Above: Image, Gina Milicia
When I was in my first semester of art school, my teachers took a group of us on a camping trip. This trip was the first time I’d slept in a tent, been away from a hair dryer and central heating, so the first few days were a bit traumatic.
One of the first lessons of survival was how to build a fire.
We split into groups, and each of us had the opportunity to start a fire. Our fire mentor, Dave had taught us a step-by-step approach on the best way to light a fire. Dave had lived on the land for the last 65 years, and I have to admit he built an excellent fire, but I thought his technique was a bit slow. I had a better way.
So I headed out to gather lots of twigs, leaves and some rolled up newspaper for good measure. I skipped the logs that Dave had recommended as essential items, too heavy and too much work.
When I lit my fire, it took off instantly and within seconds I’d created a roaring fire with massive flames. It was impressive. I stood next to my . . .
