4A • March 10, 2017 | Cannon Beach Gazette | cannonbeachgazette.com
Views from the Rock
Claudia Toutain-Dorbec, a
tourist ambassador to the world
An artist of intensity, Claudia Toutain-Dorbec has
dedicated her life to sharing her artistic vision with others,
through hospitality and community involvement in the arts.
As the owner of the Cannon Beach Hotel, the city’s lon-
gest-running lodging facility, she sees her city of Cannon
Beach as a canvas for her dreams, and the dreams of others.
T
here is history within the walls of the Cannon Beach
Hotel. At 113 years young, the one-time Becker
Building is the city’s longest continuously operating
lodging facility.
Toutain-Dorbec bought the hotel with her then-husband
and business partner, Stephen Tuckman, from a former
nurse who had turned it into the fi rst bed and breakfast in
Cannon Beach.
Toutain-Dorbec
presided over the
CANNON SHOTS
hotel’s centennial
R.J.
MARX
celebration in 2004,
and is now the propri-
etress of the hotel and
cafe, the Courtyard,
the McBee Cottages and Hearthstone Inn.
“There’s one phrase I use for the hospitality business:
‘It’s a daunting job,’” Toutain-Dorbec said. “It’s a tough
business. You work Christmas, you work Thanksgiving —
you pretty much devote your life to the business. It’s like
having dozens of plates spinning in the air, when you see
one is starting to topple a little bit, you’ve got to run over
there and catch it.
“We have a maxim we live by over at the front desk,” she
added. “It’s called, ‘Do it now.’”
After Tuckman’s death, Claudia married the renowned
war correspondent Pierre Toutain-Dorbec. “Fragile and
tired,” after retirement, he sought a quieter life.
The battlefi eld veteran now enjoys days very different
from the 35 years he spent as a photojournalist for some of
the most prestigious international publications of the 20th
century in locations ranging from Tibet, Nepal and China to
Paris, Quebec and Los Angeles.
Two of these books he co-authored with His Holiness,
the 14th Dalai Lama.
The Toutain-Dorbecs break up their “daunting job” as
hoteliers with at least six weeks of vacation every fall, often
to their home in France.
Season in the garden
In 2011, Claudia Toutain-Dorbec, a painter, had the ex-
perience of a lifetime when invited artist-in-residence at the
Monet Gardens in Giverny, in Normandy, France.
“An invitation from the Foundation Claude Monet in
2009, based on my American Southwest botanical work, to
spend one week per month there for fi ve months in 2010,
with a private studio, could not be refused,” she wrote in the
subsequent book chronicling the experience, “A Season at
Monet’s Garden.”
Monet’s aesthetic jibed with her own sensibilities. “He
was a genius, a fabulous artist, a foodie, an incredible gar-
dener,” she said.
Toutain-Dorbec was intrigued with Monet’s love of Japa-
nese art and landscape design. But she faced a considerable
challenge when she began her residency.
“When I arrived at Monet’s Garden, I was told I could
not cut a fl ower,” she said. “I almost got on a plane and fl ew
back. I dug under Dumpsters, I climbed on the ground for
fl owers, I bribed a gardener with expensive shears. We ar-
rived one day and found gardeners digging up all the tulips
which they would not let me touch and which they were
replacing with geraniums, fallen in a storm.”
But she found enough assistance from gardeners and
staff to complete her project. The book debuted at the New
York Botanical Gallery in 2011 and celebrated its Oregon
opening at the Cannon Beach Art Association Gallery in
2014.
Photos from her season in Giverny are on display at the
Seaside Library through April 25.
International destination
In 2015, the Toutain-Dorbecs broke up their annual trav-
els with a trip to Italy and last fall to India.
The exotic and varied international background of the
couple — along with the natural beauty of the North Coast
— both invites and successfully attracts an international
clientele to Cannon Beach.
“We do get quite a number of French people,”
Toutain-Dorbec said. “I’ve noticed a serious uptick in inter-
national travelers. It’s been pretty much the case along the
R.J. MARX PHOTO/CANNON BEACH GAZETTE
Claudia Toutain-Dorbec in front of the Cannon Beach Hotel.
north Oregon coast. They
really enjoy Cannon Beach.
It’s got those designations
‘most beautiful beaches.’
It’s been named among the
‘most beautiful places’ by
National Geographic. That
really got their attention.”
The city’s growth as a
welcoming place for the arts
adds to the appeal.
