Sabbatical

Here is what I've been doing for the past 3 months:

* Eight weeks in April and May spent in San Francisco working on various writing and drawing projects, exploring the city, and sometimes also being lazy.

* A week's residency in April at the amazing Drop, Forge, and Tool in Hudson Valley having (vast) studio space for the first time ever and working intensely on a particular project.

* A week with my family in June in North Carolina -- first the beach at Emerald Isle and then Raleigh -- visiting my very lovely in-laws.

* Three weeks in June with Bill and Mabel on Martha's Vineyard (which is pictured above and is just as magical as it sounds).

There is so, so, so much to unpack -- mentally, emotionally, creatively -- from this astonishing experience and I'm sure I will be doing so for some time to come. Suffice for now to say I consider myself very lucky that Chronicle Books offers a sabbatical program!