Pine frame.
Lost Sea
Lost Sea combines the stormy blue skies and the murky green waters that can found in few places except perhaps for a little known cavern in Sweetwater Tennessee. This Lost Sea is part of Craighead Caverns, the United States’ largest non-subglacial underground lake.
This painting reminds me a bit of Gulfstream, the painting by Winslow Homer of which, I have a very good reproduction hang in on my wall. In fact, it is one of only two paintings I own that I did not paint. The other was by my grandfather, Frank Casey.
Lost Sea is also the name of a rootsy Americana musical group