Going forward look for new work from us at our personal social media pages

The artist residency at Dry Tortugas National Park was a profound experience for both of us. Our work has been forever changed for the better by living for a month in that beautiful and challenging environment. We are both busy creating new work independently, some of it based on the Tortugas and some of it other subjects. Rather than having to post our new work to multiple social media outlets we have decided to post our newest works to our individual Instagram pages. Going forward look for our work on Instagram at @tidalcroftstudio and @carlstoveland. You can also see some new work posted at our individual Facebook pages Ld Shannon Torrence and Carl Stoveland. Thanks for all of your support for the Flying Tortuga Brothers project.

Podcast Episode 15 now available

 New Podcast Episode

Episode 15 of the Flying Tortuga Brothers podcast is available now.  You can hear it here or on the podcast player of your choosing like iTunes.

The episode was recorded about three weeks into our Dry Tortugas residency on Loggerhead Key.  Our guest for this episode is Jacob Kelley who was a National Park intern doing turtle studies on the island.  Jacob spent most of his time from May to late September on the island in a 10 days on 4 days off rotation where he would be able to go back to Key West for a few days to catch up with family and personal business.  Having spent so much time on the island Jacob was an invaluable resource to us about the island.

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” -Laozi - Shannon's thought's before the big adventure

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” -Laozi

We depart Sunday before dawn, Carl and I. Headed for the Dry Tortugas and a month off the grid, on the uninhabited island of Loggerhead Key. I wanted to leave you all with thoughts on first steps.

It is time to cast off our lines and sail for new unexplored territory. For me personally, taking chances is one of the most rewarding parts of life. This is not the first time I have been at this exhilarating place. In 2006-2007, I left Lake Worth Beach in a travel trailer having sold all of my personal possessions, save a few essential and sentimental things. I traveled widely across our beautiful country. In New Mexico I painted my first serious landscape while snowed into my trailer and accompanied by two evaporating bottles of Cabernet. It was the first step on this unexpected journey. I have realized what was then an inconceivable state of being….living as an artist in an everyday sense. Thousands of miles have indeed passed and I will be honest, I was scared at the onset of that road trip that would change my life. I slept the first night in a Publix parking lot, somewhere in the Florida pan handle. I was scared I’d break down. I was scared of crashing. I was scared about not having a friend, should I need one, to call upon. I was in reality, scared of myself. I had never driven with a trailer before, so when I drove away from my three closest friends they only saw confidence.

I don’t have any of those fears or misgivings heading out to an uninhabited Island, 72 miles west of Key West, to live off the grid for the entire month of September. I feel more alive than ever! I couldn’t put my finger on it until now, but something in my life has been lacking. I can see now that I have been separated from what makes me my most authentic self, nature and being immersed in it, whilst letting my wanderlust take me. Like that year long road trip, I expect this journey to hold enlightenment and profound surprise.

Stepping away from this manicured modernity of misplaced priorities is already giving me a great sense of ease. My soul has been malnourished for too long. Maybe its just me, but possibly we are all lacking some vitamin or mineral that only nature can provide for us. I want to be fresh, I want my work to be fresh. I want my love to be fresh, I want to be, the best me. Imagine what a healthier soul can do.. in all facets of life.

Here is that painting from Santa Fe, as well as, the truck and that trailer. A.K.A. The Escape Pod. I look forward to sharing my experience with you. Many of you have made this dream possible and I cannot thank you enough for your gift of support. 

Peace and Love!

Shannon

6 Days and counting Carl's last pre trip post

 Hi Friends!

Well here we are six days away from Shannon and I heading to Key west for the start of our residency at Dry Tortugas National Park.  We will arrive in Key West on 8/30.  We will stay in Key West two nights while we shop for provisions and go through orientation from the NPS.  On 9/1 we board the ferry to Fort Jefferson and then take a National Park boat for the last 3 miles to Loggerhead Key and our home for the next month.  The time since finding out about our selection for the residency has dragged and flown by at the same time.  We are eager to get to Loggerhead key to start creating the art and the movie we have been dreaming of and taking about ad nauseam.  This week we have had to sit and watch as two tropical storms took paths near but thankfully not at the Tortugas.  Fingers crossed that is the closet we come to hurricanes.  We look forward to days and days of exploring and creating.  I have had a bit of a hiccup that almost jeopardized the trip.  I broke my big toe taking the garbage out.  After a trip to urgent care and a podiatrist and two sets of X-rays I am cleared to go albeit wearing a boot style walking cast.  It has given me new appreciation for how lucky we are and how rare this opportunity is.  I will need to adjust my goals and expectations for myself as to how much work I get done in the first part of the trip.  I'm thankful this trip is a month so I can work at whatever pace my foot allows.  I'm currently downloading a few more books to my Kindle for times when I decide I need a break.  I want to thank again the folks who donated to our go fund me!  That was very kind of you and helped make the trip possible and Of Course I'd like to thank My wife Wendy ( and Shannon's wife Deana).  Without their love, support and patience with the starry eyed dreamers they married none of this would be possible.