A couple from Berlin,
here for their third year,
“loves the Coaster Theatre,”
Toutain-Dorbec said — and
that brings us to another
one of her endeavors, as a
commissioner for the city’s
Tourism and Arts Commi-
sion.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
“A Season in Monet’s
Garden,”
by
Claudia
Toutain-Dorbec. Drawings
from the book are on dis-
play at the Seaside Library.
Funds for the arts
The commission provides funds from the city’s hotel
tax dollars to encourage tourism in the off-season, with
programs like the Cannon Beach Juried Art Show, the yoga
festival, Savor Cannon Beach and the Spring Unveiling Arts
Festival, among others.
Events like these are “critical to our community,”
Toutain-Dorbec said. “I’m hopeful that every hotel owner in
this town feels that way. Because that’s part of what makes
this community so vibrant and alive and brings people in
every year. People from the cottage tour, they come from all
over the country. We have wonderful authors that come to
‘Get Lit at the Beach.’”
Seven commissioners from diverse industries in Cannon
Beach distribute the funds, with the goal of putting “heads
in beds.”
“We’re looking to bring people here to stay in town for
a couple of days and provide them with an activity that
helps them to get to know Cannon Beach as a community,
our culture, our environment, our beautiful fl ora, our fauna,
Haystack Rock, Ecola Park,” she said. “Last year we had
$285,000 to give away. It’s not peanuts.”
Arts organizations partner with county nonprofi ts to cre-
ate an event that brings people to the community, “and we
bring them the funding to make that happen.”
Any promotion or event contributing to the arts or that
would bring in tourists from more than 50 miles away
would receive consideration. Tourism and art fund grants
can be used for expenses like personnel, special events,
signs, promotional materials and advertising.
The commission is “always looking for events to bring
guests to our community, and we’re always looking for new
projects,” Toutain-Dorbec said.
What a great way to follow your bliss in Cannon Beach!
For those interested in exploring Tourism and Arts Com-
mission opportunities, contact City Recorder Colleen Riggs
at 503-436-8052; riggs@ci.cannon-beach.or.us.
LETTERS
The kindness of strangers
Thank you Astoria, Seaside and Cannon Beach. I am
not a resident of the area, but absolutely adore it, and it
means more to me than you know. I’ll explain.
I have been coming to the area for some time, fi ve
years ago, to be exact, since I fi rst discovered it. I adore
it, and come as often as I can, it’s truly special. In fact
I’ve been here for the last few days. A little over a year
ago my mother and
father died, 13 days
apart, and it ripped me
to pieces.
They loved the
ocean, my mother es-
pecially. The last ocean
they laid their eyes
on was at Seaside at
sunset. I can’t imagine
a better end. Since
then, the area has been
a refuge, something
good, and a feeling of
some sort of familiarity
SUBMITTED PHOTO
of my parents to hurt,
rejoice and connection. Michael Quatrociocchi and
When I’m there it’s like his dog in Cannon Beach.
they’re not gone, like
I’m not gone.
Not long after they died, my dog (her dog as well)
fell ill with cancer. She’s getting treatment, but will pass
away. She is the last living link to her I have, to some-
thing special just between us. She’s always gone with
me, and she will continue to until she can’t — she shares
the love of the area with me. She means so much. We
are the best of friends, she’s all I have. I will continue
time to give her the best life possible.
Something happened Sunday. Along Cannon Beach,
adjacent to Haystack Rock, my dog and I stopped to
watch the sun go down. Those sunsets are the most
beautiful; Sunday was the most beautiful.
Now I know the people of the area are wonderful.
I’ve interacted with them for years, and they’ve been
kind to my parents and pooch, and myself. As I was
leaving, a woman approached me and said she was a
photographer. She said she had a picture for me, and
normally doesn’t approach subjects, but felt I needed a
picture she had taken of us.
When I saw it, I didn’t know what to say, but cry.
First it made me happy, sad she was going to die, sad
for my parents gone, but joyous in its connection, it’s
love, hope, and something we all share that can’t ever
die. All because a resident I didn’t know — a stranger’s
kindness, a common thread of all residents — who knew
enough to know what it meant, and that I needed it.
I know the area is special, and has given me, us, so
much, and brought it all together yesterday. I’d like the
communities to know that.
Michael Quatrociocchi
La Grande
Nonprofi ts may apply for funding
Nonprofi t organizations providing programs/projects
in arts, educational, recreational, environmental, commu-
nity or social services in Cannon Beach are invited to ap-
ply for funding from the City of Cannon Beach by fi ling
an application with:
City of Cannon Beach, Parks and Community Ser-
vices Committee, P.O. Box 368, Cannon Beach, OR
97110; Attention: Jennifer Barrett.
