The only friends I made while camping alone. These guys work for the Forest Service, but live in Montana most of the year. I’m pretty certain they thought I was a big weirdo.
Lolly and I woke up to some freezing water collecting in our tent, and snow falling at about 5 am. I barely slept anyway with the recent sighting of grizzly bears in the campground. This was a harsh wake up— leading to me pulling over on the side of the road later to take a power nap.
I got to stay in a cabin alone on Lake Superior. Lake Superior is like an ocean, and even the narrowest part is still 15 miles across. My friend, Christina Seely and her mom, Maggie offered up their cabin for me to stay in- up in Two Harbors, MN. (which is 25 minutes from Duluth and about 2 1/2 hours from the Canadian border) This place is beautiful and I felt very lucky to have some serious solo time there. I got a flat tire on my way up there, which turned into a drawn out ordeal. However, what better place to be stranded for a couple of days. Christina says this is her most favorite place on earth and I feel blessed to spend time in anyone’s favorite place. Christina is an artist and friend that I admire greatly. She made me a special booklet with travel recommendations for each state, photos, postcards, money, and a very special letter for my trip. I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve read this letter. When I feel down or question the purpose of this trip, I read this letter. Christina has traveled quite a bit alone, and traveling has made her a stronger person and artist. She told me not to be afraid and that I’m lucky to know what I want and to go after it. She wrote about the act of making art and the importance it holds… All valid points. Such an inspiring letter to have with me on my trip. Please check out Christina’s work here: http://www.christinaseely.com/ and Thank you Christina and Maggie for your support!
I got to stay with my good buddy, Dru’s parents in St. Paul, MN. I knew I was in for a gold mine, because my friend Dru is one of my favorite people in the world, and anyone that cool has to have cool parents. (and cool brothers) This is the house that Dru grew up in. Such a neat house!
Pat and Christee: Dru’s parents
Sorry Hennessey, but I had to steal a photo from Dru.. You were asleep when I remembered to take one! Anyway, this is Hennessey, Dru’s brother. He is such a great guy! He’s home for the Summer taking EMT classes, camping, and doing all kinds of fun stuff. It was a pleasure to get to know you better!
I shared a couple of meals with the Donovan family. Each meal was a treat. I loved talking with them about my trip, learning about Dru’s childhood tendencies, hearing about their stories, and experiences. I felt like I was a part of the family, and what a warm feeling to have on a long trip like this. Pat and Christee are so great! Thank you for taking care of me and Lolly. Thank you for laying out such a great spread for an oatmeal breakfast. It’s all done in the true Donovan way.
The cozy and beautiful kitchen! Oh, please look at Dru’s stellar photographs: http://www.drudonovan.com/
Christee does energy work, and she offered to let me try a new algorithmic rejuvenation technology. I am holding these two crystal rods in my hand that read my algorithms, the data is then transmitted through a device that is attached to a computer, and then illustrated through fractals on a computer screen— that is constantly changing based on the data. I hope I’m explaining this correctly. I’m sorry. Either way, it was an exhilarating experience and I felt at peace afterward. Thank you for sharing, Christee!
I’m so happy I got to see these two get married! I’m also happy that I finally got to dance. I’ve been dreaming of dancing, running, and bike riding. I gotta get out of this car! The wedding was a total blast. I really went for it. Love you guys!
Laurel and Brandon’s Wedding
Peter, Regan, & Aaron
Me & one of my oldest pals, Joe
Look who it is!! Binghamton folks! I LOVE them! Brittany, Shoni, Aaron
It’s hard to explain. You just have to visit!
“The House on the Rock is the grand vision of Alex Jordan, who believed that sights and sounds were the most effective means of stimulating the senses. He wanted guests to question his creation, to come to their own conclusions and to turn his world of dreams into their own.”-House of Rock website
The building seems to go on forever! There’s 3 separate sections/collections that you can check out, but seeing 2 sections is a safe bet. I don’t usually experience high anxiety, but walking through this collection changed that. You feel like your lost in a labyrinth of STUFF…. and the rooms are dark.(hiding God knows what) I kept panicking about not knowing when I’d be able to breath fresh air again—because of the musty odor throughout the house. Occasionally, the scent of snack bar nachos and burgers would join forces with the musty odor, making for a delightful combo. The house is very cool, but the endlessness and odor were hard to deal with at times. However, I would go back. It’s a must see if you’re around Madison, WI.
One night, I was turning channels on the TV, and I found this man screaming at a chair about Darwin. I grabbed my camera as quick as possible, but only caught a quick glimpse.
Saw Bonnie Prince Billy play at Millennium Park! My buddy Emmett and his band, Cairo Gang played with them too. Emmett is shredding on the right!
Metal Burger Joint. Proud to say I got the Neurosis!
It’s true.
Jim Nutt Retrospective at the Museum of Contemporary Art
One of my hometown friends, Kristin, works as the Manager of Collections at the Museum of Contemporary Photography. She gave me a behind the scenes tour of the Photo Archive. She literally handed me a binder and told me that I could look at whatever I wanted. We checked out one of my favorite Sally Mann photos. Thanks for sharing, Kristin! It was great to see you too! Kristin is a photographer too and she keeps a blog. Check it out: http://itcamefrom.blogspot.com
Magic happened!
Wrigley Field- Game was eventually rained out
Me and Robert
I checked out my SF chum, Suzy Poling’s art show. I took some kinda okay photos, but go here to see better ones: http://www.suzypoling.com/
Nice show, Suzy!
While in Chicago, I stayed with my dear friend, Robert. We’re old friends from Tulsa and I’ve know this guy since high school! We had a rad time hanging out! He’s working at Permanent Records and runs his label, Moniker Records. See here: http://www.moniker-records.com/index.html He’s putting out some great bands, Rollin Hunt, Jealousy, John Bellows, Stacian! You should order some records!
Gorwitz, Leigh, and Evan hanging on the porch on a beautiful evening!
Meet my friend, Leigh! She gave Lolly and I the Detroit and Ann Arbor tour. We covered a lot of terrain! Finally, I had real Mexican food, walked around Belle Island, saw the central train station and Heidelberg Project, drank rootbeer in the sunshine, and just wandered. Such a good couple of days hanging with the lovely individuals of Ann Arbor. (mostly Leigh and Evan) Oh! Leigh just won a big writing fellowship at U of M! She’ll be kicking around there a little longer working on a book. Remember, the name Leigh Gallagher, because I think you’ll be buying one her books in the future. Thank you for everything!
This is Erin! She runs her family business, Truck World in Hubbard, Ohio. I made a pit stop here to meet Erin and to see the famous Truck World (Thanks Elise and Ben). Honestly, I didn’t take that many photos. I was only there for an hour, and Erin and I hit it off immediately. We chatted the whole time about our lives. It’s funny how time after time I meet people and we talk about everything right off the bat. Erin has several projects going. Check out her interior design project Burke Decor: http://www.burkedecor.com/ It was great to meet you Erin!
Braddock, PA has a long and interesting history. The steel mill is still active in this town, but all the workers moved to the suburbs, leaving this town empty and run down. However, the strong will of a mayor and a handful of artists are bringing attention to this little abandoned town. There’s lots of controversy surrounding the revitalization of Braddock. Levi’s has even put Braddock into it’s “Go Forth” and “We are All Workers” Campaign, which has excited some and put a bad taste in the mouths of others. Check out this NY Times article about Braddock, PA http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/01/us/01braddock.html
The artist, Swoon, who collaboratively owns and lives in a church in Braddock.
Levi’s We Are All Workers: Seeds of Change short video about Braddock, PA
