The Gold Band

The marine landscape in the Pacific Northwest is overwhelmingly colored in blues and greens, or maybe grays and greens if there is cloud or fog. A hint of red or yellow shouts out for attention. That explains why I have become obsessed by the band of golden seaweed that often appears on rocks just at the waterline. On a gray day, it may be just a dull gold, but when the sun shines the translucent plants glow as the light hits them. It’s become a habit now to search out the best scenes with the brightest gold band, and to capture them in paint or with the camera.