Back Bay Re-Imagined began as a derivative of a quick plein air painting created along the wetlands of Newport Back Bay. What stayed with me wasn’t the specific details of the landscape, but the remarkable golden evening light spreading across the marsh and reflecting into the water.

Back in the studio, I used that plein air study as the starting point for a new interpretation rather than a reproduction. The image evolved through layers of monoprinting, acrylic paint, stencil mark-making, and pastel. Each process transformed the landscape further, allowing observation and imagination to work together.

Because the painting was no longer tied to direct representation, I could push color saturation, exaggerate value shifts, and explore expressive mark-making that would be impossible in a traditional landscape. The stenciled marks are not decorative; they become part of the visual language describing the movement of light, atmosphere, and space.

The result is a contemporary interpretation of one of Southern California’s most familiar landscapes—a painting that celebrates both the experience of being there and the creative freedom of re-imagining it.

This artwork is created on archival Arches watercolor paper, professionally mounted using the archival process demonstrated in my Mixed Media Part 11 – Mounting, Framing, and Finishing video series described in my Blog and on YouTube, ensuring long-term stability and presentation.

View more works in my Re-Imagined Landscape Series in our Mixed Media Gallery.

Keep up with my latest work on Instagram @ronreekers.

Watch detail art ‘do it yourself” video I’ve produced at YouTube.com/@rreekers

You can also explore my thoughts regarding the relationship between Fine Art, Aerospace Engineering, and lifelong creative practice through my LinkedIn profile.

For additional studio insights, behind-the-scenes artwork development, and ongoing creative projects, visit my Patreon page.