Helllloooooooooo!! I am writing this post from the distant past (Tuesday at 6 in the morning). Before the works get all gummed up with the Swiss Family Swanson/Behr heading up to Alaska, I thought I’d get in a quick post about some of the excellent discoveries we made while at ICON7. You can get the general gist of things in Matthew’s write-up and Tilly’s run-down, but I wanted to point out a few specifics.

First, I got to meet Adam Rex, seasoned illustrator (and, it turns out, writer) extraordinaire.

Perhaps best known for his books Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich and The True Meaning of Smekday, he’s most infamous for having his work in The Dirty Cowboy banned in Pennsylvania . Apparently, taking a bath is obscene if you’re a cowboy, and you’re dirty. I first heard about this from Matthew’s mom, the indomitable librarian, who ran out to buy the book the instant it was banned. She’s so hip.

Second, we met Natalie Andrewson.

On our solo trips around the room during the Rhodeshow, Matthew and I each fell in love with her work. It is beautiful and well-crafted, loose but not sloppy. Happily enough, we independently selected the same drawing to purchase from her table full of offerings. Uncanny, considering how much we loved them all.

It also didn’t hurt that she was just plain charming herself.

Finally, we discovered Kiel Johnson, fellow Kansan (fellow to Matthew, anyway) who gave a stellar and inspiring talk about just making stuff because you can, and how collaboration can expand your original vision in significant and unforeseeable ways. Kiel makes stuff out of cardboard. Amazing, wonderful, intricate stuff.

Like musical instruments.

And cars.

And more cars.

(Notice the paint endorsement, thank you very much.)

He and Matthew bonded over traffic, which apparently gets white guys from Kansas all worked up (see: Understanding Traffic).

I’m so sad his talk wasn’t recorded, because it really was fantastic and inspirational and humbling. The guy is a mad mad mad mad genius. He built a cardboard city for TEDActive – though the third dimension eludes me, I still wish I could have been there to contribute.

Kiel Johnson’s Paper City 2.0 @ TEDActive 2012 from Theo Jemison on Vimeo.

Check out his Vimeo channel for some other great videos. The Robot Prom is especially fun.

And with that, we’re off. Or, we’ve been off for a couple of days now. We hope you’re enjoying the swelter while we patrol the tundra, Egegik-style.