ART TRAVEL BLOG....EPILOGUE - Home

Most of this European trip was cooked up in this humble shack of an office studio built on stilts located on Green Gate Farm, Maury island, Puget Sound, Washington State, West Coast, United States, Western Hemishpere. The stairs were covered in Blackberries when I returned and the path leading to it was overgrown. I wish I had taken a photo before clearing.

Yesterday I took a dip in Quartermaster Harbor to shake off some of the quickly accumulating ToDo list that decends on travelers who stop. In the past six weeks I have swum in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Pacific Oceans, and in a lake on the canaled countryside of Holland.

The scope of what is possible for humans to do is nothing short of God-like. We casually accept things like air travel and travel infrastructure in general as a given; a hohum chore that we oft whine about. It is nothing short of miraculous and I feel very fortunate to be able to experience this miracle of travel, doing art as I go. I think I have discovered the best drug ever.

Re-igniting a sense of wonder was a big goal of this trip. That has been accomplished. My appreciation for the world at large has increased significantly; something that a travel show (or blog for that matter) could not do.

We too often mistake virtual reality for actual reality and it just isn’t. All media is a reality unto itself, but is not reality writ large. It’s an artifice, a powerful tool, but by no means the Full Monty. We always need fresh air from the outside world to inform and revive the virtual. Otherwise it becomes a “Black Mirror”, a toxic narcissism reinforced by an algorithm.

Art and Travel is not accomplished in a vaccum. I have literally millions of people to thank. Here is that list whittled down:

- Entire nations of people with their unique cultures, language and history, who graciously welcome foreigners into their midst.

-My Family: My wife Arlette for allowing and supporting me in this endeavor, and being a great travel companion on the 2nd leg of the journey Son Giacomo for being an awesome and level headed traveler who said that he actually liked traveling with his parents. If we could bottle that we’d make millions. To Daughter Louisa for tag-teaming Spain and staying home to take care of things while we were gone.

Our friends and neighbors, Anne & Adam Atwell, for taking care of pets for a week, and for just in general being such great neighbors for 20 plus years. We have lived on the same property for that time and created awesome things together (Adam built the stilt house above). They are a big reason I am able to do as much art as I do.

To DigiPen School of Technology, for the great job/workplace, that obligates one towards being inspired in service of passing that on to students. What an amazing place to be. And meeting the teachers in DigiPen Bilbao was a real treat.

To the old and new friends that hosted me and us along the journey: Pablo in San Sebastian. MariaFe and Angel in Murcia. Gabi & Ron in Sao Luis. Peter and Ingrid Van Pol in (Burren?….some incredibly cute town between Maastricht and Amsterdam). Ludewijk and Desiree and Lucas in Amsterdam (a suburb thereof). Paul Valckx and Peter Valckx: Brothers. Opposites, and each uniquely awesome.

To all the people along the way: Every person that stopped by to comment in whatever language they knew. Every Air BnB host that opened up their space. Art Store sales people. Every cab driver, bus driver, waiter and grocery store clerk. Every attendant at the ticket counter, air steward, stranger on the street, barista or Tapas bar employee. All were friendly and an instant ally. I cannot remember one asshole on my journey. I could probably think of someone if I tried…..Oh yes, ONE slightly rude maitre de at a seaside restaurant in Portugal (and I wasn’t even the one having the interaction with her). But if the price of an incredible meal like we had is a slightly rude maitre de, then bring it on.

To my Art Angels, who purchased, or commmisioned or sold my art work before I left, literally making it possible to afford this trip: Thank you Andre Sapp, Kate Ettinger, Karen Du Ford Dechamp, Jane Gill, Monica Grippman and Kamela Daniels! Huge!

To Friend Doug Parry, for being such a constant cheer leader in my life, inspiring me to stay commited to creating, mostly by example.

To my Mom & Dad, for instilling a love of Art & Travel. This journey was very similar to a sabbatical trip my father took in Europe probably 30 years ago, where he drew everyday while there. This is me keeping that tradition going….but with the added inconvenience of a full plein air paint set up.

And finally, to YOU. You dear blog reader have a been a big part of this journey. There may be like 5 of the 99 subscribers that will bother to read this far, but I have so appreciated every comment, interaction and it has been very grounding to be able to reflect on this journey as it happens. You witnessing this trip has in a very real way helped me do the work. An audience ensures a performance. Thanks for serving that role. (Warning: I plan on doing more of this.)

I just found out yesterday that a show I thought I was going to have in September is going to be this August, at the Snap Dragon Hastings-Cone Gallery.

And all the work generated during the trip is reserved for a show in Nov.-Dec. at Cafe Vino-Olio…..so there will be no rest for this traveling artist, as I try to cobble enough work together in this….two week period. Yikes!

SO COME to the Aug. 5th opening if you are on the Island. These will not be the European paintings, but new work and previous.

I hope to see you at both the Hastings-Cone Gallery show August 5th and the Cafe Vino Show the beginning of November. I will announce the opening dates (as soon as I find out). It will be great to see all the paintings from this journey up in one room.

We all breath the same air.

All the best, Steffon