I have had the good fortune to see a few places in the world so far. My last international trip was to Argentina in 2019. My husband had to travel there for his work, and I tagged along. We met in Buenos Aires and then went south to Patagonia. I had visited Argentina before, Mendoza and Patagonia, back when I had lived in Chile. But it is a different thing to go somewhere in a different phase of your life. You are new, and the places you go to are new, as well.
We went to a street market in Buenos Aires and found an artist we both liked named Andrea Conde. The thing about traveling abroad is you want to bring a piece of your experience back with you. However, you want to move lightly. You don’t want to acquire anything heavy or cumbersome. And you want to spend your money wisely. You’ve already spent so much to get to the new country. Souvenirs suddenly seem like such an expense. At least they do to me.
I find that discovering an artist you like is a good way to capture a part of your experience and carry it home. Andrea Conde’s work is quite creepy and striking and sort of whimsical. We purchased a few prints, and they sat in my office for the two years since.
Finally, in January of this year, I bought some frames and matting board. Then, last weekend, I cut the mats and framed the pieces, and even got them hung on the wall. It is so nice to have this project completed. And it is nice to have this piece of our adventure there on our wall.
design + surrender 