In 2006 I was seized with the desire to pack up, get on my horse, Jolie, and ride out into the countryside along dirt roads and trails wandering in a large circle around the state of Vermont. I had a deep and unaccountable need to live outside , traveling in the rain and heat with my horse as my companion. I did not plan my route beyond the first two weeks, and I thought I would mark my passage by creating small constructions from whatever materials I found en route. This proved impossible because the elemental needs of my horse and I were too consuming. It was only later that I realized that my current work, made from natural materials, traces much of its inspiration from this and subsequent treks.

I did make a trip many years earlier with a different horse. I was moving from from Manchester to Burlington Vermont for the summer, and decided to walk the 100 miles using my horse as a pack animal. Because his mother died giving birth, he was raised by his owners in their kitchen. As a result he thought he was a person. Walking beside him, was like walking with a close friend. With a Vermont Atlas as my guide, and little knowledge of the terrain ahead, we spent five beautiful summer days making our way north. We slept in fields along the way. It never rained, which was fortunate, because I didn't have a tent, or a stove or much equipment at all.