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By Brooke Nuckles, 409 contributed posts
View all Brooke Nuckles's posts. About the author:
Join us for the First Friday Art Walk festivities!
Ashland Gallery Association Exhibit Openings & Artist Receptions
First Friday Art Walk, December 6th from 5 to 8 pm
Stroll the galleries and take in the visual delights in downtown Ashland and the Historic Railroad District. Venture further to explore out-skirting galleries! Enjoy this free year-round community event, filled with a diverse array of artwork, live music, artist demonstrations, refreshments and lively conversation!
December Spotlight Exhibits
Ashland Art Center
Art with a Heart
Ashland Art Center, December’s Spotlight Gallery will be featuring Susanne Petermann, Collage Artist, Marcy Greene, Mixed Media Art and Jo Ann Manzone, Fiber Artist. Musical guest is Jennifer Davis and Darcy Sternenberg with be featured in the photographers co-op.
Ashland Art Center is the number one spot where the community comes together to meet our local artists, shop in our gallery and studio’s, take classes and enjoy wine and music. This month we are partnering with CASA and will have a giving tree in the center to help families in need. Stop by and sponsor a child with a donation or purchase of a gift.
We will also have a Holiday Show in the Classroom, so you can buy local artisan made gifts. Gift-wrapping is available.
Marcy Greene, mixed media
Shepherd’s Dream
Rogue Valley and Beyond
Pat Moore has been an avid photographer for 35+ years, and brings his keen eye for the processes of nature to his craft. His approach reflects two essential aspects of his personal history: early exposure to urban cultures and architecture, together with two decades as an organic farmer. This appreciation led him to wilderness areas at home and abroad. These elements are apparent in the works that Pat shares with the world.
Pat Moore, “Deadfall Lake Reflection,” photograph
Studio 151
Featuring Kaho Koinuma – Mandala art
First Friday in December at the studio features a joint show of mixed media figures and wall art by Elizabeth York and works by guest artist, Kaho Koinuma. Kaho is a Mandala artist who draws directly from the heart. Her sacred mandalas are expressions of love filled with prayers for each and every being to awaken to the essence of the heart and for all experiences to be pathways home to love. Many have found inner guidance and healing through meditating and contemplating her mandalas.
Prior to 2006, Kaho had no experience in fine art, but with a sudden inspiration from the universe through a Japanese artist, the mandalas started to appear as answers to her heart’s calling.
Before becoming a mandala artist, Kaho was a competitive figure skater and coach for 30 years. This experience prepared her for the focus and discipline it takes to infuse the dots and shapes that appear in each mandala with universal love.
Her work has been the subject of several articles, including a feature article in Hado magazine in which Kaho was interviewed by Dr. Masaru Emoto, author of the best-selling book “The Hidden Messages in Water.”
Since early 2007, Kaho has been exhibiting her mandalas and offering meditations, workshops and retreats in support of all beings to discover peace, love and true happiness, within the core of his/her own heart.
The studio will be open on First Friday, 12/6 from 5-8.
Artist David William Terry has been a professional artist since 1981. He specializes in oil paintings, particularly portraits. He has won awards for his paintings in a number of national and international juried exhibits.
David’s paintings portray his simple desire to share what he considers beautiful.
He is less concerned with originality or style, than with capturing the essential character of his subjects, whether they are people or waterfalls.
Originally from Texas, David and his partner Francesca came to the Rogue Valley in 2015. They currently live in Jacksonville.
David’s paintings will be on display through the end of January
David William Terry, “Gabija,” oil on linen
New AGA Member
Trace West
Trace West Announces New Furniture Series “STATERA”
Grand Opening Reception: Thursday, December 5th, 2019 7:00 -10:00 pm
Design Lab Talk: January 18, 2020 11:00 am -1:00 pm
Andrew Golish, a member of the American Craft Council, is the principle designer and founder of TRACE WEST, a new boutique furniture gallery located in Ashland, Oregon. The showroom will be hosting within the gallery scape a revolving series of contemporary craft guest artisans working in a range of various mediums including textiles, lighting, ceramics and other applied media. The grand opening for TRACE WEST will be held on Thursday, December 5th, 2019.
