It occurred to me while writing an email to a friend this evening that we never accomplish anything without assistance from others. I had posted some snapshots from various climbing expeditions on Facebook, and she had commented that she didn’t know that Karyn and I were such good climbers. I remarked that it wasn’t that we were such good climbers, but that we had good guides. My cousin HJ and our friend Sue have taken the time to show us the ropes (literally), how to tie in, how to rappel, and most importantly, how to climb safely and come home alive.

In the art world, it’s much the same. We can’t get good at our craft without standing on the shoulders of many others. My guides include my father, who gave me my first camera, my teachers in school, great examples like Ansel Adams and Galen Rowell to follow, and most importantly, my art show mentors: Steve and Anita, and Ron, who took the time to offer suggestions and ideas. Having access to Larry Berman’s site helped a lot, too. Learning the best routes to the summit doesn’t always mean the fastest way, or the easy way. But the point is to have fun along the way, and save time for the view when you get there. Thanks for all the good beta, you guys. Here’s hoping I can give a little of that back to the next generation of climbers.