setting up

I don't want to talk about Paris. I don't want to talk about Beirut. I don't want to talk about terrible things and terrible people, and death and pain and fear—the media does a great job of that already. What I want to talk about is life and love, and all the wonderful things that exist in the world— kindness, friendship, empathy. I firmly believe that in spite of all the horrors, the world is still a beautiful place, and that the vast majority of people are good. We have to be louder than the anger and the violence, we have to remind ourselves and the people around us that this world is ours, and we will carry on.

So I'm going to talk about the 16th Rendez-vous du Carnet de Voyage in Clermont-Ferrand, one of the most incredible experiences in my life. I didn't know what to expect when I arrived at the Polydôme on Thursday evening to set up my stand— the place was already abuzz with activity as the carnettistes were unwrapping framed art, hanging their colourful backdrops and posters, and searching for hooks.



These are the things I learned from the lead-up to the event:

• Air France charges for all checked bags, but are supportive of artists with long tubes of drawings
• you can do a lot with a few chains, S-hooks, and binder clips
• burlap is amazing
• carnettistes have the best stories!