Hampton Beach

I painted this during the only clear and dry time of our 3 day camping trip to Hampton Beach, NH. It was early evening, so the light was fading, and I was doing fine until someone walking by commented on the painting looking "so real". I knew I was in trouble, so I got to some serious simplifying! There were blades of grass and wildflowers in the foreground, so they had to go! The result feels much more the mood of the day. But I ask myself, why hadn't I seen that I was getting so fussy?!? How I need to pause, walk away, and then see with new eyes.