I’m sure that my personal list of places I want to experience “live” is longer than most folks. I can’t back that statement with any scientific stats, but it might be true for most visual artists. Inspiration comes from all kinds of sources, and for me, travel is certainly my preferred fountainhead.

I’ve wanted to visit Gdansk ever since hearing about Lech Wałęsa, famous for his political activism and the Solidarity movement he founded in the Polish city’s sprawling shipyard. I vividly remember being almost as intrigued by the industrial scenery shown on television and in newspapers as I was by his formidable success at ushering in a new era in Poland and eventually, the entire Eastern Bloc.

It’s my second trip to Poland (I was in Krakow last year) and I am really enjoying each new visit to this country. Gdansk seems to be a thriving place with a young, energetic population and a ton of inspiring visual experiences. For me, it was the old Lenin Shipyard that hit the right chords.