Derek Johnson Muses

There comes a time in your life when you know you have to take courage and go on the run. Maybe it’s just because I’m an artists, and artists thrive on fresh perspective. Either way, I’ve flown from my coop in Seward to come to Dubuque to stay with a great friend. I’m living in a little studio side apartment which sits on a hill overlooking the Mississippi. It’s small and humbling, and frankly, I’m relieved.

My studio

I don’t know what exactly I’ll do here or how long I’ll stay. Probably a couple of weeks. I’ll do some roaming of the country roads, find some barns to photograph. I’ve brought about eight book, and hopeful I will read at least some of them. I’m going to roam the rural roads in southwest Wisconsin and northern Illinois and find some nice barns to photograph. I’ll write a lot and try to get some perspective.

The view

Today, I took a walk in the Mines of Spark State Park south of town and considered where I stood in life. I’m twenty-eight, and I still have a lifetime of opportunities ahead of me. If I want to be a writer/photographer, some sacrifices will have to be made to get to where I want to be. Stay tuned…