I’ll be honest: I’ve been discouraged lately. We all know why. When the world is literally on fire, it’s easy to feel that our actions don’t matter. But our actions do matter, and the best antidote to hopelessness is to create art, to support others, and to give what we can. I was thinking about […]
Seven years ago, I was a solitary professor living in Wisconsin with my three cats. Last month, Steve and I headed up into the mountains with our doggy to celebrate our seventh anniversary. Seven is a magical number, often referenced in fairy tales, and seven years is enough time to see into the heart of […]
These are dark days, but that is no reason not to dress up. On International Women’s Day, I went to Fancy Tiger Crafts in Denver and I wore pretty clothes and I made beautiful things with a group of fellow knitters, because making art is the best possible antidote to political and personal despair. I’ve […]
After my friend Michael Levy died, we decided to spend a week in Wisconsin and Minnesota, visiting loved ones and attending Mike’s memorial service. Crossing the Mississippi River at Wabasha, we drove up to Lyster Church in nearby Nelson, Wisconsin, where my grandparents are buried. There’s an old barn nearby that I’ve always loved. But […]
When we want to express love and grief, language is always inadequate. This is something I’ve known for a long time, but my words seem especially futile today, when I’m faced with the need to honor my dear friend, Michael Levy. I first met Mike in 2001, when I was a new faculty member at […]
My beloved mentor Michael Levy passed away on Monday. I’m struggling to find words to express how much he meant to me. He was the best and kindest of men, and I loved him dearly. Below is my review of Mike’s book with Farah Mendlesohn, Children’s Fantasy Literature. An engaging narrative history, Children’s Fantasy Literature […]
In Yarn, Icelandic/Canadian director Una Lorenzen follows four artists who are using textiles to promote social change. I’m the sort of person who watches an entire documentary about yarn on purpose, so I absolutely loved this. Polish performance artist Olek, perhaps the biggest personality in the film, has created costumes and mermaid tails for a […]
We all took a day off from work and went up to Kenosha Pass for Bobbi’s birthday, and it was the best birthday party ever. The day included snowshoeing, wine-tasting, cupcakes, music, and authentic Swiss fondue. We had no cellphone service, which I consider fortunate since the Internet was blowing up over the president’s ban […]