Aruna Rao

Prelude, Oil Painting

2024

Artist Comments
The quiet anticipation of an evening settles over the coast. Soft pastel light gathers along the horizon as clouds drift across the sky and seabirds glide toward dusk. Distant figures and small cottages glow gently along the shoreline, adding a human touch to the sweeping landscape.

About the Artist
Artist Aruna Rao paints impressionistic seascapes that capture the shimmer of light, the movement of water, and the quiet poetry of coastal life. "I am endlessly inspired by how light transforms a scene, softening the atmosphere and turning an ordinary moment into something unforgettable," says Aruna. Growing up in a literary family in India, she was surrounded by stories and art, which sparked her love of narrative and visual expression. After a 20-year career in IT, she returned to painting, earning an MFA with top honors from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. Living in Florida offers endless inspiration, from sunrise beaches and glowing horizons to quiet harbors and small human moments that evoke joy and nostalgia. Influenced by French Impressionists and contemporary coastal painters, Aruna creates luminous works that invite the viewer to pause, breathe, and rediscover the beauty of the present moment. When she is not painting, she enjoys beach walks, discovering music, watching films with her husband, and spending time with their two cats.

Words that describe this painting: dusk, sky, coastal, shoreline, evening, beach, tranquil, sunset, Jesse Powell, Joaquin Sorolla, shore, sand, sky, twilight, water, cloud, peaceful, impressionism, seascape, oil painting, blue

Prelude
Aruna Rao
Oil painting on canvas board
Ready to frame
One-of-a-kind
Signed on front
2024
20 in. h x 24 in. w
1 lbs. 2 oz.