In this evocative oil painting, Hope masterfully captures the complex interface between sea and shore at Corona del Mar's iconic Monterey Formation. The composition is brilliantly divided by a subtle waterline, offering simultaneous views above and below the ocean's surface – a perspective that echoes childhood memories of tide pooling and wave watching.

The dominant sedimentary rock formation showcases the Monterey Formation's distinctive characteristics: folded layers representing millions of years of geological history. Hope's expressionistic brushwork translates these ancient striations into a rich tapestry of purples, blues, and soft greens, while capturing the rock's weathered surfaces and the interplay of light through water.

The painting's vertical format (24" x 48") emphasizes both the monumentality of the geological formations and the depth of the marine environment. Below the waterline, Hope depicts the mysterious submarine realm where rock surfaces are transformed by their submersion, marine growth, and the filtering effects of seawater. Above, the rocks take on the sun-bleached qualities characteristic of Southern California's coastline.

This work demonstrates Hope's intimate understanding of this unique geological landscape, gained during his childhood explorations. His painting technique – with its loose, gestural strokes and rich palette – communicates not just the physical reality of the Monterey Formation but also its ecological significance as a habitat. The layered sedimentary patterns, revealed through erosion and tide, become a metaphor for the layered nature of memory and time itself.

This piece succeeds both as a geological study and as an emotional response to a formative landscape, capturing the intersection of natural history and personal memory in this distinctive California coastal environment.