Trip to Oregon

Husband Bill and I traveled to see our newly located friend and Fabulous artist, David Galchutt. David has lived in Oregon for almost a year and we went during Brookings most exciting whole town event "The Azalea Festival". Last year David won a few ribbons for his art entries and we were anxious to see what he would enter in the show this year.

For my Mandala friends, I was mesmerized by these Mandalas at the San Fransisco airport by artist Eric Staller at our first stop. The installation is called "Spirogyrate". Every few minutes the 7' the circles slowly move and the colors change. Pretty cool...and you can walk on them!

We ended up renting a car in Eureka CA and began our 2 hour trip to David's. A section of town in Eureka is filled with Victorian Mansions. This Carson Mansion is know as the most grand Victorian home in the USA! 

It is a club now but you can walk the grounds and appreciate the incredible architecture.

Before crossing into Oregon we hiked parts of the REDWOOD FOREST all I can say is OH MY GOD! I felt like a tiny fairy in the land of these giant trees.

 This is the parking lot to Lady Bird Johnson trail. The trees! incredible. What looked to me to be Queen Ann's Lace flowers that go in little vases at home, where 5' tall in the forest. And the clovers.... half the size of my hand.
BIG...Everything!

The next few days we spent enjoying the beautiful coast line of Oregon. So different from New England. Everything is wild and wonderful.

Below are two of my favorite pictures from the coast.

We traveled from Brookings to Brandon, an arty little town on the ocean.

I especially liked "Washed Ashore" workshop and Gallery "Art to save the sea". Here is a huge fish made of recycled pieces!

And then there was the excitement of getting ready for the Azalea Festival Art show. David, Bill and I volunteered to help hang the show with art from High school all the way up to professionals. David won THREE ribbons and a cash prize this year! His art is so unique, I can't describe it.  Check out his Etsy store here!

 I have never seen so many different varieties of Azaleas and Rhododendron. The moist climate contributes to the beautiful bountiful flora and fauna in Oregon.

Bill and I are nature treasure seekers and we came home with a few lovely rocks we had found on the beaches.
I end with a Mandala sort of arrangement.

Oregon rocks! Hope to go back sometime. But next time when it's just a tad warmer. May was a bit too chilly for me.