STATERA SERIES
The opening of the TRACE WEST showroom coincides with the debut of the STATERA series. STATERA, which is Latin for “balance,” is a new contemporary furniture design series featuring fine finish solid walnut custom coffee tables, consoles, benches, and end tables for living spaces and the work environment.
Golish states that the search for “perfect balance” motivates him to create cutting-edge, contemporary designs by integrating traditional hand craft techniques with new technological applications. The STATERA signature series offers clean, sleek lines with intersecting geometric shapes. The sculptural dimension of cascading, rich wood textures are central of these exquisite pieces and elevate them to a high level of quality and design. “Complex simplicity” aptly defines the STATERA series, an elegant balance of functional design and contemporary aesthetic.
DESIGN LAB TALKS
Additionally, TRACE WEST will host and present DESIGN LAB TALKS, an educational guest speaker series featuring contemporary design influencers. Future topics will include the impact of new cutting-edge technology has on design, the convergence of contemporary craft, and the role of contemporary art in the creative marketplace. Join us January 18, 2020 as Golish kicks off the first Design Lab Talk event.
ABOUT TRACE WEST
The TRACE WEST name originated when Golish journeyed from the midwest. Golish states that he “was seeking a more creative, open minded environment and community.” Ashland, Oregon, a cultural hub of the Pacific Northwest, represented the perfect location to bring his creative spirit to fruition. TRACE WEST has been well received by the local community, in no small part due to the company’s focus on locally sourced materials and creating environmentally conscience, sustainable furniture and decor.
Golish has taken a unique approach to the marketing challenge. In what is ever becoming a more and more competitive e-commerce retail environment, Golish has elected to open a brick and mortar gallery which will allow him to interact personally with clients on a daily basis. Simultaneously, TRACE WEST maintains and is growing its own online presence, through its website tracewest.com, as well as industry related associations and community organizations.
Please contact us directly to learn more about TRACE WEST and the debut of STATERA, the perfect balance.
For more information about all of our exhibits and to download the December Gallery Tour map, please visit: www.ashlandgalleries.com
Please see attached “Spotlight Exhibits.”
The Ashland Gallery Association is a collection of over thirty galleries and dozens of artists, offering remarkably diverse and high quality works of art.
Ashland has been designated as one of the “Best Small Arts Towns in America.” And while our most famous arts organization is the award winning Oregon Shakespeare Festival, you really haven’t seen Ashland until you’ve seen the Ashland Galleries.
We’re remarkably user-friendly. Most of our galleries are located within just a few blocks of each other, and every gallery welcomes all comers. We’re proud of the work we produce and offer, and we look forward to showing you what we’re all about.
Thank you for your support of the Visual Arts in our communities!
By Anna Elkins, 149 contributed posts
View all Anna Elkins's posts. About the author: art + word + spirit: A painter and poet, I play in the crossroads of art & spirit. My paintings are visual stanzas of a poem I will spend my life writing - with brush & pen. I've had the honor to create and exhibit art in the United States, Europe & Micronesia. "As with poetry, painting is either a battle or a dance. Given the choice between music & a sword, I choose music." See Anna's listing at the Southern Oregon Artists Resource.
Happy Gratitude!
Little things can bring such big delight. Like receiving photos of my new book, Living Large on Little, trotting the globe from New Zealand to Kansas (with a few furry bibliophiles, too!)
Thank you, thank you to all the readers! Another delight: reading reviews. Here are teasers from a few that have come in so far:
“At the end of this little book I was happier and more hopeful…Finished the book feeling inspired and amazed…As I closed it I felt richer!”
“What a delight! I read this short but powerful collection of anecdotes in a single evening! So much heart and depth tucked in these pages. I will read it more than once, surely. Love!”
