Early August I visited the 'enchanting' New Mexico for a week with other artists of faith from around the world. Or at least North America.
I've got plenty to say about my experience, but for now, let me just say it was fantastic. And then let me show you, and keep my words to a minimum.
Day 1: August 2
I actually discovered great art before landing. Wandering the SEA-TAC airport I stumbled upon an exhibit called Push Me, Pull Me, featuring dozens of incredible screen printed posters from Pearl Jam shows spanning decades. There is a book out featuring this art, too, and if the show is any indication, it would totally rock your coffee table.
Day 2: August 3
"Guests of the Glen Workshop stay at the fabulous St.John's College in Santa Fe." (TV announcer voice ends). When I walked out of my songwriting workshop for a break, I headed to the balcany. This is what I saw.
Day 3: August 4
I'm not one to toot my own birthday horn, but that's a total lie. I share a birthday with poet Tania Runyan, whose work I highly recommend. This is how songwriters and poets celebrate their birthday. With tiny but potent chocolate from Kakawa. Jennifer Fuesten, another poet, was also there and having much more fun than this photo suggests. Todd Truffin 'goes all-in' the background.
From miles away my wife was tooting my birthday horn for me. This card was tucked into my luggage, with no small amount of love. It was extra awesome because my wife knows I do not like cats.
Day 4: August 5
This is what a songwriting workshop in Santa Fe looks like. Likely much like a songwriting workshop anywhere else, as we're in a pretty standard little classroom. Except that Linford Detweiler from Over the Rhine is at the chalkboard, and a killer book list is written down for us. You can tell it is Linford because he is wearing an awesome hat.
Day 5: August 6
How do a group of artists spend their day off? Contemplating mortality of course! On our way out to take some astonishing photographs, we were interrupted by these colourful graves, decorated with, well, everything. These graves were all over the place, offering beautiful, whimsical ways to celebrate the lives they mark. If you look real hard in the back you can see just what happens when an iPhone screws up a panorama.
The first of those astonishing photos getting captured. This one featuring Dr. Randy Ritz. The two photographers–Kayla and Brian–were taking photography with Fritz Liedke, and were assigned 3 portraits each. This lovely door was found in Taos.
Driving out of Taos a ways, this giant gorge, over the Rio Grande, seemed to leap from nowhere, gashing through the earth as far as the eye could see.
Where there's a bridge, there are jumpers I suppose. This made me wonder how you could look at a beauty like this and possibly think that life is not worth living. These emergency help phones were placed all along the bridge.
Part other-planet, part Hobbiton, and part eco-friendly dwellings, Earthship is a community set up to create the ultimate in earth-friendly living. It also looks incredibly cool.
We visited some of the spots Georgia O'Keefe used to paint and it was immediately obvious why. I now consider myself a believer in magic places.
And that light! Just look at that sun-down sky.
Day 6: August 7
I got to play music with some other incredible songwriters in a room where painters painted. It was a beautiful experience. I'm a little bias, but this work in progress from Edmonton's Cheryl Muth was one of my favourites.
Day 7: August 8
One last gallery hop before the week came to a close.
Watch out for this group. There's sure to be some 'big-deals' coming from my august group of songwriting students. Can you spot Linford in a cool hat?
We closed off the week right–with a concert from Over the Rhine. My seats were so good I could spot Linford in a cool hat!
Day 8: August 9
Every Glen journey means a journey home. Airplanes really are amazing things.