I Sea
Raw From The Road, April 5, 2017
I Sea
I come to the sea to breathe.
*Mary Anne Radmacher
No. 3
I made this self-portrait in Cannon Beach, Oregon.
“Cannon Beach” is a series in the typology, Deconstruction.
In winter, while on a 3 week vision quest in Oregon, I drove to Haystack Rock early in the morning with Luna.
She had never been to this amazing beach, probably my favorite of all time.
I had plenty of room to take these self-portraits and not be too self conscious since hardly anyone was around at that time.
Fifteen years earlier, I lived on the Oregon Coast, where I played music in cafes and restaurants while I studied writing…lucky girl!
Every year, a wonderful music and art event occurs in November called, “Stormy Weather Arts Festival” and one year, I was fortunate to play my guitar and sing in *Mary Anne Radmacher’s store in Cannon Beach amongst her beautiful art, cards and gifts.
Mary Anne is the author of many inspirational books and I once took a painting workshop with her which was mind blowing. She has been a role model and inspiration for many years.
(Worth digressing)
Cannon Beach… this coast… oh this coast… majestic, clean, wide open, filled with colorful starfish and outlined in magnificent rock forms, bigger than me, bigger than you… bigger than all of us.
Moving to Oregon from NY was incredible.
When I first walked on to this beach… I knew I was home.
Only an hour and a half away from Portland, I drove out frequently, sometimes, just for a run and then I’d head back home.
Shea was my first sweet Australian shepherd, and we’d come to the beach often and she’d run free and happily along the water and we’d inhale that glorious fresh air.
Many years later, after moving to CA and living in Santa Monica, when she passed, I drove to Oregon, to scatter her ashes at Cannon Beach and Angel Rest, a beautiful hike we shared many times in the Columbia Gorge.
Making a self-portrait here was very special indeed.
I made this photograph with Shea, with Luna, Haystack Rock and the great wide ocean.
It truly was emotional and also is now as I write this. So close to my heart. Such a huge part of my transformation from city girl to awakening woman.
If you ever get the chance to visit the Oregon Coast, I highly recommend it.
As a side note, when I just moved there from NYC, I spoke with my grandfather on the phone, a long time New Yorker and when I told him about the Oregon Coast, he asked, “Do they sell hot dawgs on the boardwalk?” I, of course, said, “No grandpa, no boardwalk, no hot dawgs, just ocean, rock and sand.”
That’s all I need sometimes… just ocean, rock… and sand to bring me home.
What outside place do you go to that feels like home? I hope you go there often.
I am not the same having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world.
― Mary Anne Radmacher
All beautiful wishes…
Robbie
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