“I finished this book feeling hopeful, appreciative, optimistic and grateful. It’s full of insightful personal stories about wealth, the actual money kind, or the “feeling wealthy”, the internal abundance kind that comes from within (which is no small thing! it’s actually THE THING!!!)…”
Of course, I’d also be immensely grateful if you want to add to the reviews! You can find the book here. It brims with gratitude and grace—good for every season, but especially this one.
By Anna Elkins, 149 contributed posts
View all Anna Elkins's posts. About the author: art + word + spirit: A painter and poet, I play in the crossroads of art & spirit. My paintings are visual stanzas of a poem I will spend my life writing - with brush & pen. I've had the honor to create and exhibit art in the United States, Europe & Micronesia. "As with poetry, painting is either a battle or a dance. Given the choice between music & a sword, I choose music." See Anna's listing at the Southern Oregon Artists Resource.
Happy Gratitude!
Little things can bring such big delight. Like receiving photos of my new book, Living Large on Little, trotting the globe from New Zealand to Kansas (with a few furry bibliophiles, too!)
Thank you, thank you to all the readers! Another delight: reading reviews. Here are teasers from a few that have come in so far:
“At the end of this little book I was happier and more hopeful…Finished the book feeling inspired and amazed…As I closed it I felt richer!”
“What a delight! I read this short but powerful collection of anecdotes in a single evening! So much heart and depth tucked in these pages. I will read it more than once, surely. Love!”
“I finished this book feeling hopeful, appreciative, optimistic and grateful. It’s full of insightful personal stories about wealth, the actual money kind, or the “feeling wealthy”, the internal abundance kind that comes from within (which is no small thing! it’s actually THE THING!!!)…”
Of course, I’d also be immensely grateful if you want to add to the reviews! You can find the book here. It brims with gratitude and grace—good for every season, but especially this one.
By Brooke Nuckles, 409 contributed posts
View all Brooke Nuckles's posts. About the author:
Homeward Bound by Marilyn Zupan. Image courtesy of the artist
Advance Release for December 2019:
Art du Jour Gallery, 213 E. Main Street in Medford will continue it’s seasonal exhibit with a transition to winter. For Third Friday (December 20th, 5pm-8pm) we are planning a special Christmas event presented by harpist Kathy Yeoman. Please go to our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ArtduJourGallery) for any further updates.
Guest Artist Nancy Graham Returns to Help Art du Jour Usher in a New Year
Nancy Graham has always been passionate about art in all its forms and styles, as evidenced by the variety of subjects she likes to paint and the varied approach to each. She was always encouraged by her mother, who was a well-known artist in California and an art instructor at Dominican College in San Rafael a number of years ago. She paints only with watercolor these days and her current passion is teaching watercolor at Scrappy Craft in Phoenix, where her classes remain full year around. She tells us that the real thrill comes from the delight her students find when the composition comes together and there’s a sudden spurt of confidence. She pushes strong value shifts of light and dark, telling her students over and over, “The deeper the shadows, the stronger the light will be”.
While teaching that there is more to a successful piece of art than the basic fundamentals of art theory, she likes to experiment with a variety of styles and approaches as evidenced by the selection of pieces that will be showing during December and January. Florals, landscapes, abstracts, still lifes and even a motorcycle engine are the subjects she’s chosen to show. She’s always excited to try something new, and is challenged by the possibilities that watercolor brings to her artwork. However, if one were to ask her what she likes to do best, she’d probably reply that she loves to paint the “close-ups” where she can use her small brushes to bring out the finest details of her subjects.
Nancy holds a secondary teaching credential and art degree from UC Davis, and is a member of the Southern Oregon Society of Artists, the Rogue Gallery, a past President of the Josephine County Artists Association and a juried member of the Watercolor Society of Oregon.
Nancy Graham exhibit at Art du Jour December 2019. Image courtesy of the artist.
