in the POD - one step at a time.....

The scariest cut of all - making holes for the windows!!

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And so it has begun. 

On July 1st, we took possession of our new van, a Mercedes Sprinter on a 170" wheel base with an extended body.  Our total length is 24.5 feet, a dramatic increase from our 19 foot Roadtrek Agile (also a Sprinter chassis)!  

Tim had already put months of work into this project - researching electrical, solar, plumbing systems,  designing the layout, and creating a spreadsheet with all the needed parts (with links and costs). Once we decided to move forward with up-fitting a new van ourselves he began ordering parts, pre-assembling the internal systems and testing them..... over and over. The back porch has become the "workshop" and storage facility for windows, water/waste tanks, radiant floor panels, hoses, generator ....... and the roof has been the testing ground for 6 solar panels which are currently running a small fan as well as the new refrigerator for the van. 

Over the past 25 extremely HOT days we have been working non-stop. So far most of all the work has truly been the grunt, totally non-sexy part of the up-fitting. Yup, all the stuff that, ultimately, will never be seen - but are essential to how we want to travel.

This is where our story begins.......

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Step 1

Remove the wall panels that the van came with.

Apply the sound dampening material. 

Vans are a whole lot of metal speeding down a highway. When they go over bumps the metal rattles. And rattles are super annoying.

These Noico Solutions panels come in fairly large @ 18" x 29" sheets that can be easily cut with a scissors. They have a self adhesive back and we used a small metal brayer to firmly attach the panels to ALL the interior walls, ceiling and wheel casings. (Note: At this point we did not do the 5 sections where we will be adding windows. We will complete those spots after the windows are in)

This was a tedious job but once we found our groove it went fairly quickly. We also began adding the next 2 layers of insulation (steps 2 and 3) as we completed each side of the van.

Tim using a brayer to secure the Noico panel

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My job was, mostly, measuring and cutting ......

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Step 2 and 3

Apply Reflectix - a double reflective insulation and Foamular Insulation Sheeting.

On top of the sound deadening panels we added two layers of insulation. This will help keep our traveling Pod cool in hot climates and warm in cold climates! Strangely enough we have found ourselves traveling  to many cold areas and have often awoken to below zero temps and a few frozen pipes. Yeah .... not great.

 Which brings me to an important piece of info about Tim's plan for our new Pod. Most upfitted van units place the holding tanks under the chassis and run all the water lines in the outside walls of the van. (I bet you can already see the problem.) This is NOT how Pod 3.0 is going to do it! Everything will be inside our layered and cozy interior! More on that when we actually get to installing all the cool things that Tim has been diligently testing on the porch .........

Back to the grunt work.

Both the Reflectix and the Foamular sheeting had to be cut to size to fit in all the nooks of the van walls.  Each layer was glued into place using Loc-Tite construction adhesive. We then filled any remaining spaces and cracks with Great Stuff spray foam. Once the foam was completely set/dry (@ 24 hrs) it was trimmed to be flush with the final insulation layer.

Reflectix and the Foamular sheeting process

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Ceiling completed!

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Nothing to see here!

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Once all the insulation was completed we put the original wall panels back in place. The walls are now ready for their next layer ..... but first the windows need to be installed.

This was by far the scariest (for me) part of this whole deal - cutting holes in a brand new van!! I mean its not like you can "stitch witchery" it back together. I truly wanted no part of this process but Tim insisted that "we're in this together, if we fail we fail together." (Yeah... something like that.) 

And we did it together! 

And we are still speaking! 

And we currently have 3 windows installed!! 

the first cut is the deepest....

Creating the first template  (we will have 3 different sizes) was a bit nerve wracking - like creating a costume pattern that has to be perfect on the body the first time it is put on. Ugh. We started with the smallest of the windows - which will sit above the galley counter. Our first window took us approximately 5 hours to put in.

First window completed. 

Once the hole is cut a frame is constructed on the interior of the van - this is to both support the window as well as make it flush with the finished wall. The frame is constructed of laminated PVC boards and attached to the wall with 3M VHB (Very High Bonding) double sides tape.

Attaching the frame.

