The enjoyment of relaxing at the beach is a universal pastime, and if one was able to pick any shore, the south of France is hard to beat. Dyf spent days in idle enjoyment, but definitely more in pursuit of capturing the essence of such moments on canvas for others to appreciate.
Whatever his motivating reason, Dyf's striking beach scene illustrates one of his best techniques: he would apply oil directly to the support, working in fluid form to create his art. He allowed himself no sketching, no re-working of form. Dyf's paintings would literally come alive from the changing scenes captured by his eye. Small objects such as the chairs possess greater textural depth as they take their places. Sky, sand and sea recess to the background only to push forth, in this instance, clouds, beach cabanas and the people there to take it all in.
Pastel lights and ruddy darks accent this impressionist work, with direct impasto application. Dyf's coloration jumps with the sea green to the woman's skirt wrap. The blue evolves from the sky and prominent beach tent to the shaded interior. Close examination allows one to appreciate the aggressive brush strokes, while the composition sings at a subtle distance.
