URL, Printing, Art School, Qajaq Camp, Selling Kayaks, Goodbye Instagram, Late and Later
Post 20
URL
You probably didn’t notice, but I quietly made an earth-shattering change. I jest—the earth didn’t move, but my website did. I registered the URL crowhurst.art and moved my website under it. I will eventually migrate this newsletter URL as well. For now, though, please check out the galleries and let me know what you think. I need to be a little more selective and curate them ruthlessly.
Printing
I am getting old(er). It’s less than a month until I turn fifty-five, which is unquestionably beyond the point of middle age. My children should now pay attention to me and respect my thoughts; a dad can dream, right? J purchased a professional photographic printer for me as a gift. It arrived in a box the size of a small coffin. I have enjoyed watching the doorbell camera video of her wrestling it into our foyer. It was too big to wrap, so I received it early. It came with five sheets of paper. I screwed up two of them and thus have made three prints. One I have mailed to my father, whose birthday is this week. It will arrive late, but I hear that it is the thought that counts. I have been enjoying holding the other two prints. It feels more meaningful to hold a copy of a photograph I made rather than glance at it on the screen. There is so much to learn about printing. It will be a fun obsession. I have ordered some paper from the UK. It seems appropriate to print on paper from my home country. I have a burgeoning idea to handmake a zine about my hikes. Email me if you want a print of anything in my galleries, and I will sort it out.
Art School
I have been contemplating the idea of going back to school for around two years. My thoughts are now coalescing around going to art school. I recently attended a session at the Minnesota College of Art and Design. I like their programs, but they require in-person full-time study. I am looking to study online at my own pace. I have found an art school in San Francisco that sounds interesting. They seem more flexible. I will talk to them later this week.
Qajaq Camp
The past weekend was hectic for J and me; for the past twelve years, we have been a part of the founding members and now board members of a non-profit called Qajaq Camp. Each year, we run a camp where up to forty kayak paddlers gather to learn the traditional kayaking skills of the Greenland Inuit. Rolling, harpooning, paddling efficiently, building kayaks, we do a lot. Greg Stamer, a great friend from Florida, joined us this year as our guest mentor. In my opinion, this was our most successful event yet. The participation and enthusiasm of the attendees were infectious. There were so many smiling faces and lots of learning. We even added a new member to the board. It is great to see the new board members taking over and making the event theirs and better.
Selling kayaks
I have a few kayaks —truth be told, I have too many. I sold one this week to a young man who went to this year’s Qajaq Camp, and I am optimistic I may sell another this week. I want to reach a point where the only kayaks in our boat shed are those I have built and those we use. If you need a kayak, send me an email. I might have a suitable one for you.
Goodbye Instagram
I decided last month to close my Instagram account. Instagram used to be an excellent place for sharing photographs. It has become a competitor with TikTok, focusing more on video content than still images. There has also been an explosion in Bots and toxic commentary. It is time to leave. I have not missed it yet. If you want to stay in touch on social media, I am still on Facebook but primarily active on Threads.
Late and later
This week’s post should have been last week’s. Next week’s will be even later. I am going hiking with a friend for a few days. I will be back soon.
Oh, you could have gone to school with Livia! She is starting at MCAD in August! I also want to hear more about your new printer. I’m trying to figure out how to make prints of my artwork, but nothing comes back with the right look I want. But the exploration is fun!