Serendipity

I love being spontaneous. An unexpected twist of events found me on the road to Cannon Beach, Oregon recently. A friend was sharing a place to stay and I was delighted to drop everything and head south. The scenery along that section of the Oregon Coast is spectacular. Despite rain and mist, I was able to set up my easel and complete several paintings. Plus, I came home with many photos and ideas for new work.
Initially I thought I would stay clear of the famous Haystack Rock. But once in front of it, I found it both imposing and alluring. Doing a painting of one large rock on a gray day can be challenging: How do you make it interesting? How do you move the eye around the composition? Where should the center of interest be? By exploiting the colors and putting in a few details at the base, I think my painting works pretty well.
We were blessed with minus tides two of the days. The tide flats contributed to an interesting painting of the rocks just south of Haystack. The sun was playing peek-a-boo enough to reveal wonderful colors in the rocks, sand and water. One more favorite place has been added to my list. I hope I can return soon.