"Looking Back" Painting Process
What inspired this?
I picked up the reference for this painting on the West Coast Trail. It was our second day on the hike and we had to wait for about an hour to pass Owen point. It is a cape which you can only pass at low tide, and the wait gave us plenty of time to explore the area, stare at the tidal pools and appreciate the landscape.
The views at Owen point are spectacular, and I spent a good long while staring at the sea stacks off in the distance, looking back at the way we’ve come so far, while unable to get around the next corner.
I knew I had to paint the sea stack structures and the interesting shapes they provide against the misty background, but the extra time for contemplation allowed a deeper idea of “Looking Back” to come into my mind.
Starting from the south end, which is what our group did, the first day of the hike has the toughest terrain, and the shock of an overweight backpack plus some infamous West Coast Trail ladders gave little room for appreciation of the scenery. We were all busy putting one foot in front of the other while ignoring any thoughts of turning back. But it was during the pause on the second day where I could look back at the landscape we just passed and see it in a new light. It was truly magical, and it was a real life a-ha moment.
We often focus so much on what lies ahead, that we forget to appreciate the path down which we’ve come. You get a different perspective on the same things and it might change the way you look at the future. It’s the balance between our past experiences and our vision for the future that makes the road easier to walk on.
I made it a priority for the rest of the hike to try and absorb as much visual candy as possible, and it will remain one of the most inspiring trips I have taken.
