In Calm Before the Storm, Derek Macara masterfully distills a fleeting moment of stillness—where the world holds its breath under an impending sky. Soft, shadowed waters lie veiled in muted light, while billowing clouds above hint at the brewing drama that awaits. The tension between the peaceful surface and atmospheric tension beyond evokes a powerful sensory duality: the hush of anticipation surrounded by the latent energy of change.

Executed with his signature blend of photo‑based composition and spontaneous brushwork, Macara transforms familiar Cape Cod skies and seas into a stage of emotional resonance. The painting invites viewers into that rare, transitional moment—when tranquility and turbulence stand side by side, and the natural world appears both calm and charged.