Many parents have commissioned Tatum to paint their young children. This recent portrait reflects the influence of the 18th century English portrait painter Thomas Gainsborough on her development as an artist. This companion to the earlier portrait of his sister standing by the ocean’s edge reflects the family’s love of the beach. The midday sun casts rich patterning of light and shadow on the wind swept sand and swaying sea oaks and is carried forward in the details of the shirt and pants. His contrapposto stance enhances the natural mood of the environment.
A boy at the beach should never wear shoes, but feet can be hard to draw. In this painting the texture of the foot extends the texture of the sand. This similarity of texture along with the contrasting colors makes the boy seem to grow from the beach he enjoys.