Finished my first week back teaching after a far-t00-idle summer. Four classes and a fifth starts in October. I need to be busy again. Busy-ness makes me feel better. Having things to do, having places to be and responsibilities. I’d like to think it pushes me creatively, too. This summer was just a wash–too much [...]

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Remember the Writing Marathon I did back in May? We raised 17,000 dollars and I promised every person who sponsored me would get a handmade, original postcard. Well, I’ve been slow to get them out but they ARE going out. So if you’re someone who’s waiting for a postcard it’s on its way soon, I [...]

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I’m making my way through Tinkers, this year’s recent Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Paul Harding. Yesterday I took it to a coffee shop, had an iced coffee and a cookie and sat out on the patio and read for an hour and a half of uninterrupted bliss. I’m torn between really loving the book, [...]

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Marginalia mar·gi·na·lia Pronunciation: \ˌmär-jə-ˈnā-lē-ə\ Function: noun plural Etymology: New Latin, from Medieval Latin, neuter plural of marginalis Date: 1832 1 : marginal notes or embellishments (as in a book) 2 : nonessential items <the meat and marginalia of American politics — Saturday Review> <–I discovered this fascinating artist, Ira Joel Haber, online and this is [...]

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Those who know me know that I LOVE postcards– well, vintage postcards anyway. And, making my own. (more samples on my Flickr page to the right–>) Sometimes my friends, like Peter and Jess, give me old postcards they find or old family postcards–especially Jess, whose family seems to have thousands of them. here’s one.  don’t [...]

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Wow. I can’t believe it’s over. My last day at Vermont Studio Center. So much to say but my head is utterly pounding and the thoughts in my brain a-jumble — anxiety about travel tomorrow, the strange ritual of packing up after 5 weeks away, the  goodbyes to dozens of wonderful people. What is there [...]

Posted in Vermont Studio Center, art, books, cats, collage, cute photos of me, my writing, ted, travel, word of the day, writers 3 Comments »

The last resident reading was Sunday night and I read the opening of my book. I was the first reader of the night and got to show several slides from my research–documents, photos that inform my work. It was a great night, with very positive response from the audience. Very uplifting. I shared the night [...]

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In case you’re wondering, this is pretty much how it is here in Vermont: Cartoon courtesy of fabulous New Yorker artist Harry Bliss, with his permission. Thanks Harry!

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Well, it’s now been officially 2 weeks since I got here to VSC. I’ve definitely settled in (you know you’re settled in when you sleep in and miss breakfast). Yesterday several people went home–the two-weekers we call them. It was a gloomy day; they were all such cool folks: Sarah G, Sarah C, Scott, Pedro, [...]

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Just a quickie: Last night at VSC 6 artists/painters/visual artists showed slides  and spoke briefly of their work. All of them were impressive and interesting and thought-provoking. I loved hearing about process and goals and intents, and seeing the varied forms of art– whether paint, wood, computer-generated, poured, poked. One really moved me: Matt McConville [...]

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