Retreat

A towering wave dominates this 2010 painting by Scottish artist Beth Robertson-Fiddes, its rich greens and foaming white crest tumbling toward a shore that glows in shades of gold and amber. Titled "Retreat," the scene captures the sea in full motion, frozen at the instant before the water draws back to build itself up again. Robertson-Fiddes has long been drawn to coastal subjects, taking her cues from the wild, weather-beaten shores she watches in person.

The real pleasure of this piece lies in how the artist handles paint and color. Thick, built-up layers give the water its churning, restless feel, while the warm sandy tones seem to burn against the cool depths of the wave. That title says a lot about the ocean's steady back-and-forth, the endless trade between sea and land. Anyone who has stood on a blustery beach will know the feeling this scene stirs up, gorgeous and just a touch unnerving all at once.