Yesterday Lorie dropped me off at the Jentel Artist Residency, and now, just about twenty-four hours later, I’m settled in, and have started to make some work. Well, kind of make some work… I’ve been doing a lot of brainstorming about it, but haven’t really cranked anything out yet. What I’ve produced in the last 22 hours has been a letter home to Lorie, and a short, goofy video of me scooting around on a stool in the big empty studio here.

And what a big studio! I have no idea how I’m going to come anywhere near filling it, so I’m worried that no matter how productive I am, it will end up looking empty. But that’s not the attitude to have at all, of course. What I need to do instead is get cracking on having something to put on the wall tonight, and just make work one piece at a time.

Oh, and this might be a little random, but if you’re in the area, and would like to see what I made during my time here, I’ll be presenting my work as part of “Jentel Presents” in Sheridan, Wyoming on March 6th. I’m not totally sure what time it will be (around 5 or 5:30 in the evening, I think), or the precise location, so I’ll post the details as I know them.

Meanwhile, another deadline is coming up: February 29th is our last day of our Kickstarter campaign for the Summit to Sea project, which is just two weeks away from its conclusion. Right now, we’re sitting at $1843, at 21% of our total goal. Will we be able to raise the other 79% in time? I hope so, or we’ll have to shelve the project, or find some other means to do it.

As ever, now is a great time to back the project if you’ve been meaning to do so, but haven’t yet. In two weeks, if we haven’t met our goal, every bit of the pledges we’ve raised will evaporate into mere memory, and we’ll have to start again some other way– and have significantly less press coverage for it, since I doubt the news will take an interest in a second try! Whether it’s simply one dollar, or you magnanimously wish to pledge the remaining balance, every bit helps us toward our goal of navigating from the Bitterroot valley all the way to the Pacific Ocean– from a river with cavorting Dippers, to an ocean shore with cavorting seals.

And if you have already pledged to the project– thank you! Your support really means a lot to me and Lorie, and we’re glad to know that you’re interested in the endeavor! We literally won’t be able to do this without you, making this your expedition as much as it is ours!