The first memory I have of visiting the Oregon Coast happened my senior year in high school. Somehow my sister (just a year younger than myself) and I convinced our parents to allow us to take a road trip. We planned the whole thing out so we would know exactly where we would be each night/day of our trip. The only problem? We didn't exactly know how to read a map. Since this was back before cell phones and google maps, once you were on the road...it was you and a paper that meant just about nothing.
We were driving merrily down the road with suddenly we realized we were pointed in the direction of the end of our trip instead of the beginning. What to do? We had arranged stays with family on both ends with a stay at the beach in the middle, so when we discovered our mistake we stopped at a payphone and swapped the end points of our trip. Luckily that worked out! Finally we were on our way to the Oregon Coast and a little motel in Depoe Bay, OR. I felt very grown up! This trip was really a first taste of freedom and independence and it was so exciting. I was completely captivated.
Fast forward a few years and my soon to be husband and I decided we would take a little trip back to the coast to visit Depoe Bay once again. This time we stayed in a tiny, pink brick motel on a hill with a view of the ocean. So quintessentially coastal and perfectly run down, I have such fond memories of this 50's motel with it's "old fashioned" decor and furniture. And the view! Oh, the view. I could walk right outside my front door and be standing beachside. This little motel is the inspiration for my "Beachside Motel" colorway.
Once we were married we ended up halfway across the country in land locked Arkansas while I finished my music degree. It didn't take me long to realize how much I missed my beloved pacific northwest, and as soon as I graduated from college and my first child was safely born I talked my way back west. We decided to return to Idaho, which was further from the coast than I had hoped, but was at least within striking distance, and my husband promised me annual visits to the beach.
This is where the memories really begin to form. We've taken our daughters nearly every year for the last 19 years, and each time we catch that first glimpse of the sea my heart falls in love all over again.
Last summer as I was walking a stretch of empty beach looking for treasures I knew I needed a collection to commemorate this special place. Many of my existing colorways are already inspired by the sea, so I had a hard time choosing just 6 to release for this project. I expect I'll continue adding more as we go, and I don't think this will be the last time I dye this collection, but here's a pretty great start. A mix of earthy and rich, light and airy. I don't think I'll ever be able to get enough of these colors.
Fossil: A rich black/brown colorway inspired by the lava rock fossils found on the beaches especially near Newport. Washes of sand and fossil peak through the lava rocks.
Fog:A soft blue/green/grey colorway that shifts just like coastal fogs, which never look completely grey to my eye.
Earth Moves: A medium teal base with all the colors of the Oregon coast. Rich brown tree bark, rust, lichen, lava rock, tide pools, and moody waters.
Moody: A deep teal with washes of grey inspired by the moody, stormy waters of the Pacific Northwest.
Beachside Motel:A shell pink with teal, brick, and brown speckles inspired by the funky/sweet beachside Motel my husband and I stayed in on our first trip to the coast 24 years ago.
Shell Seeker: Soft sandy tans, aqua, brown and deep rust speckles swirl about this very subtle, but beautiful colorway. Let's take a walk down the beach together and see what we can see.
Happy Making!
XX, Heather Jane
