This morning I woke up in the Upper West Side of Manhattan. I now sit on my couch in Grand Forks, ND.  It is a strange contrast of cultures and views.  I love both...I love visiting NYC.  I love coming home too.  

It was a great trip...good food, the Met, Guggenheim, and lots of walking.  But the highlight of course was my own opening at Space 38-39.  Given Sandy's destruction on the island the week before, we had no idea what to expect.  But I was happy with the turnout and some great questions and conversations about the work.  

I am so thankful for the opportunity to show at IAM's gallery and certainly to Meaghan and the staff there for the publicity and work that goes into putting it all together.

Perhaps it is thoughtless to begin a blog post with such a title in the midst of such a drought across much of the Midwest...but I use it, as most people do, in a metaphorical sense.  Life for the past month has been crazy to say the least.  And I have said little about it here on the blog.  The craziness I mention is of good things...great things actually that far exceeded my expectations.    

About a month ago now, I was offered a one year teaching position as a Visiting Instructor of Photography at Minot State University.  It was shocking to get the call and the offer.  As one who likes to plan everything, this was not the way I would have preferred it to go.  However, I am beginning to thing that God rarely acts in those expected ways (and perhaps we can be thankful for that).  Not only am I thankful for the opportunity to teach, but to be in a supportive faculty as well that is helping me to acclimate to the department and caring for me in the transition.  I am teaching two great courses: Beginning Photo and Advanced Photo..oh and supervising to independent studies.  

Prior to this craziness of moving to Minot for the weekdays, I had already planned a trip to Iowa and Northwestern College for an opening (see last post for photos).  It was such a great trip.  A remarkable turnout from students, family and friends.  I have done 2 diferent interviews for the show...something I am not used to.  Once again...I am overwhelmed and thankful.

October will be one of the busiest professional months of my life with 3 conference papers.  Everytime I submit a paper proposal I am quite sure that it will not be selected and always amazed when they are.  

And the most recent develpment...I looks fairly certain that I will be having a solo exhibition in NYC later this fall too.  It is simply unbelievable all the things that have come so quickly and seem to be stacked so heavily this fall.  

All of it...plus health, a loving wife, good friends and family and mentors...I am overwhelmed with thankfulness these days.

Last week Friday, Karina and I made a flying trip down to Orange City, IA to my opening at Northwestern College.  It was a great opening...a good turnout, time with family and friends, seeing former professors, and of course seeing ones art in a new space.  As I said that night, any solo exhibition is a great event as an artist but the opportunity to do so in a community that has been so formative in my own life is extremely special.  I am so thankful for this opportunity, for family and friends who came to the show, and for Emily Stokes wonderful help in hosting.