Featured Wall to Transition to a Winter Themed Exhibit
In the interest of keeping with our theme “Always Something New“, for December a combined exhibit by participating AdJ members will be offering a visual representation of “Winter Wonderland”. Several of our members are anxious and ready to showcase their creative talents in recognition of this special time of year.
Calling All Rogue Valley Artists!!!
We continue actively seeking new artists living in the Rogue Valley region who would like to join our co-operative and display their work to the Medford community. Membership includes an active role in the Art in Bloom festival in May, as well as our monthly Third Friday event. Media to be juried for membership includes pottery, sculpture, photography and jewelry. Contact the gallery by email at [email protected], or log into our website (www.artdujourgallery.com) for full membership information.
By Southern Oregon Artists Resource, 1616 contributed posts
View all Southern Oregon Artists Resource's posts. About the author: SOAR: The Southern Oregon Artist's Resource is a directory of Southern Oregon artists, artisans and those who serve them and calendar of their art events, and Art Matters!, our blog posting Southern Oregon art events and matters of interest to artists, enthusiasts and patrons of the arts near and far. SOAR was created and is maintained by art advocate and web designer Hannah West in Jacksonville, Oregon to promote our diverse and talented arts community to our visitors and the rest of the world.
Southern Oregon Artists Resource and Art Presence Art Center announce the
7th Annual Angels Show coming soon!
Originally the brainchild of Mary Kell, co-owner of the GoodBean Coffee Company, and curated by Hannah West, founder of Southern Oregon Artists Resource, the Angels show has become a beloved part of the Victorian Christmas celebration in Jacksonville, Oregon. Some have even said it’s become their FAVORITE part of Christmas in Jacksonville! The first-ever exhibition of angel art in southern Oregon got its start at the GoodBean Cafe and was displayed there for 5 consecutive years.
Things change, and we have to change with them. The GoodBean’s management decided to fall back to a permanent installation of historical photos, augmented with seasonally updated mural-size photography by David Gibb. That left no room for the angels, so we had to find them a new home. Fortunately, Art Presence Art Center was in the process of establishing itself in town, and director Anne Brooke was delighted to offer the Angels a large wall and status as a guest exhibit alongside their well-attended annual Holiday Treasures show. It was agreed that Hannah would continue to curate the show. Everything fell smoothly into place, and as a result, the angels had their debut in a gallery setting in December 2019.
Last year’s reception was very well attended, and attendees expressed their approval with glowing smiles. Over forty participating artists included everyone from families with kids as young as four (charming!) to professional sculptors with angels cast in bronze (magnificent!), from local artists to those entering their paintings from as far away as New Mexico. Nearly every medium one can imagine was represented — oils, watercolors, and acrylics, ceramics, class, and assemblage. Some people found the incredible range of artists’ interpretations of angels to be delightfully overwhelming. And many angels found forever homes during the course of the show.
Here are a few examples of artwork from the 2018 Angels Show:
Weary Angel, watercolor by Anne Brooke
Angel with Holy Family, watercolor by Tony Laenen
Angels by the Fox Family
Forest Angel, porcelain doll by Mindy Valpey
Archangel Michael, mixed media assemblage by Ginna Gordon
Nocturne, by Mary Luttrell, New Mexico
Rescue angels, oil by Linda Henning
Untitled Angel, assemblage by Leona Sewitsky
A Star is Born, by Karen O’Brien
Absorb the Light, by sisters Jennifer and Laura Bynum
Evolving Angels II, by Brenda Mills Brannan
Balance by Design, Mixed Media by Eve Margo Withrow
True Colors, assemblage by Audrey Roberts, age 12
Angel of New Beginnings, by Andre Satie
Pink Trumpet Angel, stained glass by Linda Dixon
Come for the Parade ~ Stay for the Angels!!
