Christie Taylor 1/23/25 Christie Taylor 1/23/25

January 16

Up early today to visit the West Coast and the Makah Museum on Neah Bay. On the way over, my daughter Ainslie and I had an amazing drive around Lake Crescent in the Deschutes National Forest within the Olympic National Park. Felt like we were traveling though a rain forest!(Hoh Rain Forest is about an hour drive from the lake) We had hoped to go to Hoh but the road was closed due to flooding. So - our first stop was Second Beach. The sun was beaming and followed us all day.

We then headed to Neah Bay to visit the Makah Museum. This tribe is related to the native peoples of the West Coast of Vancouver Island who live across the Strait of Juan De Fuca in British Columbia. https://www.makahmuseum.com Beautiful museum, particularly taken by the design of wooden boxes and basket weaving. We ate fry bread Indian Tacos at Pat’s Cafe. And, at the end of the day, took the trail to Cape Flattery (below) which is managed by the Makah Tribe. . It’s the furthest northwest tip of the contiguous United States where the Makah, the first people to live at Cape Flattery and used Tatoosh Island, a half a mile from the Cape for seasonal hunting and a whaling camp.. Spanish explorers came through the Strait looking for the Northwest Passage. Captain James Cook made his last voyage to this area and named the island after their chief. A lighthouse was constructed ini 1845 and was used as a defense site during WWII.

And, of course, there was sketching involved. .I love how theses stacks sit like monuments at the water’s edge. I have plenty of visual information on paper and in my memory to keep me busy in the studio.

Christie Taylor 1/22/25 Christie Taylor 1/22/25

January 17

Morning view out my kitchen window. Mt Rainier in the distance

Another clear day was in the forecast, (I haven’t put on my raincoat yet! ) I spent the day in the studio, pondering sketches – what to paint, what not to paint - my usual drill for hesitating, before taking the leap on a blank panel. I have made a nest for myself in the spacious studio. One table for painting, one for working on little sculptures, one for wood that I have collected from a small construction site and beach.

Below are my “starts” — my first paint application based on the two sketches from Second Beach. My goal in these initial marks is to block in the composition and set a tone. ( I tend to listen to jazz pianist, Bill Evans to keep my hand fluid and flowing.) These paintings will change as I change my approach to capture the subject matter but at least……as I said…. a start! And, I am always guided by American Abstract Expressionist painter, Joan Mitchell ‘s quote: I could certainly never mirror Nature. I would like more to paint what it leaves with me..

And part of my day, I spent pondering wood. I find that building my little objects informs my painting.. (Keeps my mind thinking about shape.) I brought this grouping of pine kindling (below) with me, with the thought of trees in the PNW. I will be curious if some of these sticks find new mates along the way,

At the end of the day, I try to get in a walk on the beach or around the campus. The black-tailed deer are always present, morning and night. so wonderful to have them as neighbors.