what I’d be doing if I weren’t here

January 3rd, 2010 by David Miller - writing
Unnamed rapids on Rio Azul below Hue Nain Camping, El Bolson, Patagonia

Unnamed rapids on Rio Azul below Hue Nain Camping, El Bolson, Patagonia

As always it’s the split life. Yesterday we had it all put together for a bit as we explored the Rio Azul for the first time as a family. We got dropped off above Camping Dona Rosa and then hiked upstream to Hue Nain. This is the section of river where Cristian Ferrer runs commercial raft trips. It’s mostly class 2 but exceptionally beautiful, not to mention potable.

Back to work this morning I found several market leads for MatadorU, including several writer’s residencies hosted at National Parks. It occurred to me that were we not here right now, this is probably what I’d be trying to do–applying for one of these residencies.

For example, here’s the blurb for the North Cascades Artist-in-Residence Program:

“The awesome landscapes of the American West have inspired artists for generations. From idyllic paintings, sepia prints, soaring musical scores, and pastoral writings, artists have prompted the public and politicians to establish national parks as an enduring heritage. Their art introduced this natural world to people who might not otherwise experience such places. Artists are invited to become part of this well-established tradition through the North Cascades Artist-in-Residence program. Selected individuals will discover and interpret this landscape through their own creative projects. They are hosted by national park personnel and have opportunities to explore, hike, and become a conduit for the local community to understand resources in new and unique ways.”

Just getting funded somehow to spend time exploring and writing and creating in the wilderness has always been the ‘goal’. This seems like a good option. Anybody had one of these residencies?

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  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    I’d like to try one of these at some point, especially the one in Banff, Alberta.

  • David Miller

    no doubt. i could be totally wrong about this, but i get the feeling these residencies are ‘easier than you think’ to obtain, especially if you have any background in education or environmental policy / advocacy.

    seems like a long way away, but spending lots of time at all different national parks in some kind of service role (artist in residence being the highest level of ‘service’ perhaps right after trail crew), has always been a dream of mine.

  • http://thefutureisred.com Leigh Shulman

    I think that all the time. What would I be doing if I wasn’t here?

    I’d be getting an M.Ed. That’s one thing I thought of recently. One thing that’s not really possible for me to get here. Or at least it’s more complicated.

    Then I have to remind myself that there’s a reason I’m here in the first place, and if I was there (wherever there is), I’d be wondering the same thing.