Winter in the Oregon countryside offers time for contemplation and rejuvenation. I have been sorting photographs and writing about my travel experiences as a visiting artist to West Africa and Europe in 2014. These experiences included travel to The Gambia and Senegal in West Africa where I met with artists and scholars via Amsterdam and Brussels. In 2015, I traveled to Europe. That year I attended the Venice Biennale in Italy. This world class art event featured works by international artists and included black artists exploring social issues like excess, war, pollution, poverty and the lasting effects of colonialism. Then from Venice, I took the train through scenic Austria to Munich and Frankfurt, Germany. Both of these cities offered unique opportunities to meet artists, tour galleries and museums featuring historic and contemporary art works. And of course, a Bavarian beer festival.