Sand Writings

Last spring I began what I hope will be an ongoing series/project along the Oregon coast. The project began during a community art class centered around the coastal environment around the Newport area. Following several trips to the beach, I began to focus on the historical aspects of Oregon's coastline, appreciating the fact that the entire intertidal shoreline (wet sand) is considered public land. This means it is free for recreational use by the public at large, there are no privately owned sections along the 363-mile stretch. The decision was solidified in 1967 through House Bill 1601 (happy 50th anniversary), which passed thanks to Governor Tom McCall.

Initial efforts were made by Governor Oswald West during 1913, when he declared all sand to the high water line to be a "public highway" so as to preserve the scenery and beach access. This was following his implementation of the Oregon Highway Commision which sought to show travelers to the unique places of Oregon, namely its coastal regions.

“No local selfish interest shall be permitted, through politics or otherwise, to destroy or impair this great birthright of our people.”
- Oswald West

I sought to celebrate this free-use of land and highlight the unique characteristics of the Pacific northwest coastline that we can call ours.

The project took a slightly different direction as I sought to apply my method to a larger idea. At the suggestion of my professor, I submitted my work to participate in a conference later on in the year. The state of the coast conference is held annually along the Oregon coast, looking at current and future issues facing the Oregon marine environment. Well, my project was accepted and I was given a prompt to respond to through my work, which focused on the interaction between the arts and sciences along the coast.

My biggest struggle with the project was getting quality documentation alongside performing the calligraphy and watching for the tide. I had tried shooting myself, even convinced a friend to tag along for a trip to try for better shots, but nothing was working or looking the way I'd envisioned. Early on in the project I became inspired by a video I saw of artist Ian Ross' sand designs which he shot footage of with a drone, so I began my search for a pilot. After several mistakes and first-timer realizations, I came to create this video with the help of Visual Momentum for their video work.

Oregon may not have everyone's "beaches" they're used to, but I think its coastlines can rival the best.