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Our windows are Arctic Tern manufactured by Tern Overland and supplied to us by campervan-hq.com.  They are made in Europe and feature double pane acrylic glazing and include a separate interior cover panel containing a retractable screen on top and a black out shade with a reflective exterior on the bottom.

Arctic Tern windows with retractable screens and 

blackout blinds.

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Open window on driver's side

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Sliding door and Galley windows

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We are taking a break before adding the last 2 windows - because they won't be here until next week. 

within the familiar - so why?

Why did I stop writing?

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The last 20 months have been quite full and yet it all just seemed to fly by. I never truly made any real choices or set any goals.... it all just happened. 

Maybe that was the real problem! I did not fully participate, I just let it happen around me. I need to do better moving forward.

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During these last 20 months:

2 Rosie birthdays have passed.

2 summers filled with markets for rose:joe every weekend (June - Sept) meaning lots of prep and sewing to make that happen. And that has been quite enjoyable!

I was actually in 3 separate gallery shows! 

We had 3 POD visits to Horseneck Beach, countless trips to P-town and the Cape, as well as a few weeks on Pine Island last January.

I taught for a full semester at the University of Rhode Island and designed a show for them.

I had one solo trip to Merida.

We continued to work on the Airstream, added a deck to the back of Ty and Amy’s home, and I did

lots of gardening including adding a large veggie garden and 7 yards of new mulched areas.

And, lest I forget, the last 6+ months of pain and discomfort in my right hip and leg that has rendered me to adopt a “Granpappy Amos” gait! Not pretty. Finally that distraction is - slowly - getting resolved as I work my way through chiropractors, orthopedic doctors, xrays, cortisone shots, physical therapy and anything else I can do to get better! Not giving up on this one!! 

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So, all in all, it has been a jam packed, busy, family filled last 20 months! And it’s all been fun and terrific - but I missed the opportunity to reflect upon it all. I do have the photos to go back and reflect upon - catching all those perfect Rosie moments of discovery and joy, but for my own self I do feel that I need to take back control; set goals and fulfill them.... for me.

❤️

in the POD - Napa enchanted

Enchanted Hills Camp for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Napa, Ca

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We headed to Napa to visit dear friends we had not seen in 3 years! We knew we would be driving into a part of our country that had been devastated by fires and we felt prepared to witness empty lots where houses had been, where towering redwoods had stood and now lay chopped into movable logs laid by the side of the road. It was difficult to witness. The fire seemed to have moved so quickly and jumped so randomly - it was very hard to understand.

And yet, I do not think either of us was prepared to witness how beautiful these hills would turn out to be…… in both their landscape and in the power of the individual - and the community - spirit that thrives on these magical hills.

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Olive trees line the driveway to upper camp

Enchanted Hill Camp

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Our friends, Janet and Donny, are the “boots on the ground” managers/caretakers at Enchanted Hills Camp for the Blind, 311 acres of pristine beauty located on Mount Veeder.  Part of Lighthouse San Francisco, EHC offers a full summer schedule of immersion and specialty camps for children through adults and is a vibrant part of the community here in Napa. The camp lost half of their structures (guest and staff housing, out buildings, and facilities) in the fires. With amazing support they are re-building/re-configuring and moving full speed ahead to open camp, once again, this June! 

 Portable saw mill turning the downed redwoods into lumber

Enchanted hills Camp, Napa, CA

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We drove up into towering redwoods perched on the hills overlooking Napa. Along the winding road we encountered various crews cutting and removing trees and debris. At what seemed to be the top of the hill we turned into camp and made our way down again into a valley where upper camp stood. We passed the spring feed creek which provides all the water for the camp. We passed the camp's saw mill turning downed redwoods into lumber... for the camp. We passed the the camp's wood shop and gallery. And then, as we headed to the main office/meeting house, we were met by a roaring 4 wheel drive ATV Polaris helmed by our friend Donny, who then waved us forward and along roads I thought were much too small for our POD. Within minutes we were settled at the base of the small hill leading up to their MOST adorable cottage! Ahhhhh........

Breathe in.....

