• Initial thoughts are that wheelchair access is hit or miss: sizeable steps into biznesses, no curbcuts on major intersections & lots of curbcuts in some neighborhoods.
• No curbcuts onto bus boarding areas. Although many busses do have lifts, some don't have lifts or some lifts don't work or some of the drivers don't want to help.
• We did find an accessible taxi service to get to and from the airport (info@transpdisc.com.ar)--though it was more like a 1975 Chevy stick shift with white leather seats, disco dice and a makeshift metal ramp,  the nicest, most gentle driver in the world was a priceless find.
• I'm staying at the Sheraton Convention Center. The wheelchair accessible room has a roll in shower, raised toilet with grab bars, but the buttons to call the elevator are wayyyyy over my head, and there aren't reliable curbcuts around the hotel driveway. All in all, being able to go to the bathroom and shower does make a difference.
• As with everywhere there are friendly folks offering to help and if one restaurant isn't accessible, the next one down the way will be.
• A long day of adventuring by bus and foot/wheel, followed by a killer steak and great red wine, ahhhhhh that's what I love about travleing!

Here's some shots of the trip so far & my travel companions Shayla, Scott and Sheryl. More adventures to come.

Joe Yonan just did a story in the Washington Post on Austin. I'm in the story!

Weigh in here. Austin weird enough for ya?
Z

My studio is here on the left

After shipments by Uhaul and Amtrak, sorting through dozens of boxes, my art studio is finally set up in downtown Austin, between Whole Foods and the Power Plant along the river.

I have a workspace for carving and another for printing, space for paperwork, shipping, and all my framed prints on the walls. Sure feels good!

The studio will have an opening in the Spring, but is open by appointment. Come visit?

For the next few weekends, I'll be in the studio in Portland at Zoomtopia along with other juried Open Studios artist, photographer Aaron Rogosin. We have at the building the tour guides that will get you in to the other nearly 100 artists' studios around town.

Also this year we have a Portland Open Studio Tour iPhone App available to assist with maps and additional information on finding the right studios to visit! It's the same cost as the paper tour guide, but IMHO so much easier to use!

Come see this photo  and the one below, rendered  as a block print.

DRO Open House 6/18 at 5pm

Please attend Disability Rights Oregon's 2nd Annual Open House, Thursday, June 18, 2009 ~ 5-7pm where several of my pieces of newer artwork are on display and for sale, along with work by Traci Murray, Julianna Paradisi, Sam Roloff. Sales benefit DRO.

For more information, see DRO's website.

Somehow having a sign up makes it real! This is ZoomTopia: my little piece of the world at 810 SE Belmont in inner SE Portland. Art & dance studio for lease with the option to purchase. Fillin up fast. Yay! More info at ZoomTopia.com or 541.954.8373

Last night's Justice within Reach fundraiser for social justice group McKenzie River Gathering Foundation at p:ear in oldtown, as photographed by Aaron Rogosin. Kodey Park Bambino at Tranny of Ceremonies, Annette Lowman for the passionate opening song, Phresh Organic Catering, Jennifer Pratt & CaroleZoom, KBOO story booth at Souk, Marjory Hamann & Deb Ross, Brandon Sprague, CJ Gabbe & CZ, Celeste/KBOO's DJ Adiva spins, signature drink the Radical Kiss by New Deal Vodka & the mixologist from Alberta Oyster Bar, BARK/VOZ/PFLAG African American chapter present stories of hope & justice, WE are MRG: the crowd goes wild! For more photos visit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrgfoundation/sets/72157616338036449/show/