Round and about: a very utilitarian round up

For the past ten days, I’ve been sick in a very Victorian invalid sort of way. Meaning that if I had a fainting couch, I’d be lolling about on it (preferably in a velvet day gown while clutching a bottle of laudanum). I’ve even been without a voice for four days. The good news is that, while I don’t have access to nineteenth century opiates, I do have a prescription for antibiotics. I’m definitely on the mend.

So, as a means of playing catch up, here’s a round up of what’s been going on in Art and Words land.

1. Last Friday was the second gathering of the Creative Women’s Networking Salon at the studio-gallery. It was a resounding success — so much so that the Salon will now become a regularly scheduled monthly event, like our Tarot Salon. I’m thinking first or second Friday of each month.

At our last salon, I was joined by a wide variety of women photographers, editors, writers, bloggers, artists, and crafters — an amazing array of talent. After the event, I noticed that some of the women “friended” each other on Facebook and beyond. That made me very happy, since one of my goals with my studio-gallery is to foster creative community in my Brooklyn neighborhood of Ditmas Park.

2. The Paul Taylor Dance Company is now at City Center in Manhattan through mid-March. I’m fortunate to know Annmaria Mazzini, one of the intensely gifted dancers who perform in the company. (She’s also a talented jewelry designer — I have several of her magical pieces.)

Seeing Annmaria dance has become a special ritual for me, marking the end of winter and start of spring. This year was extraordinary because Thea was old enough to attend with us for the first time! Annmaria even gave Thea a tour backstage at City Center, which thrilled my daughter immensely.

Thea and Annmaria, still in costume from dancing the 1960’s-themed Changes.

Imagine being (almost) five years old and looking out at this vista. In the words of Thea, “really cool.”

3. One of the things I love most about Brooklyn is the community (see item #1 above). One of Thea’s friends is a little girl named Theodora, who lives around the corner from us. Theodora’s mom is Jenny Offill, the author of several books including the novel LAST THINGS, which was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. Jenny has a short story in Electric Literature from which she will be doing a reading of on March 14 at 7pm at KGB Bar and Lit Review. More info here.

Another neighbor mother and friend is journalist Sharon Lerner. Her first book THE WAR ON MOMS is being published by Wiley next month. It’s battlefield reporting on the widespread realities facing most American women today: the lack of paid maternity leave, the dearth of decent part-time work options, and the shortage of good, affordable childcare options. It tells the truth that overworked, stressed-out American moms need to hear: that they’re not alone — and they’re not to blame. Read excerpts here.

4. Related reading news: We’ll be having author Mary Sharratt visit the gallery all the way from England on March 15 at 7pm to present and sign her new novel, DAUGHTERS OF THE WITCHING HILL. I’m very excited — this is an exclusive for us, since the book won’t be released until early April.  DAUGHTERS OF THE WITCHING HILL is garnering some extraordinary praise and received a starred review in Publisher’s Weekly. Learn more about this event.

5. I’ve decided to start offering semi-regular blog posts about my inspirations for The Novel, which is set amidst Victorian England’s deliciously decadent Aesthetic movement. For example, I wrote last month about my trip to Montreal to view the Waterhouse exhibit. The next one will go up later this week as part of my ongoing Creativity Friday series. It’s about my obsession with a Schubert string quintet. (Listen to it here.)

6. Finally, several people have yet to claim their prizes from our Valentine’s Week giveaways. Please send me your info so I can get your goodies on the way. (Or, if you e-mailed me and have yet to receive a prize, please send it to me again — your e-mail did not make it through.)

And with that, I hope you all are having a great week!

• Filed under The Novel, art and words, creativity, events, friends and colleagues, giveaways and raffles, studio and gallery, the art world, the world around me | No Comments

On life, love and loss

“I refuse to think of death. I decide that every day is going to be my best day ever. And it is.”

— Joyce Iris Miller (1930 – 2009)

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The abruptness of my last blog entry suggests that something sudden and unfortunate occurred here in Art and Words land. And it had. My mother-in-law, Joyce Miller, passed away on the evening of December 9th at the age of 79. Since then, we’ve been thrown into a land of bereavement and its aftermath, both emotional and practical.

It’s amazing how much time and energy loss takes. I’m certainly old enough to know loss in my life. But this one has really cut to the bone. Perhaps it wouldn’t be so hard if Joyce’s death had been expected. But it wasn’t — she had a sudden heart attack and died instantly. Otherwise, she was a vital force until the end, full of good humor and joy (as her name suggests). Besides a husband of 56 years, she left behind a daughter and a son — my husband — and two granddaughters.

How can I describe her without sounding like a hagiography? But all this is true — she was simply an extraordinarily generous person who saw the beauty and good wherever she went.

She gave her time and talents to numerous non-profits organizations, including the Library of Congress and the Women’s Democratic Club. She was someone who gathered friends everywhere she went and kept them. Joyce was also the best grandmother to my daughter Thea. Filled with patience and playfulness, she always had some special surprise to greet Thea with every time we visited her in Washington, DC, where she lived. She was always ready to tell a story or to give a hug.