Janet and Donny's cabin in the woods

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The camp is exquisite. Upper camp has a pond, created by the natural spring that feeds it, with paddle boats, a vaulted ceiling dining hall with a large fireplace and gathering areas both inside and under the porticos outside, guest cottages (6 structures that remain), an art building, some staff housing, a media and music building, yoga yurt, ropes course and athletic field, swimming pool, and stables - currently occupied by 2 beautiful goats, St Christopher and St Nicholas. The stables will welcome 2 miniature donkeys into the fold within the next few weeks and then horses arrive each summer as part of the program activities. Even amid all the apparent destruction - this camp is shaking with life!

St Christoper and St Nicholas

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Janet and her goat baby

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Lower camp was the hardest hit in the fires. All of the camper cabins and bathrooms were destroyed. One counselor group cabin remains along with @ 75% of the outdoor amphitheater. 

Tim and Donny at the amphitheater in lower camp

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lower camp counselor cabin

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We were amazingly fortunate to be here at the camp while two very important things were happening, First, a team of AmeriCorps kids were there for a number of weeks as part of their service contract. This group of 12 from around the country came here after their stint in Houston mucking out mold and water damaged houses. Their job here was rebuilding, painting, anything that moved the needle forward. I cannot say enough about this group of 18 - 24 year olds - committed, hard working and well spoken - each came with their own expectation for their year of service and, I'm sure, each will walk away with a different lesson. Bravo to them and the AmeriCorps experience.

Also, the camp was hosting it’s first program since the fire. It was a small group of 8 blind and visually impaired individuals who had come for a wood-turning workshop. Yes! The camp has an gorgeous wood shop outfitted with 8 lathes, saws and every other woodworking tool needed to produce art, bowls, and furniture. The class was taught by George Wurtzel, a resident woodworker and craftsman who is blind, and Jerry Kermode, a master turner. 

George Wurtzel and I

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Watching these blind individuals maneuver themselves around the camp - from their housing to the dining hall, to class up the hill and back again 3 times a day - that itself was astounding for me. And then to hear their stories - that they each worked a lathe to turn their wooden pieces into small bowls! Not to mention the stories that simply got them here to this enchanted camp in the first place !!!!! I was so humbled to share their table, to laugh and to hear their take on the world. There are sooooo many realities! Sometimes maybe we miss so much because we think we are seeing clearly.

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serving lunch on our last day in camp

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Janet and Donny were afraid that maybe our time together would be too disjointed/interrupted by all the activities going on at camp while we were there. Hell no! I think it made our visit much more focused, and definitely more purposeful. It allowed us to truly understand what they were doing and to feel the magic of the hills. On our last day there, Tim and I helped prepare and serve lunch to our woodworking guests. It felt so comfortable and right. 

Truthfully, we felt we could have both put on aprons and stayed through the summer. It was like being home - and it felt so good.

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in the studio - finding the fun again

Claudia

Kim

While traveling over the last month I aimed to find the "fun" again in my collage work. 

For the first week I did a collage a day. I called them "scrap people"..... each one a person that I had either met or came in contact with during that week. I wanted them to be a quick, emotional response to who that individual was.

Some were more successful than others- but I had fun and that was the exercise!

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The following week I focused on using maps again. Over the last 6 months I had gotten away from using them as an integral part of my collage process and I felt that I needed to find a way to reconnect with them in a new and meaningful way. 

I did not push myself to complete anything - just see where an idea might take me - and I was able to lay down the beginnings of 3 pieces that I felt positive about. 

Since returning home and I'm back in the studio every day, I've been able to finish 2 of those pieces and finish a 3rd piece that had been languishing on my table for awhile. 

Sometimes just stepping away and hitting the refresh button is the perfect antidote!

somewhere between the waves

10"x 8" 

mixed media collage on board - photo transfer, photo printed tissue paper, pencil, paint

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unknown

6"x 61/2"

mixed media collage on paper - antique maps, magazine paper, pencil

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Barn Study # 6: Somewhere in America

7"x 5" 

photo transfer, paint, pencil on canvas panel

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I also began to order the frames for my upcoming art exhibit which is now "officially" posted online!  

It's real! Nervous, excited, and nervous.

