Seamus found a sanctuary in the city of Alameda surrounded by the serene peacefulness that water invites. The island is nestled along the southern tip of Oakland, hugs the San Francisco Bay to the west, with the forgotten stepsister of San Leandro Bay at its most southern tip. Seamus was captivated by this hacienda style adobe building with the red tile roof where he made his home for years while caring for his aging mother.

He would spend countless hours on the hacienda style rooftop, enjoying 360 degree views of calming water amidst bustling urban life. Big Blue, Smile was a distinct part of his experience searching for nature and serenity while living in the concrete jungle of the Bay Area, ultimately asking the question of his work: “Can artwork bring serenity to people’s lives?”

“The sky is a canopy of vastness, same for the water, there is nothing except water. It’s about getting outside of humans thinking they’ve created everything, and connecting with our own nature. If you’re in the city, look up. Look at blue; look at clouds; look at birds; take a deep breath.”

Big Blue, Smile is one in a series of paintings entitled Looking Up that explores what we can see when we raise our gaze up a little to notice where the sky meets the top edges of buildings.

This reproduction is as close to the original as possible with gorgeous saturated colors and printed on high quality art paper with permanent inks and will last for generations with proper care.

Archival print of the original oil painting Big Blue, Smile available in two sizes: full size (same as original) and mid-size.