The Coastal Garden and Art Tour was held in and around Brookings, Oregon, on August 2, on a perfect summer day. A bit of fog early in the morning cleared away to bright blue skies. Eight gardens full of flowers and artists delighted tour goers. Wine tasting and refreshments were nice surprises along the way.
In the woods at the Heiss garden little Red Riding Hood, aka Christina Olsen, was busy creating the whimsical art that she is famous for.
Deeper into the woods, James McCarten found the perfect plein air site for an oil painting.
Barbara Edmiston set up her gallery under a spreading tree with a swing.
Leslie Wolf showed her fashion designs - both her sketches and finished garments.
Horst Wolf immediately set up an easel and began painting the Heiss residence and beautiful front landscaping.
Next, the side by side Moeller and Grimes gardens.
Two artists and their grandchildren painted in this lovely setting right above the ocean.
Audi Stanton and her granddaughter, Mary, offered paintings and cards, plus lapel pins FREE. Mary also sold her grandfather's famous blackberry jam.
Dale Wells and granddaughter, Kelsey both painted and sold their paintings. Eleven year-old Kelsey sold several paintings that she created during the tour.
The Lent garden combined vegetables and florals in a thoroughly charming and artistic arrangement.
Here are squash and other vegetables among the flowers.
Garden owner, Gro, welcomed guests and discussed her beautiful garden.
Artist Sara Broderick set up her watercolor easel and had no end of subjects to paint.
Completely surrounded by flowers of every color, Sara worked on larger-than-life florals.
Some gardens were difficult to leave, but the next one always made you happy to be there.
At the Henley garden, Karen Berry made a charming oil painting of the vegetable garden.
Kathy Huxley made a wonderful oil painting (with a palette knife) of the woodshed.
Sarah Logan offered watercolor flowers and calligraphy.
And Carol Salin set up along the beautifully rocked stream bed that flows through the garden. Carol photographed the gardens included on the tour a few days before the tour and offered cards with photographs of the gardens.
Wandering through the spacious Butler garden, we found Jean Beebe painting and offering some of her famous porcelain work.
Kimberly Somerlott displayed her photographs on a garden lattice with legs made of tree limbs.
Talented teenage artist, Elizabeth Pettinger, demonstrated drawing and offered her paintings.
Charlotte Palmer found plenty of flowers for watercolor painting.
This flower blooms only once a year. It opened in the Burton's garden on the day of the Coastal Garden and Art Tour. Photographer, Violet Burton captured this photo.
Violet Burton in the Burton's art gallery.
Tall verbena in the Burton's mountain garden.
Burton's picturesque chickens are an integral part of the garden.
Len Burton in the Burton's gallery with some of his most recent oil paintings.
The Stafford Family had a wonderful display in the Menzel garden. Bob Stafford makes lighted light houses from old artillery shells and other recycled materials. Bob and Brenda create garden bells from outdated fire extinguishers. Bob cuts off the ends, removes the paint and repaints the cylinders -then Brenda, paints designs on the cylinders and Bob installs copper wind catchers to create hanging garden bells. Brenda also sold her rock paintings and their daughter Kolleen, her watercolors.
Brenda Stafford discussing rock painting with garden visitors.
Claudia Mach completed several small watercolors during the tour. Here she is beginning a floral painting on the deck in the Menzel garden.
The Menzel garden was the final garden on the tour. The garden included many unusual plants and an array of hydrangeas in startlingly vivid colors. The question most asked was, "What do you feed them?" The answer - Triple 13 once a year. That's all.