We have just returned from the Netherlands and Copenhagen where we relaxed, biked, saw some sights and visited family working in Europe.

It was a fun with the focus on family and fun.

Trip highlights?
• Family – It was good to remove most (there were a few deliverables) of the pressures of work to play and enjoy family all the time.
• Bikes – I love bikes and all about them. And while I knew both countries were bike oriented, the bikes and bike culture were a high point of my trip. Everything revolves around bikes – city planning, transit, etc.
• Windmills – Not just the pretty postcard windmills (of which we had a tour – loved it!) but everywhere we went we saw power-generating, efficient, clean windmills.
• Tastes of Europe – Cheese, craft beer, chocolate… We sampled and smiled.
• Photography, lack of – I brought an iPhone and a ‘half-framer’ Ricoh film camera (which, erm, we left in Montreal airport, in case anyone finds it…) I took a few photos mostly of family giggling and enjoying themselves! It was time to recharge.

Leiden Windmill, Netherlands, iPhone photo

I am officially back at work Wednesday and will take a few days to be running at normal speed.

What’s coming up?
• Workshops – In the next couple of weeks we offer the classic Creative Fundamentals and introduced the more challenging Fundamentals II.
• Acrylic Painting Presentation (this Wednesday!)
• we’ll be announcing new arts based workshops later this week featuring Claudia Salguero.
• Producing work for two ongoing collections – Sunstreaks and Watershed.

Stay tuned!