Postcards
These premium quality large postcards are awaiting your west coast travel stories and kindest words. The artwork back is printed on 19 point thick paper with a matte silky smooth finish. The front features a landscape photo of Tofino taken from one of my favourite viewpoints at the peak of Lone Cone Mountain on Meares Island.
The West Coast Story
One of the most iconic surf locations on the peninsula, North Chesterman’s Beach is the first stop for Tofitians when the fall swells arrive. During the swell season sand reforms and creates banks along the sea bed. These bars create peaks and break up the incoming sets causing the powerful waves to peel and barrel left and right. On the right day, you’ll see surfers tucking into some glassy gems, with a nice light offshore feathering the spray. What makes this spot a truly unique and mesmerizing dream is the long spit of land that reaches out to Frank Island. At low tide in the summer, friends and I walk out and fish along the rocky shores. The once treacherous seas dissolve into tranquil pools, and we dive for crabs and spear Lingcod and Rockfish. An abandoned eagle nest rests overheard, grey whales weave through the islands and sea lions assert their dominance in the lineup. I don’t usually use other people photos for inspiration but this painting was an exception. I had the pleasure of meeting Marcus Paladino when I first started sticking around Tofino. Since the days of being a grom and living in staff accommodation at Cox bay, he’s grown into one of Tofino’s most recognized surf photographers. I love the way he sees the world and documents this unique culture through his films (Kooks) and photography published in numerous west coast outdoors magazines. I wanted this canvas to be a tribute to all the work he’s done, in and out of the water, through sunsets and storms, since he’s been a part of this community. During the painting process I listened to the “Morning of the Earth” soundtrack on repeat for days to keep the stoke going and had to drive to Chesterman’s once and surf it to get a better perspective. If you look really closely you can see the creators hand reaching around and embracing the wave riders as they head on home.