Originally inspired by my Mainsail Art Festival commission, this painting evolved into a one-of-a-kind sunrise capturing the St. Pete horizon as seen from my client's home.
When we first began discussing the project, I was excited to head downtown and explore how my urban sunrise concept could be adapted into something entirely personal.
What continues to interest me about sunrise commissions is not just the view itself, but how differently people experience the same horizon. This project became less about documenting a place and more about translating how this client lives with light, color, and movement—something that needed to feel personal, immersive, and distinctly his.
I suggested we meet on site so I could see the space, experience the view, and discuss where the painting would live and how it should feel. From the moment I stepped inside, I was drawn to the character of this condo and the life unfolding within it. Floor-to-ceiling windows flood the home with light and landscape, while a large open-concept living area—anchored by a baby grand piano at its center—sets the tone for the space. This penthouse reflects a worldly sensibility—refined yet lived-in—shaped by music, travel, and a life defined by movement.
Overlooking the city’s waterfront from Vinoy Park to the Albert Whitted Airport, the view mirrors how this client moves through the world: elevated, expansive, and always in motion. I offered several panoramic composition options, stretching from the pier to the traffic control tower at different times of day and across shifting atmospheric conditions.
After considering the options, this client decided to lean fully into a pink sunrise, and to make the piece truly one of a kind, he asked that the view be framed with elements from his balcony garden. Bougainvillea on one side and cherry blossoms on the other created a living border—something I had never explored in my work before. My challenge was ensuring the florals enhanced the scene without overpowering it.
Watch the painting come to life in the time-lapse video below:
At roughly 7 feet wide by 4 feet tall, the finished painting was designed as a clear statement piece for his home—one that anchors the space and allows the view to unfold at an immersive scale. The blossoms along the border gently hold the edges, inviting the eye into the scene as if they, too, are leaning toward the sun.
When it came time to install the painting, we chose an elegant white frame to complement the white grand piano, allowing the piece to feel fully at home within the architecture of the space.
My role in projects like this isn’t just to create an individual piece, but to help translate how a space is lived in—working in conversation with how a client hopes to live there, the light, and the surrounding interior design so the final work feels both intentional and fully at home.
If you’re considering a painting for a specific space, I’m always happy to think through how new work can belong there.
