Experienced my first earthquake! The first of many, I suspect. Officially, it was a magnitude 4.8. To my knowledge, no damage was reported and everything in the studio was undisturbed. A unique sensation that left me with a shot of adrenaline. So far so good!

I just finished my first month in Santiago, Chile and the weather is delightfully brisk. After decades living in Minnesota, my body handles cold better than heat and humidity. There’s a dramatic contrast between Cartagena and Santiago. Cartagena was hot, humid, extroverted, loud, tropical, and bordered by the ocean. Santiago is cold (for now), dry (except for the "temporal" currently dumping rain), more reserved, quiet, and bordered by the Andes mountains. It’s still a novelty to see palm trees and evergreens growing on the same street.

I’ve set up a bare bones studio and have resumed making drawings. I still need some shelving and a secondary workstation, but I’m establishing a rhythm and making the space my own. I should also research how to earthquake-proof my setup before something spills or comes crashing down.

As my physical studio gets packed into boxes, I’ve transitioned to my trusty mobile studio: a black, Pilot Precise V5 pen and my sketchbook. In reality, this is a return to form. As a kid, a pen and sketchbook were the entirety of my studio. I’m using this time to make small drawings for future directions and build momentum for what comes next. The new Nine Inch Noize album is my current soundtrack and I’m eagerly awaiting the new Boards of Canada release at the end of May.

In preparation for our upcoming move to Chile, I’ve been sorting my clothes into ‘keep’ and ‘purge’ piles and repainting our apartment per the lease. Today’s canvas is the dining room and my tools are a bucket of white paint, a brush, and a roller. Despite the unpleasant fumes, there’s a satisfying rhythm and repetition to this work that I appreciate.

It’s an odd in-between moment. I’m trying to be present and appreciate the homestretch of my time in Cartagena while my mind is already halfway to Santiago. As life swirls around me, I’m glad to have my sketchbook to keep my hands working and my head clear.

Same as it ever was!

My practice doesn’t stop when I leave the studio. It just shifts from making to observing. I notice what catches my eye and photograph it on my phone. I rarely work directly from these images but the process of gathering them has a cumulative effect that informs what I create.

With this in mind, I’m working on combining the stability of repetition with the living pulse of variation. This leaf is a great example. Its stable repeating structure is host to a multitude of irregularities and differences. Similarly, I want my new work to create a sense of order while maintaining the vitality and richness of life.

I’m working on new drawings that pick up where the work in the Ecos Rítmicos exhibition left off. Creating lots of stuff, much of it terrible, is an important part of my creative process. Doing this in the privacy of my studio helps me avoid getting bogged down in self-awareness and analysis paralysis. So you probably won’t be seeing that much of what I’m making at the moment.

On walks with our dog Tulip, I’ve been finding instances of repetition and variation in the world around me. Examples abound when I pay attention and actively look. The lines and shapes in this leaf remind me that repetition and variation are essential parts of life. While perfectly machined and manufactured items can feel lifeless, nature reminds me that repetition plus variation equals vitality. In this light, the plants in my neighborhood are amazing works of sculptural variation. I’m curious to see how these qualities will show up in my new work.

I’ve been thinking about this sketch from 2017 as I ramp up to begin a new wave of drawings. I dashed it off over lunch when I was teaching art in Hibbing, MN. I’ve always liked how its near-symmetry creates tension and energy by contrasting geometric order and organic irregularity.

My creative process is currently complicated by the anticipation of packing my belongings and moving across the continent to Santiago, Chile in a few months. This reminds me of how I felt as a kid, when the urge to dump all of my Legos on the floor collided with the reality of only having 10 more minutes to play before bed.

I’m also working on my website and hunting for a “goldilocks” web builder - a platform with an intuitive interface and a history of steady pricing. I loved my previous website, but after my contract expired, they hiked the cost 380 percent! So the search for stability continues.

Gringo’s Log:
I’m looking forward to observing how Santiago compares to Cartagena and discovering the broader similarities and differences between Chilean and Colombian culture.

[Update 9/20/26: I found a great website solution with OtherPeoplesPixels.]

The public reception for Ecos Rítmicos at the Alianza Francesa de Cartagena was a success! While a bit nerve-wracking, it felt great to connect with new people about my work. I spoke for about 15 minutes and fielded a few follow-up questions from some delightful attendees.

This event was an important milestone for me. It “cracked the seal" on showing my work internationally and marks a shift in how I see myself and what I’m capable of. It demonstrated that my work can reach people across cultures. Now, I’m ready to step out of the spotlight and return to the comfort of my studio. I’m looking forward to developing new work and preparing for our upcoming move to Santiago, Chile.

Gringo’s Log:
Life in Cartagena invites me to embrace the idea that being "on-time" is flexible and amorphous. This philosophy is occasionally frustrating but is probably healthier in the long run.

Next week is the opening reception for Ecos Rítmicos (“Rhythmic Echoes”) my exhibition of new ink drawings at the Alianza Francesa de Cartagena. I’ll be giving a short artist talk at the opening.

While preparing my remarks, I realized how much I’ve grown. When I first arrived in Cartagena four years ago, I only knew a few words in Spanish. For the first few months, every interaction felt like I was teetering on the brink of catastrophe. I’ve gradually become more resilient and a little more “comfortable with being uncomfortable.”

Not because my Spanish is great. It’s certainly not. I’m still a beginner. Rather, I’m slowly learning that discomfort and danger are two different things. Navigating the mental gulf between creating my work and presenting it might always feel like the hardest step in the “artist ritual” to me. However, my experience in Cartagena reminds me that I’ll eventually feel more at home in it.

Gringo’s Log:
Cartagena is, quite literally, a city of rhythmic echos. Music is as fundamental here as the sea breeze and the sunset.
www.emisorascolombianas.co/olimpica-ste…

There’s a little more room in my studio this week! I just finished installing my drawings at the Alianza Francesa de Cartagena. It’s my first exhibition outside of the U.S. The Alianza Francesca is a local non-profit that’s located in a striking, 300-year-old colonial building. Instead of the typical drywall, my work is installed on its craggy, coral stone walls. This is the same material that makes up the historic walls surrounding the Centro neighborhood.

This rough, irregular backdrop contrasts with the steady symmetry of my drawings in a way that I didn’t anticipate but really love. Installation went smoothly and I’m very happy with the outcome. Muchísima gracias to the Alianza Francesa for inviting me into their beautiful space!

Gringo's Log:
Cartagena's heat is no joke. After the installation, I needed a cold drink, a long shower, and a new shirt.

Welcome to the new studio log! A home base for studio updates outside of social media.

Gringo's Log:
I'm regularly struck by the kindness and warmth of most Cartageneros and Colombians more broadly.