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I realize it's not the last Wednesday of the month, but I haven't done one of these compilations in quite a while, and I blew right past last month's bonus Wednesday, when I fully intended to post something extra. So I owe you! Besides, I've been finding some good stuff that I really want to share. So here you go . . . We tend to think of consciousness as skin bound, brain tethered. However, in nature we can sense something vaster--and that something larger senses us. And from here our perception and understanding transforms. We start to think from this bigger perspective. -- Mark Coleman, Mindful magazine, April 2019  I'd sooner exchange ideas with the birds on earth than learn to carry on intergalactic communications with some obscure race of humanoids on a satellite planet from the world of Betelgeuse. First things first. -- Edward Abbey, "The First Morning," Desert Solitaire: A Season in the Wilderness  Bees teach us so many lessons. When they take all this nectar from the tree, does that deprive the tree of anything? No, it enhances it. And when you give your time and energy to helping someone, does it deplete your skills? No, it gives you something to be proud of. -- Brother Blaise Heuke, "The Beauty of a Bee," AARP The Magazine,   [W]ith art comes empathy. It allows us to look through some else's eyes and know their strivings and struggles. It expands the moral imagination and makes it impossible to accept the dehumanization of others. When we are without art, we are a diminished people--myopic, unlearned and cruel. -- Dave Eggers, The New York Times, June 29, 2018  Authorship is a solitary business, always coming down to a writer and a blank page, but inevitably it becomes a social act as well, because the book is inextricably part of the world. It finds readers, it begins a conversation, it tells a kind of truth that can't be told in any other way--or else it fails to do that. James Gleick, Authors Guild Bulletin, Spring-Summer 2018  But here's the thing: Humans are not what we do. Humans are everything we do, and feel, and think, with a dash of stardust thrown in. The same is true for writers. -- Lenore Myka, "When to ignore good advice," Poets & Writers magazine, Sept/Oct 2018    For a long time, I was looking for happiness from success. Now I am looking for success from happiness.
-- Kathryn Budig, Yoga Journal, August 2018
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What signals the beginning of summer to you? Do you wait for the calendar to tell you it’s officially begun, or do you declare it underway once you’ve planted a flat of annuals, fired up the grill, or popped open a beer on the back porch?  Ray checks out a woodworker's wares For me, those are all sure signs, but what really kicks off summer is the first festival of the season. Around here, that’s the Newaygo Arts & Crafts Festival, held over the Memorial holiday weekend. Some years the festival is better than others (with my definition of “better” based on an index I derive through complex calculations weighted heavily by the ratio of actual artisans and crafters to booths occupied by gutter-guard salespeople and chiropractors).  Lots of artsy and crafty folks this year This year, I have to say, the festival was outstanding. Not only were there lots of vendors offering interesting wares, there was also a new addition, “Let’s Art Newaygo!”, that I hope will become a regular feature of the annual celebration. This juried art show and competition showcased the work of twenty-two artists, displayed in thirteen businesses throughout Newaygo. You could think of it as a smaller-scale ArtPrize, the Grand Rapids extravaganza of the arts that draws hundreds of thousands of visitors.  Picture book illustrator Lori McElrath-Eslick entered this painting, titled "Our Dog," in the Let's Art Newaygo competition  I always welcome an excuse to stroll around downtown Newaygo on a sunny day I spent a blissful couple of hours strolling around Newaygo, checking out the works of art. Then I headed back to the River Country Chamber of Commerce booth in Brooks Park to cast my vote in the People’s Choice competition. (Read on to find out which pieces were selected by the judges and the People’s Choice voters.)  Sherri Russell's mixed-media collage, titled "Lake Fish Spawning," was created entirely out of recycled materials, including beverage and cat-food cans I was fascinated to see the variety of materials and techniques the artists used. There were paintings, photographs, sculptures of metal and wood, stained glass windows, and multi-media works. Several artists made creative use of recycled or repurposed materials, which added interest. I could go on and on, but words don’t do justice, so I’ll let you take a look at more of the art. And if you’re in the Newaygo area, you don’t have to settle for pictures—the works will be on display through June 10, and printed guides to their locations are available at local businesses and libraries.  Part of the fun was seeing art displayed alongside merchandise in Newaygo shops. Here's Lori McElrath-Eslick's painting at New Ewe Yarn & Quilt Shoppe  Nancy Markosky calls this jewelry collection "Out of the Ruins." She created the pieces from pure copper, distressed using acid and heat, and hand-set the agate, turquoise and amazonite stones. The work is displayed at Sui Generis Home Furniture.  Mark Andrews's photograph, "Electric Forest," can be seen at 37 North. (Isn't it cool how the colors in the photograph, taken at Twinwood Lake, echo the colors of the clothing, shoes, and even the kayaks in the background? Not intentional, I'm sure, but a happy coincidence.)  Shari Werner's stained glass piece, "Rising Among the Reeds," won third place from both the judges and the People's Choice voters.  This artisan leather bag on display at Sui Generis Home Furniture, was made by Roxanne Middleton  Woodworker Mike Borkowski created this fish, titled "Hank," from some two hundred pieces of wood and copper scraps. The piece won second place in People's Choice.  Gail Howarth's photograph, "Magical Creatures," displayed at 37 North, reflects her passion for nature.  "A Fish Called Lelia," by Jeremiah Corrigan, won first place in People's Choice and second place from the judges.  Lelia flashes a winning smile.  The judges awarded first place to Dawn Campbell for this evening dress made of tobacco leaves and displayed at--where else--Indian River Tobacco Traders. |
Written from the heart,
from the heart of the woods Read the introduction to HeartWood here.
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Nan Sanders Pokerwinski, a former journalist, writes memoir and personal essays, makes collages and likes to play outside. She lives in West Michigan with her husband, Ray. Archives
February 2025
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