Journey: People, Patterns, Puzzles

Cotuit Center for the Arts

4404 Falmouth Rd. Cotuit, MA

May 20 - June 18, 2017

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in the POD - and in the studio with scraps

day 1 - playing with negative space

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I've been feeling a bit at drift with my art work recently, starting new projects and then pushing them aside (or throwing them away) because I just wasn't feeling they were headed in any real direction. I needed a kickstart! I needed allow myself the opportunity to just explore without adding any of the pressure I was putting on it!

So, as I packed up for this road trip I packed a small bucket of glues, exacto knives, watercolors, pencils, art board and envelopes filled with old map pieces, magazine pages and cut outs, past printed photos and an odd variety of papers.

My goal is to use only these leftover scraps, give myself a 2 -3 hour limit and play!

day 2 -mixing  some old elements and some new 

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For the last three days I have done just that and enjoyed every minute of it. The first day I stood in the shade overlooking the canal using our friend's fish counter as my work table.  Not a bad setting to get reaquainted with one's creative self.  

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"Okay, creative self, you take care of the quality - I will take care of the environment"

I have that quote on a sticky note pinned to my desk at home. I believe it is from The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron - which I brought along with me as well  - because re-reading even bits of it when one is at a crossroad can be amazingly inspiring.

day 3 - the start of today's piece

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Claudia and I have been walking 5 miles every morning and that has been so good both physically and mentally. Talking, walking, looking, thinking - imagining. Walking is one of the things I miss this time of year up north as there never seems to be enough hours of light and - oh yeah - it's really cold! SO I best get my fill while here.

Feeding a soul takes a lot of work. Can't live on BBQ alone.

in the studio - and needing to remain here

 the mothership at home in Franklin

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Oh my! Has it really been 5 months since I actually sat down to write a post? Seems like only yesterday. The days have been so busy and so much has happened.....I barely noticed that we actually had a change of season - TWICE!

So - here's whats been happening........

We bought the "mothership" Airstream - end of February
To Kill A Mockingbird and Blues for Mister Charlie opened - March 7th
Rosemarie Josephine came into our world!!! - March 26th

RJ - 3 months later

Tim goes to Florida to take stock and gut the Airstream - April 1st

cutting and sewing begins in earnest for rose : joe - April 1st

the Airstream is moved into place in Franklin - April 30th

Oklahoma opened - May 2nd

Tim begins working on the gutted Airstream - May 10th

you gotta have a vision

Providence home quietly on the market - May 15th

invited to have a solo exhibit at Cotuit Center for the Arts in May 2017!! - June 5th

rose : joe has its first craft fair event - June 11th

it's a family affair

Providence home under contract ...... June 22nd

Yikes.

Careful what you wish for!

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My studio has officially been moved and althou the space has a bit less natural light than my last one, it does have more space. I'm beginning to feel settled and happy here. 

need to get some new art up on the walls!

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I get to have Rosemarie visit on the days that she does not go to day care and decides she actually wants to live her role as CEO of rose : joe.

RJ questions the Fall color palette...

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I'm also close enough to the mothership that I can help Tim when requested and I even have a new office assistant! 

I'm hoping to train her to do shipping and receiving!

Penny on the job.

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This is where we are - right now. Lots ahead. All good.

3 more upcoming craft fairs for rose : joe and I need to focus on creating some new art work. I need somewhere between 20 - 30 pieces for the show!

Maybe Penny would rather learn to collage......

in the studio - untethered and casting sails

Oklahoma!

starting a new show....and more

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I will not say that I am feeling overwhelmed. I am feeling a bit out of control - but in a good way. 

If that's possible? 

To Kill a Mockingbird and Blues for Mister Charlie will head into tech rehearsals this weekend at Trinity Rep. Other than the, hopefully, minor changes that always happen during tech - my work is basically completed on these shows. 

And so begins the next series of adventures.

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The costumes for Oklahoma!, opening on May 9th, will need to be sketched, sourced and ready for the costume shop to begin patterns on April 1st. (April Fools Day...... hope that's not a sign)

Starting a new show is always a bit scary, always a puzzle to be solved and - always really exhilarating! I'm probably more nervous about this show than most. I've never worked  with either this director or choreographer before, so understanding that dynamic will be a BIG learning curve in itself. And, like Christmas Carol, it is a big show and most of the costumes will need to be built from scratch.