Applications must be submitted by 2 p.m., Wednes-
day, April 19.
Applications are available at Cannon Beach City Hall,
163 East Gower Street, P.O. Box 368, Cannon Beach, OR
97110, or electronically at www.ci.cannon-beach.or.us.
PUBLIC MEETINGS
Tuesday, March 14
Cannon Beach City Council,
5:30 p.m., work session, City
Hall, 163 E. Gower St.
Thursday, March 16
Cannon Beach Parks and Com-
munity Services Committee,
9 a.m., 163 E. Gower St.
Cannon Beach Design Review
Board, 6 p.m., City Hall, 163 E.
Gower St.
Tuesday, March 21
Cannon Beach Public Works
Committee, 9 a.m., City Hall,
163 E. Gower St.
Seaside School District, 6 p.m.,
1810 S. Franklin, Seaside.
Thursday, March 23
Cannon Beach Planning Com-
mission, 6 p.m., City Hall, 163
E. Gower St.
Friday, March 24
Cannon Beach Planning Com-
mission, 6 p.m., City Hall, 163
E. Gower St.
Cannon Beach Library to celebrate its 90th birthday
L
ibrary friends, you may not
be aware that this is a very
signifi cant year for us. 2017 is
our 90th birthday, which we will be
offi cially celebrating at our October
membership meeting.
Our Cannon Beach Library was
organized by eight women in 1927.
The state librarian sent 54 books as
part of the Oregon traveling library
program to help start the library.
The fi rst year consisted of books on
three shelves in the small store La
Rose Shop — and the rest is history,
as they say. We will be focusing
on various aspects of our history in
columns to come.
Our Northwest Author Series is
scheduled for Saturday, March 11, at
Publisher
David F. Pero
Editor
R.J. Marx
Sales/Advertising
Manager
Betty Smith
Production Manager
John D. Bruijn
Classifi ed Sales
Jamie Ramsdell
Advertising Sales
Holly Larkins
Brandy Stewart
AT THE LIBRARY
CARLA O’REILLY
2 p.m. when author Ellen Urbani will
be meeting with us to discuss her
book “Landfall.” Because our author
events have been very well-attended
in recent months, you should arrive
well before 2 in order to assure get-
ting a seat. If you have any questions
about Ellen Urbani or her writings,
please contact Jean Furchner at 503-
440-9767.
Cannon Beach Reads, our library
book-reading group, will be con-
Contributing writers
Rebecca Herren
Katherine Lacaze
Eve Marx
Nancy McCarthy
vening on Wednesday, March 15, at
7 p.m. This month, the group will
have read, and will be discussing
“Our Souls at Night,” by author Kent
Haruf. Linda Gebhart will be this
month’s discussion leader.
You don’t want to miss Satur-
day, March 25, at 3 p.m. when folk
singer and puppeteer Andy Furgeson
from Red Yarn Productions will be
performing “The Deep Woods” for
our children’s spring break program.
Sure to be fun for all ages!
We are excited to announce Can-
non Beach Library has begun hosting
two new programs. Storytime Hour
held every Friday from 11 a.m. to
noon for infant to preschool age
children. This was started by Nadia
CANNON BEACH GAZETTE
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Gardner from North Coast Parents
Network. Also the new Cannon
Beach ESL program. This was start-
ed by Nancy Wesson, with help from
Judith Pearson, as well as others. The
classes are held on Tuesday evenings
from 6 to 8 p.m. Both endeavors
have proved to be very successful
and enjoyable for all participants,
including library personnel! All are
welcome. Come check us out!
Finally, put April 5 from 11 to
1 p.m. on your calendars and come
share the Member and Volunteer
Luncheon with us. The event will
be presented at the Cannon Beach
Chamber of Commerce at 207 North
Spruce St. Save the date!
In other library news, the library
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board has voted to create a special
library poetry section, containing
books donated by long-time library
supporter Joe Hummel, among other
poetry selections. This should be
accomplished soon. Watch for it!
We have an ongoing book sale in
our special book sale room at the li-
brary. Cookbooks, gardening books,
and children’s books are available,
as well as other choices, both fi ction
and nonfi ction. Library patrons who
enter our doors to sit by the fi re and
escape the storms outside are cordial-
ly invited to check out the books we
have available!
Lastly, let’s all cheer up and look
forward to a lovely Pacifi c spring-
time — it must be coming, right!?
THE NATIONAL AWARD-WINNING