Soothing seascapes and dreamy cloud formations evoke peace and solitude while showcasing the area’s natural beauty
Courtesy of Derek Macara
Derek Macara, an artist from the Provincetown area of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, has been surrounded by the sea his whole life. He’s been painting since childhood but in the past 10 years or so, what was once a just-for-fun hobby has evolved into a full-fledged art career.
His oil paintings typically portray coastal elements that are nearly impossible to avoid on the Cape—think ocean views, lighthouses, boats and gloriously unique, moody clouds. This work is about more than just the beach, though. The viewer can get lost in these mesmerizing seascapes and the realistic nature of Macara’s paintings instantly evoke a sense of calm and wonder for what might happen next in the depicted scene.
Courtesy of Derek Macara
Provincetown—sometimes called P-Town by locals and tourists alike—is a wildly popular vacation destination during the summer months, but most of the time it’s actually a small, close-knit art colony. Because of his surroundings, Macara was exposed to many artists while honing his own skills and as a child, he studied at Charles W. Hawthorne’s art school (now an arts non-profit called Twenty Summers) for several years.
“My first art show was in a pizza place in Provincetown that I didn’t expect much from,” Macara says, “but [it] ended up being a sold out show. When I was first starting out there were so many supportive people in the community that believed in me and I owe [them] a lot of my success today because I’m lucky enough to live here.”
Courtesy of Derek Macara
Besides growing up in such a supportive, creative enclave, a major key to his global recognition—Macara has shipped sold paintings to every continent aside from Antarctica—is his TikTok presence. Drawing on his past skateboard video experience, video editing comes easily to him and he views it as another creative outlet. “I started filming my process and posting on TikTok about two years ago and it really took off in the first year,” he says. “Video editing is also an art and I try to put as much effort into that as I do my paintings.”
Courtesy of Derek Macara
His videos typically start with a blank canvas being placed on his easel, and over the next minute or so, it shows his seemingly magical process of building up colors, blending waves and clouds, and adding that perfect Cape Cod detail with a variety of brushes. Whether it’s a lighthouse, a fisherman or a sailboat at sea, his Provincetown influence shines through in the best way possible. We were captivated by this glimpse into how he creates his work, as are the millions of viewers who’ve also absorbed his artistic videos.
Courtesy of Derek Macara
Of course, the creative process isn’t as simple as it might appear online. To nail down the painting’s composition, Macara uses his own nature photography and drawings to compile real-life nature details into a digital image. “My paintings are usually a combination of modern technology and traditional painting techniques,” he says. “I create a composite image before I begin painting as a reference to go off of on the canvas. This usually evolves into something different during the painting process and I’ll improvise from imagination in areas.”
Photo by Frankie Rice, Courtesy of Derek Macara
For Macara, whose family has lived in Provincetown for several generations, inspiration is readily available and he’s able to paint almost everyday. “It’s a really beautiful place to live,” he says about his hometown, “and the natural beauty along with the solitude of it can be seen in my work.”
Derek Macara’s paintings can be viewed and purchased at DerekMacara.com and TikTok.
Cape Cod-Based Painter Derek Macara Pulls Inspiration from the Sea
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