We will be off the grid officially on 9/1 and back on 10/1 during that time you will bot get any new posts from us.  We will of course be making new art and content but have no way to share it.  We will start sharing our experience with a live cast from Gallery on Green in Key West on 10/2 at 3 pm.  I will send out an invite to the event for this right before we leave for Key West.

Peace and We'll be back to regular podcasts and posting in October with lots of stories to tell about our adventure.

Loggerhead 2020

Flying Tortuga Brother Carl,

Left Brain Artist Podcast

 We are guests on Suzanne Redmond's Left Brain Artist Podcast today.  The link to the episode is below.  Suzanne interviewed us last week and will interview us again after we get back from The Tortugas.

https://suzanneredmond.com/176-carl-stoveland-and-shannon-torrence/

In the Blink of an Eye

 And in the blink of an eye we have gone from 33 down to 12 days until we leave for Key West and the jumping off point of our residency in Dry Tortugas National Park at Loggerhead Key.  What have we been up to?  Lots!  We have done some interviews some for now and some as party of two part before and after interviews to come out after we get back.  There has been a lot of list making and double checking that all items will be packed and will fit in my Suby for the Drive Down to Key West where will board a National Park boat and head off for our home for 30 days on Loggerhead Key.  

Currently on my nightstand.  Ia dreading up about things for the residency and dreaming about the art both Shannon and I will get to create over the course of a month.

It is getting so very really.  We are down to making menus and buying the dry goods we willed for the month.  Wee will purchase perishables down in Key West the day before we head out.  I know there will be hot uncomfortable days and a lot schlepping of gear around the island and I will miss creature comforts and chatting with my friends over social media, but I am equally sure this once in a lifetime opportunity will be amazing.  I plan to journal everyday and hope the thoughts and ideas I get down on paper will do justice to the experience and prove as inspiration to other artists who are considering applying for this very special residency or one of the many others out there.

To our friends who have been following since we stated this journey with our application for the 2019 residency thanks for sticking around and encouraging us through the year plus of time and hard work we put it that had no guarantee would end with getting the residency.  It was a gamble that paid off.

Also to everyone who contributed to our GoFundMe.  Thank you!!!! because of your generosity we have a few items to make sure we are comfortable on the island,  GoPro cameras to film the adventure and a Satellite phone we rented for emergencies and to check in with our wonderful supportive wives!

Loggerhead 2020!

Tortuga Brother Carl

33 days and counting

The last time we were counting days it was until this year's Dry Tortugas artists in residence were announced.  Now we are counting down to 8/30 (33days) when Shannon and I arrive in Key West for orientation.  we load up our stuff on the National Park Boat Fort Jefferson and head out to Loggerhead Key on 9/1.  There is lot's going on.  We ordered a satellite phone to rent for the trip for emergencies and a weekly check in call with Wendy and Deana.  I'm evaluating trip insurance plans.  Shannon and I talk multiple times a day by text and phone at this point and divide up the to do list.  Our latest podcast episode with Tanya Ortega from the NPAF went live last week.  You can find it anywhere you get your podcasts under Flying Tortuga Brothers.  The time to leave for the trip will be here before we know it.  Our gofundme campaign is still active and we are still looking for any help you can give to help us cover the costs of the trip and making the documentary film.  If you can chip in a few bucks we really appreciate it.  It's been a strange year with everything going on to plan a trip like this, but it is a once in a lifetime opportunity so if at all possible we'll be on Loggerhead Key for the whole month of September.

Loggerhead 2020
Carl Stoveland
for the Flying Tortuga Brothers