Ashley and I were fresh in love. On a bluebird winter day in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, we had hiked the winding sledding trail to a hut overlooking the Alpine valley, where we enjoyed some Weissbier and sausages. Before pushing off for a thrilling ride down the forested trail on our sleds, I swallowed the butterflies trying to block the words I wanted to say to this beautiful woman and got down on one knee. Moments later, snow was spraying in our faces as we rocketed through the Bavarian pines, a newly engaged couple on yet another escapade together, smiles broader than ever.
Oktoberfest - September 2009 - Munich, Germany
At the end of our two years living and loving in Germany, we knew that it was time to return to our homeland and start the next chapter in our lifelong adventure. But where to go? After weighing various options and throwing many darts at maps of the US, we decided to head to a state that had charmed us from many angles on our countless excursions there: Colorado.
Seven years ago, we stumbled into Boulder with a pocket full of Euros and head full of possibilities. Since then, we've bounced around various parts of the Front Range of the Rockies, finding our proverbial path and never ceasing to be amazed by the beauty of this region. The people are wonderfully weird, the arts are thriving, and the entrepreneurial spirit is ubiquitous. Simply put, it fits us as snugly as the spandex bodysuits Colorado folks like to wear to brunch.
When we first arrived in Boulder after hopping over the pond. - May 2010 - Boulder, Colorado
The birth of our first son, Ivan Lee. - April 2013 - Lyons, Colorado
Those views though. - September 2014 - Boulder, Colorado
Arriving home after our first ten weeks on the road. - August 2015 - Colorado/Wyoming Border
Broncos fans 4 life. - August 2016 - Denver, Colorado
Hiking Horsetooth - September 2016 - Fort Collins, Colorado
The birth of our second son, Orin Jo. - November 2016 - Fort Collins, Colorado
The boys. - January 2017 - Fort Collins, Colorado
But we're moving. It has been a harsh realization to accept but we simply cannot afford to run our business, raise our family, and lead the lives we desire in this Rocky Mountain haven. We've been priced out of Colorado and it stinks. But who can blame all the young professionals flocking to this wonderful state? Who can blame the homeowners selling their modest home for three times what they bought it for ten years ago? Supply and demand. The ebb and flow. We have to go.
As we traversed these United States of America during our art adventures of the past few years, we've always kept an eye out for a new place to build our hive. We loved Arizona and New Mexico, but the location wasn't very central. San Francisco and the West Coast were great, but that wasn't any easier on the pocketbook or the drives to our Midwestern art fairs. We've been charmed by many regions, but none checked all of the boxes for the life we envisioned.
But then we realized that there was one spot that we always came back to, year after year. One place that always felt familiar and inviting. Where property is unbelievably affordable and the region is rife with outdoor enthusiasts, art-centric folks, tasty beer, and juicy blueberries. Where the vineyards thrive in the sandy soil and maple syrup flows like wine. Where the Dutch have built windmills and effigies to their (and our) motherland. Where an ocean of a lake is skirted by sugar-sand beaches and forested dunes. Yes friends, my little family and I are packing up our life and planting our roots in the fertile soils of southwestern Michigan.
From our conversations with close friends and strangers alike, the wonders of Michigan have eluded many. Most folks outside of this region don't know about the incredible natural beauty of the Lake Michigan shoreline and its charming lighthouses. But it's AWESOME here. The people are friendly and the landscape is scenic. Breweries and wineries are abound and you can pick fresh blueberries from the countless farms in the area and enjoy them on the endless beaches lining the coast.
The location is great for us as well. From our little acreage, we will be two hours from Chicago (where more of my paintings live than anywhere else) and closer to all of the Midwestern shows that we frequent. In addition, the East Coast, a market that was always too far away to explore, is now a day's drive away. As an added bonus, there is an awesome little elementary school just down the road where they teach an outdoors-centered curriculum. Booyah!
Lastly, the affordability of the area has allowed us to not only get a house, but also a separate building that will make a perfect studio, a dream that I never thought possible after perusing the Colorado real estate market. With our new workspace, Ashley and I will be able to work efficiently while keeping our personal and business lives separate. More space to work means room for bigger art and my lofty ambitions of creating large, sculptural work now seems more attainable than ever.
While we will have a somber time packing up our Colorado life and saying goodbye to the many fine friends we've made there over the past seven years, we're excited about our new beginnings in the Wolverine State and hope you'll stay tuned for the many artistic moves on the horizon.
From the mountains to the lakes. Goodbye Colorado. Hello Michigan!
Those beach sunsets though. - June 2015 - Grand Haven, Michigan
Straight off the bush, so fresh. - July 2016 - Fennville, Michigan
Hiking in the UP to the beaches of Lake Superior. - July 2017 - Yoopee, Michigan
The boys exploring Windmill Island - October 2017 - Holland, Michigan