Rift: A Painting Born of Sand & Baja Mexico Memory

Some paintings carry more than color—they carry place. That’s the story behind Rift, a bold and textural 60x48 horizontal painting layered not only in acrylic and epoxy resin, but in something much more personal: sand from Loreto Bay, Baja Mexico.

Years ago, I opened my own gallery there—Cree – Todos los colores—in a quiet corner of Loreto Bay surrounded by sun-washed stone, crashing surf, and infinite desert light.

It was a time of experimentation, deep creativity, and total immersion in my work.

Even now, long after I left that space, I still carry it with me. With Rift, I decided to literally embed a piece of it into the painting.

The sand collected from outside my gallery became a crucial part of the surface—mixed directly into the paint, pressed between layers of acrylic and resin, and left exposed in places to preserve its natural grit and presence. Unlike the high-gloss finishes that often define my resin work, Rift pulls away from polish.

This piece wants to feel rough, worn, and wild—like Baja itself.

At first glance, Rift hits you with color—bold reds dominate the composition, radiating energy and heat. But look closer and you’ll find a world of surface tension: peaks and pits, cracks and crust, all shaped by the sand beneath. It’s not subtle. It’s visceral. It’s meant to be experienced with your eyes and your hands.

The name Rift reflects that duality—a crack between two geographies, two eras, two versions of self. It’s a tribute to a place I still consider sacred, and a reminder that texture tells a story shine alone never could.

This painting may hang far from Baja, but the spirit of that coastline lives inside it—grain by grain.