April was an interesting month. We thoroughly enjoyed our last few weeks of Mexican sun and slowly made our way North again. Time seems to fly when you’re having fun and it seems to goe even faster when hitting the tail end of your latest adventure. That was definitely the case with us.
We spent a week in Vancouver with my wife’s family before continuing to the Yukon. It was a nice interlude with far too much wine, and more rain than the past 6 months combined, but that worked for us.
Coming back to Dawson was welcome by the time it actually rolled around, and we did a pretty good job of hitting the ground running. It felt good to trade in the cement wonderland of Guanajuato for the Spruce trees of the Yukon. There isn’t a whole lot that can compare with the feeling of coming home.
For me it also means my return to boat building. Last year I built two Birch Bark canoes, it’s a completely different skill set from painting and sculpture, but it fascinates me how roots and bark and boards can be fashioned into a strong and reliable boat. The way it holds itself together, and the pieces under tension that provide the strength and shape of the vessel is pretty incredible.
I’ve been lucky enough to have some interest in my boats, and one of the more recent ones I’ve made from 2017 put me in contact with a very talented film-maker, Fritz Muller.
He and I have been collaborating for a project which is focusing on traditional watercraft and the creation of them. Last year he was able to come up a couple times and get some footage of the process in action, and this year with another canoe in the works, again he was able to come up and film more. It’s still cold enough that collecting all the materials before the construction part can’t really happen yet, but hopefully as the ground thaws we can keep going on that.
For the time being, while we wait, I suppose I will bust out the paints and finish some of what I started in Mexico. The feeling and the light are still so fresh in my mind, and I don’t think I can put it behind me until I have the opportunity to get them out onto canvas. Either way, this time of year is always very productive for me so whatever projects the future holds, I’ll make sure to keep you posted.
