From our Corner | May Musings
A life + studio update,
As I write this, I’m far more tan than I was a month ago—and I still haven’t washed all the sand out of my hair. Just the way I like it. May in the Grand Canyon is about as dreamy as it gets: perfect weather, excellent folks, and big, fun, heart-pounding whitewater. With only a few multi-day river trips scheduled this summer, I found myself appreciating each morning’s cup of coffee against the canyon walls with a fresh lens and newfound gratitude. My time down there felt invigorating and full.
Since I spent the majority of May on the river, there’s not much to report from studio life—except for one major project that’s finally underway: a line of canvas and leather bags. I’ve been stewing on this idea for, oh, I don’t know, five years now? And at long last, it’s in motion. Motion propelled by two rolls of canvas waiting for me when I got home and, frankly, by the act of writing these words. Nothing like some written accountability. Next steps: fine-tune the design and fire up the industrial sewing machine. What are your favorite ways to gather and maintain momentum for new projects?
This month’s reading list has been a mix of genres: The Doors of Eden by Adrian Tchaikovsky—a mind-bending fantasy/sci-fi adventure full of alien monsters and parallel worlds—alongside Down the Great Unknown by Edward Dolnick, a nonfiction account of the John Wesley Powell expedition, the first exploratory trip down the Grand Canyon.
I’ve also been listening to The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers audiobook, and let me tell you—it’s been joyfully filling my ears during the 14-plus-hour drives to and from Flagstaff.
Back home in Idaho, it stays light until 10 p.m. and the sun is up by 5:30 a.m.—and I absolutely love it. There’s nothing better than waking to the soft, orange-and-pink glow of morning. These longer days give me room to bop between blocks of work and play: a wake-up call in the form of morning CrossFit, a few hours of computer work, hands-on time in the studio, pent-up energy released by revving up the tiny chainsaw and trimming a limb or two, and finally, sitting in the grass watching two kittens roam.
Finding that off-river schedule,
Sarah + Kinshop