This year’s show promises to deliver a similar range of diversity. Over 26 artists have submitted their work at this time and the deadline for entries is still a week away! The range of sizes is already impressive, with some as small as 8″ x 10″ and others as large as 48″ x 48″. We hope you will take a moment to save the date for the reception—Saturday, December 7, from 1–3pm—so you can attend. In fact, if you were planning to come to Jacksonville for the annual Christmas Parade, why not plan to make it a day? Have lunch, do some shopping, and come to the Angels reception from 1–3 pm!
Art Presence Art Center is located at 206 North 5th Street, on the grounds of the historic Courthouse (now City Hall) the left as you enter town from Medford. The Angels Show opens at 11:00 am on Friday, December 6, with a reception the following afternoon on Saturday, December 7, from 1–3 pm. The show continues every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11am–5pm through Sunday, December 29. Unlike the Holiday Treasures show, which lets you take your art finds home at the time of purchase so you can wrap and give them during the holidays, the Angels stay on the wall until the show’s end. There are usually some angels in the Galleria that are suitable for gift-giving, but we’re certain that the person you know would love a certain piece from the Angels Show will understand if they receive a card and a promise, with their gift arriving after December 29.
By Brooke Nuckles, 409 contributed posts
View all Brooke Nuckles's posts. About the author:
Join us for the First Friday Art Walk festivities!
Ashland Gallery Association Exhibit Openings & Artist Receptions
First Friday Art Walk, November 1st from 5 to 8 pm
Stroll the galleries and take in the visual delights in downtown Ashland and the Historic Railroad District. Venture further to explore out-skirting galleries! Enjoy this free year-round community event, filled with a diverse array of artwork, live music, artist demonstrations, refreshments and lively conversation!
November Spotlight Exhibits
Art & Soul Gallery
“Color Notes” oil painting on linen by Jenay Elder
Artist Jenay Elder resides in Southern Oregon. Her impressionistic oil paintings are known for their textured notes of color, representational quality and their sensitive subject matter. Jenay sold her first Monet inspired, impressionistic landscape online at the age of fifteen in 2001 and has been making and selling art ever since. Her artwork can be found in regional gallery shows and plein air events as well as in private collections around the world. She is a recent recipient of the Haines Foundation grant and has participated in numerous paint outs and shows, including the UVAA 30 under 30 exhibit. Jenay is also an artist member of Oil Painters of America and Laguna Beach Plein Air Painters associations.
Live music of First Friday will be provided by “Sidewalk Café.” The trio – Beth Martin, violinist and singer, Craig Martin, guitarist, and Todd Ragland, fretless bassist play swing, Gypsy jazz and bossa nova.
Jenay Elder, “Reset on Harris Beach” oil on linen
Ashland Natural Medicine
“Dream Garden” paintings by Linda Kehoe
Lindy Kehoe paints from a pure place of imagination. Nothing obstructs her vision. She weaves in magical themes of storytelling about nature, animals, Mother Earth, music, dance, childhood, mystical, unconsciousness, joy, divinity, feminine, masculine, peace and prayer just to name a few…
Lindy writes, “My work is inspired by serendipity, a momentary feeling of interconnected magic, that often feels like a dream. I am motivated to create images that bring peaceful energy to the viewer, a place of remembrance, a place of innocence. The Oracular tendency keeps me fascinated by the mystical process.”
Lindy Kehoe, “Durgalina,” mixed media painting
Studio 151
Guest Artist Rob Jaffe, photography
November’s First Friday at the studio features a joint show of mixed media figures and wall art by Elizabeth York and works by guest artist, photographer, Rob Jaffe.
In the words of one of his admirers: “Robert Jaffe’s lens and eye are a gateway to a realm of transcendence. The scope of his work ranges from the close-up to expansive vistas. Whether his photographs are the astonishing insides of a raspberry or a full moon over Mount Shasta, you feel that perhaps you are experiencing these worldly wonders for the first time. Jaffe combines his consummate technical skill with the poetry of his vision. The camera captures reality, but Jaffe transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary. His work takes you to unforgettable moments and locations – a dove ascending from a monastery’s ledge in Assisi, Italy, or the Oregon Coast – filled with luminous rock and the calligraphic underbelly of driftwood.
