Dream chaser

Lately I've been talking a lot about my plans for the summer and my big dreams as an artist, traveler, and adventurer, while it is important to have goals and dreams but it's also important to enjoy the path that those dreams are taking you down. I often get so caught up in making plans and making things happen in the future that I forget to enjoy the now and make things happen right now. ​

With my lack of success that I've found in Denver, I've become even more anxious to make big plans for the summer. But moving here wasn't a complete bust, I've seen some places and things that I would have never seen this winter if it weren't for living here. And I discovered somethings about my self and realized that some of the things I thought I wanted, I actually don't want at all. 

I thought I wanted the big city life with a huge art community and tons of things to do every weekend but it turns out, I'm not city girl, nor am I a social butterfly. I repeatedly escape to the near by mountains and foothills for some solidarity. Places like Rocky Mountain National Park, the flat irons of boulder, and the Garden of the Gods have become the reasons why I love Colorado.  

So while I'm busy chasing my art dreams, it's a slow chase full of mountains, desert, friendship, and enjoying every step of this crazy adventure we call life.  

Constant

Goals and aspirations are what's keeping me going at this moment in my life. Two and a half short months ago I made a choice to leave my heartland in search for something more. Hoping to find art, community, and a warm welcome in the big city of Denver Colorado. Unfortunately I've now spent those two and a half months serving bagels and making coffee for the community that didn't seem to have a warm welcome for me or my art. Lately I've been thinking "well maybe I didn't try hard enough or didn't talk to the right people" but the truth I didn't find what I was looking for because on the inside I didn't want to. Moab is where I need to be and Utah is the art community I want to be involved in. Along with work, I spend my remaining weeks in Denver making art, reading travel books and making the best of this place. Exploring and enjoying the near by mountains. Maybe one day I'll show my art in a gallery in this great city but now is not the time. 

Snowy forest of Rocky Mountain National Park. 

To keep myself going I make small day to day goals, goals I want to finish before I move, goals for 2015 and goals for a life time. Goal number one, keep doing what makes me happy even if I'm not in the right place 'make art'. Other goals like save money, get into better shape, read more books, take more photos, talk to more people. Make 2015 a traveling year. These are all the things keeping me motivated and happy. Even though I don't like it here I'm still happy because that just means I have something to lookforward to and I tried something new. I've learned I'm not cut out for the big city but maybe one day my art will be. The only way to find out is to keep making art. 

Capitol Hill 

Colorado love affair

So I recently took my first trip to Denver, to see my best friend and the moment I hit the mountains my love affair began. Don't get me wrong, I love Utah and everything it has to offer but Colorado is new and exciting and a whole different kind of adventure than I'm use to. The high mountains, big city, and all the awesome river ways and outdoorsy things grab me by my heart strings and won't let go. I think part of this love is because I love and miss my best friend so much but also because I tired of the consistency in my life right now. It's hard for me to get inspired and actually make stuff but being in Colorado, I felt the passion all over again. 

Granted I didn't make much art while I was there, I did take in all veiws, scenery, and culture around me by photography some of it. But this trip consisted of jamming an entire summer into one weekend with my best friend.

Day one, day drinking while floating down the platt river through the city.

Day two, going to Boulder, hiking to the very tippy top of the second flatiron in the beautiful flatirons area, then climbed and scrambled around up there for the afternoon and finished the day with gelato in downtown boulder.

Day three, headed down to golden an climbed in the clear creek area in an amazing canyon with white water rafters down below. Then we finished the day with a little bit of off roading and a campfire in the woods.

Day four, rode bikes around down town Denver and ate more ice cream. 

I almost didn't come home, I loved it so much. I know that life can't be fun an games all the time, I would still have to work if I moved but I'm dying for a change of place and those Colorado mountains are callin my name. And I feel some really great art coming from that short vacation. The scenic photos I took will be posted to my portfolio shortly but enjoy a few snap shots of my best friend and I. Oh the shenanigans. 

The view of the third flatiron for atop the second. 

My best friend Cassie, and Brandon goofing off on one of our many mini summits of day two. 

My dinosaur fully packed and ready for a Colorado adventure.