The First Painting of 2026
The photo just below ⬇️ shows the finished oyster painting, but the real story starts earlier in the day—January 1—2026, at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park. Or as the Key West locals call it, “Fort Zach”.
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| Maggie Ruley Oyster Painting 20”x16” acrylic on canvas |
I spent the entire day at the park and brought my painting supplies with me, setting up a very unofficial outdoor studio on one of the picnic tables near the beach. Palette, water bucket, canvas, snacks, layers of clothing… everything I needed for a long, slow day outside.
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| Painting at Fort Zach beach, 1/1/2016 |
Years ago, when I was a potter, New Year’s Day was always my one guaranteed painting day. Back then, I didn’t get many chances to paint, so January 1 became a kind of quiet promise to myself.
NOTE: If you scroll back through the blog far enough, you’ll find posts from those days.
It’s a tradition I still like to keep when I can.
This oyster painting is my first finished painting of 2026. 🥳
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| Maggie Ruley Oyster Painting nestled in the sand in Key West, Florida |
The morning started out cloudy, windy, and cold by Key West standards. I was bundled up in layers, including a hooded sweatshirt, and painted through the chill.
But, by around 1:30, the clouds cleared, the sun came out, and suddenly the beach was full of tourists swimming and laying out.
I waded into the water up to my knees—about as far as I was willing to go—but even that felt good. There’s something grounding about walking the shoreline with your feet in the water, even on a cool day.
I worked on the oyster painting in the afternoon, mostly finishing it there at the park.
I spent time in the morning working on pieces from my beach and sand series, which I’ll share in a separate post.
Update: Here’s the Sea and Sand Series Post
I recently bought a yearly pass for Fort Zach, and I’m really looking forward to using it. Even if I only have 45 minutes after work, it’s the perfect place to walk the beach, clear my head, and reconnect with why I make this work in the first place.
Starting the year painting outdoors, surrounded by sand, water, and shifting light, felt like exactly the right way to begin 2026.
Some of my fellow beach enthusiasts ⤵️
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| Sunbathers on Fort Zach Beach in Key West, Florida. |
