by Clay Myers-Bowman
Dye-Sublimation Metal Print
30” x 20”
$820
Tourmaline Surfing Park was made in Pacific Beach on February 1, 2020, during one of our final date nights before the March stay-at-home orders. We were visiting the beach and a nearby restaurant for the first time, waiting for our reservation as sunset gathered over the water. With only my iPhone 11, I waited from a low curb for the water to recede and leave the sand glassy, then steadied the phone against my knees for its three-second exposure. Made without expectation, the image now recalls the quiet freedom of the time before our familiar beach visits became much less frequent.
Artist Biography:
Clay Myers-Bowman is a fine art photographer who focuses on coastal light and everyday scenes along the shore. His path with photography runs from traditional film and darkroom work to digital cameras and editing, always with an emphasis on clear, honest images. Clay lived and photographed in San Diego for 6 years, working often at Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach, and nearby neighborhoods. Many of his coastal photographs were made during that time, usually at sunset when the tide changes and the city slows. In 2023 he moved to Monterey, California, where he continues to explore the Central Coast and create new work along Monterey Bay. His book and exhibit “Where Land, Light, and Water Meet: San Diego and Beyond” gathers images from California and international coastlines. The exhibit opens in August and runs until the middle of September.
Artist Statement:
I photograph the places where land, light, and water meet, with a focus on the California coast and the people who spend time there. For six years I lived in San Diego and returned often to Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach, La Jolla, and the hills above the city. Most of these photographs were made on simple walks at dawn or sunset, when the light shifts and the city settles down. My approach is straightforward. I strip away distractions and let color, shape, and honest moments carry the image. I do not stage scenes or use heavy effects. I stand in one spot, watch, and wait. Sometimes the picture is about a lone surfer crossing the frame; other times it is pure sky, water, and reflection. I want viewers to feel like they are standing on the sand or looking out over the bay, taking a breath and noticing what is already there. If these photographs help someone remember a favorite walk or a first visit to San Diego, then they are doing their job.
by Clay Myers-Bowman
Dye-Sublimation Metal Print
30” x 20”
$820
Tourmaline Surfing Park was made in Pacific Beach on February 1, 2020, during one of our final date nights before the March stay-at-home orders. We were visiting the beach and a nearby restaurant for the first time, waiting for our reservation as sunset gathered over the water. With only my iPhone 11, I waited from a low curb for the water to recede and leave the sand glassy, then steadied the phone against my knees for its three-second exposure. Made without expectation, the image now recalls the quiet freedom of the time before our familiar beach visits became much less frequent.
Artist Biography:
Clay Myers-Bowman is a fine art photographer who focuses on coastal light and everyday scenes along the shore. His path with photography runs from traditional film and darkroom work to digital cameras and editing, always with an emphasis on clear, honest images. Clay lived and photographed in San Diego for 6 years, working often at Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach, and nearby neighborhoods. Many of his coastal photographs were made during that time, usually at sunset when the tide changes and the city slows. In 2023 he moved to Monterey, California, where he continues to explore the Central Coast and create new work along Monterey Bay. His book and exhibit “Where Land, Light, and Water Meet: San Diego and Beyond” gathers images from California and international coastlines. The exhibit opens in August and runs until the middle of September.
Artist Statement:
I photograph the places where land, light, and water meet, with a focus on the California coast and the people who spend time there. For six years I lived in San Diego and returned often to Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach, La Jolla, and the hills above the city. Most of these photographs were made on simple walks at dawn or sunset, when the light shifts and the city settles down. My approach is straightforward. I strip away distractions and let color, shape, and honest moments carry the image. I do not stage scenes or use heavy effects. I stand in one spot, watch, and wait. Sometimes the picture is about a lone surfer crossing the frame; other times it is pure sky, water, and reflection. I want viewers to feel like they are standing on the sand or looking out over the bay, taking a breath and noticing what is already there. If these photographs help someone remember a favorite walk or a first visit to San Diego, then they are doing their job.
