The Creativity
Behind the Lore
Behind every hand-crafted design on Coastal Lore apparel lies a local dreamer. They tell the stories of our sea, sky, mountains, rivers, animals and myths, and breath life into our apparel with their creativity.
When you wear Coastal Lore you carry a piece of their vision. Every purchase supports the very artists who give this place its heart, helping them continue to create, to dream, and to share the beauty of our land and its stories with the world.
Brian Hackworth
Brian is an artist and alpinist based in Leavenworth, and his creative explorations are deeply
informed by his background in architecture and design. This foundational background
provides a unique structural perspective to his artistic explorations across a diverse range of
media, including acrylic, oil, watercolor, and charcoal.
Brian’s work often engages with the
natural world through his climbing objectives, and he was selected as a participant in the
Terminus Project. This significant exhibit, curated by Olympic National Park, brought artists
together to document the poignant beauty and environmental concerns surrounding the
dying glaciers of the Olympic Peninsula, showcasing Brian’s dedication to capturing and
commenting on our changing landscapes.
Jessika Kearns
Living in a small town in the Pacific Northwest - nestled between forests, mountains, and the sea - Jessika Kearns creates introspective oil paintings, watercolors, and ink drawings that are informed by the dramatic landscape around her, a sense of story, and questions of belonging.
Kearns grew up in a multi-generational, multi-racial household. Her home was full of artwork that ranged from old photographs, to scenes inspired by classical literature, to Southeast Alaskan paintings and carvings. Beginning university studies in fine art, with a focus on sculpture and drawing, she was recognized among professors and peers for communicating strong emotions and abstract concepts through her artwork. She eventually received a BA in Art History - a result of her fascination with the storytelling power of the arts. In the last decade, Kearns returned to creating studio art as a form of autonomy and a personal outlet. Her work is marked by a sense of introspection and is inspired by environmentalism, interconnectedness, and various storytelling traditions.
Christina Jensen
Christina Jensen began creating art when she was a young girl, wanting to color in coloring books and having a hard time staying in the lines. She finally decided she didn’t necessarily need to stay within the lines and that it was okay to exaggerate or minimize shapes, giving her the capacity to explore stretching lines and colors to see what happens. She discovered it is okay to carry lines off a page and use colors that are not ‘typical’ such as a blue sun, purple
pears, orange mountains.
From there she just kept going and what you see is a result of her
coloring book journey. She draws and colors in her large sketchbooks or paints on panel board
and canvas using oil pastel, acrylic or oil paint.
Her day job is as an environmental chemist doing data validation and writing reports for various
clients. In her spare time she gardens in addition to spending time doing art and taking pottery
lessons.
Rachael Hurst
Rachael Hurst is a talented linocut, woodcut and mixed media artist. Originally from Michigan, she now calls the Pacific Northwest home. When she's not writing about food, Rachael spends her free time hiking, climbing, and traveling where she gets much of her inspiration.
Mark Mellen
Mark is a photographer, video producer, and editor with a wide-ranging creative background. Raised in the Pacific Northwest- a place that shaped his love of forests, wildlife, and the stories found in nature- Mark's passion for imagery and folklore grew into Coastal Lore, a brand born from his fascination with forests, myths, legends, and the creatures that inhabit both the real and imagined worlds.
When he’s not shooting food, fashion, or wandering through the woods with a camera, Mark can usually be found playing guitar, mandolin, or banjo, spending time with his dog Jet, feeding his chickens, or cozying up to a movie at home with his wife, Molly, and their two cats.
He also has a not-so-secret love for UFOs, the paranormal, and all things mysterious. He’s a fan of horror films, travel, languages, music, pizza, and a good beer- and if you listen closely on a quiet evening, you might hear him picking the banjo by the backyard fire.