Original ‘Guided by Faith Not by Sight’ Painting on Canvas!

“Guided by Faith Not by Sight”
20” x 16” x 1 3/4”
Acrylic on Canvas
Collection of Shanon Young

A friend commissioned this ocean seascape to reflect her life in Huntington Beach. We envisioned a girl steering her damaged sailboat through stormy seas toward a glowing lighthouse off in the distance.

I used acrylic glazing technique along with airbrushed light effects to create depth and radiance. As I painted, the ocean became rougher, with a menacing Great White shark emerging from the waves. As the painting really began to develop, I transformed it into a post-apocalyptic dystopian scene, imagining an earthquake had destroyed the coast decades earlier. To depict this, I added a piece of a fallen 405 freeway complete with twisted, rusted rebar and a crumbling “Beach Blvd, Huntington Beach” sign that’s barely hanging on.

This piece symbolizes living by faith, not by sight. Despite the chaos around her, she stays focused on the lighthouse – her source of hope and guidance. Life is full of storms, but when we fix our gaze on a higher purpose, we find the strength to get through anything.

-Jason Maloney