Michael and I decided to go on a Massive Roadtrip in August 2007, and Alex was nomadic. He came over to housesit our plants, the garden, and our neighbour’s cat who needed pats and scratches. Alex, being the wooden boat builder that he is, had all the trees in our backyard identified in half an hour’s time.

In the words of an old boatbuilder “The act of making a well-made object is an act of resistance in the face of consumer capitalism.”

Before boatbuilding, Alex lived in the beaurocratic world of Art and Cultural Production. While at Emily Carr University of Art + Design, he decided enough was enough, cut a hole under his desk into a 10′ x 4′ construction area of the Institute, doubled his studio space, and dubbed it Narnia. Whilst working at Ikea, Alex would buy items, alter them and return them, so that people when buying their Billy Bob Bookcases, would be buying an Alex Lowe Alteration unawares.

Written by Heidi Nagtegaal

Neal Rockwell came over because of a mold problem at his house. Here we have Michael helping Neal with his Paper Suit Jacket, made for his Valedictorian Speech for ECUAD, Grad 2007.

During his stay there were many walks, tea drinking sessions, and voracious discussions over food. Neal wrote the essay for Masks for Disappearing, and his Valedictorian Speech, which got a standing ovation.

Written by Heidi Nagtegaal

Bobby Niven invited Michael and I to move into 1923 Graveley Street in May 2006. During that summer, Bobby had his friend, David Peasland (Scotland), over for a month, becoming the second official participant of the Graveley Street Residency Program.

During his time here, he discovered Value Village, songs with handclaps in it, and how to put down the toilet seat so I wouldn’t go swimming every night.

Written by Heidi Nagtegaal