Jaffe’s photographs remind me of a line from Rumi: “We are tasting the taste, this minute of eternity.” The viewer will leave Jaffe’s exhibition, with that experience.” ~Rebecca Gabriel
The studio will be open on First Friday from 5-8.www.robjaffe.com
Ashland Property Management
“Aileron Flares” New & recent works by Jarrett Rex Davidson
Jarrett Rex Davidson is a Southern Oregonian who has returned to paint and teach art practices.His works are amalgamations of memory and folklore that result in grand depictions of cultural iconography.Standing before his paintings, the viewer senses an accumulated vocabulary of imagery reflected by life encounters in the Northwest, as well as travels in Mexico and Italy.Informed by traditions of biological illustration, religious art and pop culture, Davidson navigates depictions of intersecting myths and symbolic narratives.
With a vita that includes a Bachelors of Studio Art from Southern Oregon University, Davidson was the Art Technician for the Portland Art Museum, Oregon Historical Society, Laura Russo Gallery in Portland and Art Handler for Connect Art International in San Francisco. In addition to painting, Davidson is currently gaining his Master of Arts in Teaching at Southern.He is presently working with Ashland Middle School students on an exhibit of artwork that will be displayed at the Ashland Public Library for a Dia de los Muertos celebration from October 28th into November.
Selected pieces of the First Friday Reception at Ashland Property Management will be on sale with 100% proceeds going to The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights.
Jarrett Rex Davidson, “Aileron Flares” watercolor on paper
For more information about all of our exhibits and to download the November Gallery Tour map, please visit: www.ashlandgalleries.com
Thank you for your support of the Visual Arts in our communities!
By Brooke Nuckles, 409 contributed posts
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SeaBat, (aka- Sebastian) was in character as security guard for Art du Jour’s October Third Friday event. Guitarist Rod Petrone, who will perform for 3rd Friday November 15th, plays in the background. Roy Musitelli photo 10/18/19
November 2019 at Art du Jour Gallery
Art du Jour’s featured wall for October 2019 is a collaboration of participating member’s work focused on the theme “Celebrating Fall Colors”. -Roy Musitelli photo 10/2/19
Art du Jour Gallery, 213 E. Main Street in Medford will continue it’s seasonal exhibit of Jeanne LaRea-Lagano work in our salon through November. Our monthly exhibit on the featured wall will be offering a creative mix of work in recognition of the glorious colors of fall. For Third Friday (November 15th, 5pm-8pm) classical guitarist Rod Petrone has once again agreed to perform his splendid classical guitar. Please go to our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ArtduJourGallery) for any further updates.
Featured Wall Celebrating Fall Colors will Transition to a Winter Themed Exhibit
When one of our artist members must leave the co-operative, or for one reason or another is unable to fulfill their Featured Artist month, our board of directors must scramble to fill an open slot. This month a combined exhibit by participating AdJ members built around the theme “Celebrating Fall Colors” has received positive reviews from our art loving friends and visitors. In the interest of keeping with our motto “Always Something New”, the remainder of 2019 will see a transition from autumn to winter for a special treat for the upcoming holiday season.
Guest Artist Jeanne LaRae-Lagano in Salon through November
“Winter Approaching”, 9X12 oil painting by Jeanne LaRea-Lagano. Image provided by the artist
Jeanne LaRae-Lagano’s resume lists many accomplishments as an exhibiting and published artist. Her current duties with the Ashland Art Center includes gallery curator and manager, studio artist, window display, and instructor. She is also a board member “Artist Liaison” with the Ashland Gallery Association. As her exhibit continues into November Jeanne has also planned a transition into the winter season with some new paintings depicting appropriate winter scenes. This will provide an opportunity to those who have already seen her October display another chance to see more of what makes her work so captivating.
