A Year of Exploration

This time last year, I was researching Frances Anne Hopkins at the Royal Ontario Museum, viewing her sketchbook. Its hard to believe another year has gone by! I'm thankful for all the great opportunities i had to travel to Santa Fe and the Southwest, New York, California, Italy,  and now I'm back again in Canada. I have led a very privileged life and I am thankful everyday for the time and ability to reflect, write and read. I feel that the more we travel in the world, the greater understandings we have of diverse cultures, and hopefully we achieve a greater understanding of ourselves too. As suffragette Miriam Beard said,  “travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.” 
I'm also thankful for all the great scholars and mentors in my life. Especially in Native arts it is important to have leaders of excellence who are humble, creative and inspiring. 

In the spirit of reflection, I've assembled here some photographs of my past travels in 2011. Hopefully this will also serve as a sort of armchair travelling as well,  since that is what i'm doing most of these days. Happy New Year! May the new year bring you prosperity!