Most of you have never met him, so allow me to introduce Hank. Hank is a plush husky I ‘rescued’ at the Vancouver airport four years ago. He looked really lonely and was in a bin of larger, wolf plush critters. I figured he could use a much bigger view of the world, seeing as though his life experience was pretty limited at that point.

I was headed to Denver on business that day, flying solo and due to be away about a week. Hank was the perfect travel partner. He always listened. He never needed much, aside from the occasional snug. Heck, he didn’t even need to pack very much. Besides, he’s adorable as all get out.

Hank has been to Germany, Scotland, Hawaii, Spain, Italy and all over Canada and the United States. He’s having a great life seeing the world! I bet it boggles his little doggie mind. He’s come a long way since that bucket in an airport shop.

I hope everyone gets that chance – to take that leap into the wider world. See things you hadn’t imagined before. Breathe the air of a distant shore. Walk where ancient peoples once tread. It’s a big planet, with so much to experience.

With all this exploring, it’s necessary to keep in motion. As with Hank, so it is with me.

The time has come to move forward again, to take a leap into a new adventure. I’ve spent twenty one years on the west coast, fourteen of them in Vancouver. I’ve learned and experienced so much here. From whale watching on a ferry, learning to enjoy craft beer, eating sushi for the first time to cycling in the rain, I feel like I’ve lived more than several lifetimes in this lovely part of the world. This is a richly textured landscape with a million subtle moods. You learn to love the soft light and the way the air smells on the beach at dawn. It’s seductive, drawing you in and holding you in its misty embrace.

I’m off to Calgary, with its prairie air and stunning Rocky Mountain backdrop. Sure, there’s no ocean beach, but I’m sure I’ll find the fun of exploring a different landscape a new opportunity for discovery. I grew up on the prairies and look forward to the drama of thunderstorms and the quiet comfort of a snowy night again.

I had been struggling with how to close out this chapter of my life, art-wise. I was in the middle of putting all my belongings into boxes when I reached over to take Hank down from his perch behind my desk (he watched everything I did online, including drawing). Certainly, he was not getting stuffed into a cardboard box. He would be riding up front with me in the car on my way east. Was there a way I could incorporate Hank into my final Vancouver art piece?

Why not? I created an anthro Hank, ready to take on more of the world!

Thank you to all the friends I have met in Vancouver and in Seattle. I owe you a world of gratitude and your generosity of time, talent and presence will live with me until the end of time.

Until next we meet,

Sampson¬