November will also bring a new look throughout the gallery as we undergo our quarterly change-out with a lot of fresh materiel ready to be presented. We still actively seek new artists living in the Rogue Valley region who would like to join our co-operative and display their work to the Medford community. Membership includes an active role in the Art in Bloom festival in May, as well as our monthly Third Friday event. Media to be juried for membership includes pottery, sculpture, photography and jewelry. Contact the gallery by email at [email protected], or log into our website (www.artdujourgallery.com) for full membership information.
By Brooke Nuckles, 409 contributed posts
View all Brooke Nuckles's posts. About the author:
Was it Colonel Mustard? Mr. Green? Perhaps Professor Plum was the perpetrator! Something is most assuredly afoot at Central Art, and we need you to help us get to the bottom of it!
Using the clues we’ll reveal each day on our Facebook page during the week of Halloween (Monday – Saturday, 10/28 – 11/2), you get to use your brilliant deductive and observational skills to determine “Clue-Done-It”, what they used, and in which room the deed was done!
Be sure to pick up your “Detective Notes” in-store, check our Facebook page each day for a new clue, and work the case until you have made your ultimate conclusion.
Still stumped? Stop in Wednesday, Oct. 30th to talk to the suspects in person! Miss Scarlett, Col. Mustard, and the rest of the characters will be appearing in costume and ready for your interrogation.
Each Notes slip must be filled out and turned in by Saturday, Nov. 2nd to be entered to win an exclusive Evidence Bag filled with goodies!
By Anna Elkins, 149 contributed posts
View all Anna Elkins's posts. About the author: art + word + spirit: A painter and poet, I play in the crossroads of art & spirit. My paintings are visual stanzas of a poem I will spend my life writing - with brush & pen. I've had the honor to create and exhibit art in the United States, Europe & Micronesia. "As with poetry, painting is either a battle or a dance. Given the choice between music & a sword, I choose music." See Anna's listing at the Southern Oregon Artists Resource.
And one more installation from my forthcoming mini book: Living Large on Little: How to See the Invitation in Limitation. This vignette is from the section on patience….
When I taught high school on a tiny, Micronesian island, far, far away, I learned to make weekends sacred. I tried to get out and enjoy the ocean, which was my favorite thing to do there.
One Saturday morning, I stopped at the local outdoor market and bought a coconut to take to Wings Beach. With any luck, I’d have that northern nook of the island to myself. It was an unprotected beach, as in: no coral reef to create a lagoon and keep the sharks out. I was always a bit afraid of swimming in those waters, and I would force myself to do it.
My car lurched down the pocked, coral road, and I arrived to—delight!—a deserted beach.
I laid out my sarong on the sand and sipped the coconut juice through the straw sticking from the hole that the man at the market had machete’d open for me. When I finished the juice, I thought: I want to eat the coconut meat inside. But this was the entire coconut—thick, green outer casing and all.
Limitation: I had no machete.
Invitation: How else can I open it?
I will not admit how long it took me to break that thing open. It involved much hefting and not a few rounds of bashing against rocks. I’m glad there were no witnesses but the coconut crabs, scuttling for cover.
When I finally heard that shell crack in half, I felt an ancient thrill that no modern equipment of convenience can give.
I sat on my sarong and scooped out the coconut meat. I ate it with revelry, facing the sea and sky in their many hues of blue.
When I had scraped out the last of the sweet fruit, I stacked the two shells and ran my hands through the sand—sand that had once been stone or coral and was now soft enough to comfortably sit on.
So much is worth waiting for.
Sometimes, that waiting is passive, but many times, it’s a muscle’d waiting, filled with sweat and repetition like the tides. Or the sound of continuous thudding of coconut on stone.
PS: The official book launch is November 9 at The Miners’ Bazaar in Jacksonville, Oregon, from 5-7 PM. More info here.