But, it is the creative along side the challenge that keeps it exciting for me and I am really looking forward to this new one!

rose : joe

starting a new business......

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And then - there is this new business that I've started. 

rose : joe 

is a line of gender neutral baby and toddler clothes created from upcycled cashmere, wool, and cotton knits. I've been thinking about this concept for a few years now and I finally gave voice to it last fall. Once I actually heard that voice - I had to listen. 

And so here I am.

I'm focusing on Fall '16. I have a palette, a graphic direction and the line is laid out on a board. All of this research and designing has been a lot of fun! (A big thanks to my years in the fashion world for teaching me how to plan a line)

Currently I'm in the process of making all the patterns. (the totally NOT fun part of the process)

Then on to fittings - need to find me some 6mos - 24mos kids. Then more cutting, more sewing and hopefully by May I'll have @ 100+ pieces completed. At least thats my current goal.

I've hired someone to help me with all the sewing so maybe its all doable.....?

And then the really hard part - showing it and selling it. Like any art form, at some point you have to present it to the public and let them weigh in on it.

Like it? Need it? Value? Worthiness? Anything?

patterns, cashmere, wool and cotton leftovers, 

and style packages waiting to be sewn.

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And then..... I have also thrown my collage art work into another possible ring. I applied to have an art show at the Cotuit Center for the Arts gallery. If accepted it will be for some time in 2017. 

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I have cast a lot of sails out into the universe right now. 

Maybe one will catch a bit of air? 

It's all about faith. It's all about engaging, every day.

Create. Communicate. Accept. Prosper.

within the familiar - to muse and be thankful

skies are full of wonder and inspiration

somewhere, PA

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Writing this blog has, for me, been a deliberate choice, an ongoing exercise in creativity, personal reflection and, yes, accountability. Looking back on the past few months - I obviously stopped writing the blog. 

Why? 

I definitely did not stop creating. I never stopped seeking inspiration. And based on my type A personality … I am, by a fault, always standing accountable  - at least to myself.  But it seems that I left behind the reflecting - the muse.

As we approach our holidays, and another year is about to be torn from the calendar this is the perfect time to get back to that thoughtfulness. Just like good mental or physical therapy, introspection moves us forward, keeps us honest and grounded.

The past 11 months have been intense, busy, overwhelming, and a whole lot of crazy. The forces of change that we personally go thru, the dynamics within families, the emotional toll we put on ourselves and each other, the loss of friends as well as the expectation of new life…..all mixed up with the natural ebb and flow of work, commitments, and maybe a bit of pleasure can upend us..... none of this is new, or unknown. It is a part of us all. We create it, we live it every day, and we feel it. 

It is our response that matters. And I guess that’s where art comes in……

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SO, what I am saying is that I need to get back to responding! 

Yesterday, I pulled out 3 art pieces that I began last winter. Over the next few weeks I will revisit them with new eyes and perhaps with some elements of chance I will bring a new story to life. Or something totally new will emerge.

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Collages in process.

Providence, RI

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And in the thankful column:

Tyler, I am so proud of the man you have become and that you were wise enough to seek out Amy, whom I cannot imagine not having in my life as well! 

And to “Baby YS” - I am so looking forward to meeting you!

may the moon and stars be yours

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in the studio - suddenly a rush

Not sure what provoked this sudden rush of art work - 

Maybe it came as a release after spending the last month or so immersed within the powerfully sad and crazy world of 

"The Glass Menagerie".

(yes, designs are completed and in the shop ... )

Maybe it is the realization that in less than 6 weeks we will be on the road traveling for 2 months.... with only a few necessary art tools.

Either way - I was thrilled to have been inspired and explore some 

of the new techniques I have been playing with!

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Diamond Valley - Figure #1

5"x7"

antique maps, paper, thread

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Revisiting - Figure #1

5"x7"

muslin, printed cotton, thread, marker

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2 days 

2 completed pieces

2 new ones being developed

All is well!

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