Wave Sky—Summer 2007
When the sea spray and humidity collide the air becomes a visible, tangible sheath of fog. Pixels of moisture vibrate and blur the landscape. The senses are lulled and sounds muted by the hypnotic and fluid canvas of a summer day. 

Green Wave/Horizon—Fall 2007
Imperceptibly the season transitions with minute shifts in tides and light. The air sharpens, and cooling waters clear. The incisive delineation of the sand, sea and sky make it evident that fall has arrived.

The sea washes away all men’s illness. 
—Euripides

Years of photographing afar have brought me back to the beach where I was first inspired to take pictures, and where I spent my formative years. I am never away for long, and I go as often as I can, as the beach has always been my sanctuary, and my playground. From the sharp turquoise, and brilliant white of the Caribbean to the subtle hues of a foggy Atlantic, my visual sensibilities were shaped at an early age by sand, sea, and sky.

On the beaches of Sagaponack, near my home in Sag Harbor, I found an eternally transforming canvas that has captivated me for more than a decade. Compelled to bear witness to its graceful subtleties, and to understand my visceral connection to this place, I set out on a journey with no estimated time of arrival.  Part introspection, part exploration, my time has been well spent, as much has been revealed about not only my artistic process, but the discipline of present-minded focus, and the transformative power of the beach.

I was once told that the Shinnecock Indians conducted spiritual ceremonies on the beaches of Sagaponack. They believed it to be a vortex where energies converged. Looking out to its expansive horizon, endless ocean, and luminous  “East End” light, it is not necessary to believe this to feel a magnetic pull. Here, where so many have been captivated,inspired, and enlivened, the energy is palpable. At times subtle and soft, other times vibrant and surging, the natural forces in constant play are capable of invoking peacefulness and calm, or incredible strength and awe. Mesmerizing and evocative, the abundance of fleeting and radiant moments is a testament to an inherent organic beauty and grace.

Avid collectors cannot often pinpoint the origins of their obsessions, except to say that there is some stirring association that fuels their passion. I have amassed these images as a collector might, still not completely sure what drives me, but committed to compile a faithful and extensive record of the myriad witnessed moments. These photographs are a meditation paying homage to a place where the spirit is enlivened, primordial forces resonate, and impermanence reigns. 

From Sand Sea Sky—The Beaches of Sagaponack (Damiani 2012).