 "Some Things I Know Without the Field Guide" Poem by Suzanne Helfman and art by Gabe Travis We were arguing about poppy seedlings, lacy green bits of leaf and stem scattered over the bank of dirt. Him, sure they were weeds; me, convinced I knew what I saw even without their orange skirts flaring. Why did it matter so? Flowers are women's domain, you know, someone else offered later... The Collaborators: Writer Suzanne Helfman is the author of the collection Night Driving, which won the San Francisco State University chapbook contest. Her work has appeared in Ironwood, Poetry Flash, Five Fingers Review, and elsewhere. She teaches English at De Anza College in Cupertino, California. Gabe Travis is an artist who makes a living designing and building hiking trails throughout Alaska. He has been making art on commission for about eight years and producing fine art notecards featuring these works (available at www.gabetravis.com). In February 2009, Gabe spent a month in residence at the Vermont Studio Center working with mixed-media and paint and breathing new life into his studio practice. Collaborators' Q&A: When I am doing mixed media work I start with the materials. I have quite a stockpile of papers, magazines, sewing patterns, etc. So I glean from my supplies the images and colors and textures that echo the concepts and feeling that the poem evoked for me. It is a pretty intuitive process of holding the poem in mind, and browsing until something catches my eye. Then, once the palette is assembled, I begin to build the piece. Read more of what Suzanne and Gabe had to say about their Broadsided experience. —Visit www.broadsidedpress.org to get the full broadside. |
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Yes, it’s true: my newest CD, Under the Greenwood Tree: songs of home and shelter, has been released. It is available in Mountainair at Cibola Arts and Alpine Alley. Under the Greenwood Tree is also available online at CDBaby (http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/kathleen4), where you can also listen to previews, For online sales I’m running a “new release” special through Sunday, October 18, with discounts being applied to multiple copies purchased at the same time. Under the Greenwood Tree has 12 piano solos — originals and a few of my arrangements (including lullabies and a Broadway tune!) We all need a little peace in our lives, and we all need music that serves as a doorway to more silence. That’s why for this recording I created music that expresses the theme of shelter and comforting. Under the Greenwood Tree is my most gentle and lyrical CD so far, the first one that doesn’t have a single piece that becomes rambunctious or dramatic. I took the CD title from a song in William Shakespeare’s play, As You Like It: “Under the greenwood tree, who loves to lie with me and turn his merry note unto the sweet bird’s throat — come hither, come hither, come hither: here shall he see no enemy but winter and rough weather.” Seeing “no enemy but winter and rough weather” — what a blessing that is. To me that’s a true definition of being at home, no matter where we are. Anyone who enjoys piano music — or who wants some peaceful, relaxing music to settle and enrich the environment — will treasure Under the Greenwood Tree. Kathleen PS: I value rambunctious music too, and my next CD will have wonderfully rambunctious music; stay tuned... |
Mountainair: historic drama @ Gran Quivira, fun @ Shaffer 2 raise $ 4 diabetes, artists mystery meat sidewalk sale [blog post link shortened @ bit.ly] = 135 characters.
