“The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.” -John Muir
Ecosystems depend on every individual part in order to run well. The symbiosis between the landscape and its inhabitants is a complex and fragile construct that can be easily upended. Much debate swirls around humans’ place in this landscape. We change our surroundings more than any other creatures, often to the detriment of the ecosystem in place. Much in the way that humans seek a sense of place, each element of nature has its own irreplaceable niche.
Inez Tan is a writer of short stories and poetry. Her first volume of short stories was published in Singapore last September where it became a national best seller. The ebook has just been released. At present, she is enrolled at UC Irvine as an MFA student studying poetry and is working on her first book of poetry. In the fall, one of her poems appeared in Hyphen Magazine. Tan teaches introductory writing courses at UCI. To hear more about the author, teacher and student, listen to the complete interview.
Julia Paull is an artist. At the moment she is using her kitchen counter as a studio. Last autumn, she exhibited at a native plant society. The show involved portraits of native plants with information about their place in the natural environment. Much of her work examines the aesthetics of plants and how this affects animals, particularly the all-too-common practice of planting non-native plants that serve no purpose for the local environment. To hear more from Julia Paull and about the important issue of native vs. non-native plants and how they interact with their surroundings, listen to the complete interview.
A Few Words to Keep in your Pocket:
Interviews are available on iTunes as podcasts, and for Android please click here. All weekly essay pieces in a shareable format are here. The full archive of interviews here.
Books to Read
Tread gently on your surroundings. Be the steward of the land that sustains you.
What are you reading? Add your titles to our reading list here. Inez Tan’s book, This is Where I Won’t be Alone is available now. Julia Paull is reading The Hidden Life of Trees.
Art Research Residency is designed “to enable participants to evaluate their individual places as artists and situate their artistic exploration and practice within both the historical and contemporary context of art production and dissemination in Paris.” The program runs for two weeks in October. Accommodation in either a private or shared room (based on preference and availability) and a meal plan are included. Some funding is available. For full details see the website. Deadline for applications is May 8.
Deadlines
Weekly Edited Grant and Residency Deadlines – review the list here.
Brainard Carey is an author, artist and educator. He is the director of Praxis Center for Aesthetics. He has written six books for artists; Making it in the Art World, New Markets for Artists, The Art World Demystified, Fund Your Dreams Like a Creative Genius, Sell Online Like a Creative Genius and the forthcoming Succeed with Social Media Like a Creative Genius.
Signed and doodled copies of these books can be purchased from Praxis Center.
Golden Artist Colors began publishing the Just Paint newsletter in 1989, a source for information about painting techniques, product information, and the latest research in art materials. Now online, JustPaint.org has become one of the most exhaustive resources for technical information in fine art. With the new Just Paint Experience, GOLDEN is expanding the concept to provide artists with quick-reading, studio-oriented content to help bring their visions to life.
When you subscribe to Just Paint Experience (free), you’ll receive access to exclusive content. GOLDEN will also notify you whenever there is new content added to the site.
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