Paintings

Editor: After his retirement Sam began to try his hand at oil painting. For subject matter he returned to his wartime adventures.

This 1950 painting entitled "Halava Beach - Florida Island" is based directly on a photo from Part Two. The little pier he deleted was used as an outhouse!

Two 1966 paintings depicting South Pacific scenes. "Waterspouts" may have been inspired by this event on the voyage to New Caledonia in Part Two of the scrapbook:
We also passed within sight of one waterspout. We followed it through our binoculars and were glad that it did not turn and come our way. The Captain informed us that they were quite numerous in those particular parts and though small could do a great amount of damage if you should happen to get in it's path. It appeared like a huge flexible gray column between a black cloud above and a black spot on the sea below. Through the binoculars it looked real wicked and the sea at the base of the column seemed to be churned and angry.

 

This 1950 painting entitled "Tropical Moonlight" seems to be
an attempt to convey light filtering through the deep foliage.
Notice how he even painted the frame a dappled gray color.