Afternoon Glow, Cathedral Cove

Backlit surf catches the sun in a shimmer of gold and white foam in Afternoon Glow, Cathedral Cove, a 12x16 pastel by Peter Adams, waves rolling toward shore in translucent bands of green and violet. A dark rock outcrop anchors the lower right corner, its shadow a cool counterpoint to all that dazzling, sun-struck water. Adams uses pastel's soft, powdery texture to real advantage here, building up light the way watercolor builds transparency — layer after layer until the whole sea seems to glow from within.