Going to Colorado, where I grew up, is always filled with such strange feelings for me. I would say going "back home," but it just doesn't feel like home anymore. I had a perfectly good childhood, but for some reason I don't feel connected to the place I grew up in a way that so many other people seem to. Still, I get to drive (or be driven) from one city to the next to visit my family, and hopefully catch up with some old friends from high school (and even middle school!), and that is always good. Eleven days is a long time to be away from home, and away from work, especially when you work for yourself, so I've been trying to find ways to weave part of my vacation into my work. I'm taking lots of pictures, re-visiting places I used to go (the ones that are still there!), journalling and sketching inspiration for new paintings (a new series??). When I have some down time to myself, I'm brainstorming blog ideas and going online to check out venues to apply to show my work.
All in all, it's a lot less work than I would have done had I been home this whole time, but it IS a vacation, right? ;)
