The carving "Alberta Clipper YEG-GA" began its travels with A.M. in late December, 2017, at the time when the "Fall Term" at the University of Alberta was already a jumbled digital memory of grade letters and numbers charted on seemingly endless and impersonal spread sheets. A.M. is a talented writer who maintains a deep-seated interest in Asia, and Korean History and Culture, in particular. In addition to brief discussions regarding the merits and intricacies of Korean movies and historical dramas, A.M. informed the School of One Carver of her desire to pursue her interests at the University of British Columbia.

Given that A.M. was born and educated in Edmonton, Alberta Clipper is a perfect companion for cognitive travels which are informed by Alberta memories. The unassuming porous stone for this carving was found in and around the environs of the district of Homeglen, Alberta, in late Summer 2016, and the Carver readily embraced the supposed "imperfections" of the stone into piece's design. The rock, for example, seemed to “bend” according to the cold Northern winds engulfing Rossdale when it was sculpted several months later. Alberta Clipper YEG-GA is dedicated to the individual historical agency, accomplishments and contributions of female literary explorers, past, present and future, especially those of them who maintain an interest in Global History and Cultures during their thoughtful journeys in writing.

Winter’s Spring
2:00PM, At Columbia Ice Field, June 23d, 2017. 6° C.

A child has only to open his eyes and the nightmare is gone. How simple it seems, how naturally do the eyelids flutter open, not a trace of the monster to be found in the white light of morning..

There is a story, old as thought, about a bird who knew where to find enlightened respite. Extending his wings, he flew higher than the Lake of Heaven, farther than the mist, and into the great southern beyond. No one believed him, no one dared follow his flight…grounded by their own prejudices, they remained on land where the sky was always pearly blue and flat as paper.

The wind is always braver when the trees are gone. It nips at your eyes playfully, but you cannot close them, for fear of losing the view, built by a force greater than man itself, that stands before you. How simple it seems, how naturally do the eyelids resist the darkness. And, just like that, there is wonder in your life.

*The story of the bird mentioned here may be found in Zhuangzhou’s Chuang Tzu, Chapter 1: “Free and Easy Wanderings” (Burton Watson trans.).