Joyce also loved to have fun and enjoyed beautiful environments. Before her death, we had talked about taking a trip to Monticello and Newport to view the mansions of the rich and famous. She also enjoyed a good gossip and a dry vodka martini, preferably on the rocks with olives. One of my favorite Joyce quotes: “I gave up guilt. It wasn’t that hard to do.”

Joyce Miller was one of my favorite people in this world, and possibly the kindest person I’ve ever met. Last week, we laid her to rest in a grave we covered in peach-colored roses, not far from where John Philip Sousa was buried.

I miss her greatly already. But I feel blessed to have known her.

Joyce Miller with Tom in Rome, sometime in the 1970s.

• Filed under art and words, mythic living, queens, the world around me | 9 Responses

New Fall Publishing Workshops! And Tarot Salon!

September’s Tarot Salon is already almost upon us. Also hot off the press: new workshops! Here’s the info:

Friday, September 25, 2009 ~ 7 – 10 pm
TAROT SALON

Our most popular event! As featured in Time Out New York, CNN.com, Yelp’s “On the Radar”, Brooklyn Based’s “Tip Sheet”, and internationally in La Libération.

Gear up for Autumn with a reading on the question of your choice. The readers at September’s Salon will be Kris Waldherr (creator of The Goddess Tarot and Lover’s Path Tarot) and urban shaman Mama Donna Henes. They’ll be offering readings at a variety of prices. We’ll also have Fran Dunston of Fusion Therapy Spa on hand for massages at $1 a minute.

Refreshments will be served. Free admission.

FALL 2009 WORKSHOPS FOR ADULTS No prior professional experience required.Class size limited to 15.

Saturday, October 17, 1-3 pm DIGITAL FRONTIER: E-books, iPhone apps, and Blogs $25. Includes materials fee. This workshop offers an overview of what’s involved with publishing online, and making money doing so. Special attention is given to creating, distributing, and marketing e-books and iPhone apps.

Saturday, November 14, 1-3 pm PUBLISHING 101 $25. Includes materials fee. This entry level class offers a comprehensive overview of the publishing industry. Topics covered include manuscript submissions, book proposals, literary agents, self-publishing, book acquisitions, and marketing.

Saturday, December 12, 1-3 pm CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOKS: The Big Picture $25. Includes materials fee. Ever wondered what’s involved in creating a children’s picture book—and getting it published? This workshop demystifies the process, taking you from inspiration to publication.

Publishing workshops are taught by Kris Waldherr. Kris has over twenty years of publishing experience on both sides of the editorial desk. She began her publishing career as a children’s book designer at a major New York publishing house. As an author, illustrator, and designer, Kris has created numerous illustrated publications for children and adults, ranging from children’s picture books to tarot decks. She is also a successful iPhone app developer and writes extensively about publishing and creativity on her blog.

FALL 2009 WORKSHOPS FOR CHILDREN Children ages 3-7 welcome. Class size limited to 8.

Thursdays, Time TBA (October 22, 29, November 5, 12) KID’S ART HOUR Come play, think, and create with us! 45 minutes of art and 15 minutes of story time taught by the ever-popular and talented Jessa Lowell Clendenen-Hellman. Parents are welcome to drop off or stay and play. $15 per class, drop in rate. All art materials included. About Jessa: Jessa is well known in the Ditmas Park area for her love of combining fun, creativity, and children. Jessa graduated from Bennington College in 2005 where she studied photography and documentary video. She has worked in several galleries, taken many art classes and has about 10 years of childcare experience.

Have questions? Contact us: e-comment at artandwords dot com or 347-406-5811.

• Filed under art and words, events, new projects, publishing, studio and gallery, tarot and oracles | 2 Responses

Publishing Monday: new workshops and Tudor goodness

I’ve just posted some new publishing and arts workshops over on my gallery page. Here’s the Cliff Notes version:

~ Workshops include: a reprise of our popular Publishing 101; an Introduction to Tarot; Children’s Books Basics; and an abbreviated version of my Bookmaking Bootcamp.

~ All workshops are personally taught by me. Class sizes are limited.

~ All of the workshops take place on Saturdays, to allow for out-of-towners to attend. If you need a place to stay, my neighborhood in Brooklyn is a hotbed of reasonably priced bed-and-breakfasts located in stunningly gorgeous Victorian homes. On the workshop info page, I’ve included links to several located a short walk from my gallery. It is simply stunning here in the spring too—cherry blossom trees and gardens galore.

Learn more about these workshops and other upcoming events here. Have any questions? Contact me directly at kris [at] kriswaldherr dot com.

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In semi-related Doomed Queens publishing news (well, very tangentally), The Tudors return on April 5th. I’ve only watched the series on dvds and must admit to having enjoyed its sensationalistic goodness, historical inaccuracies and all. I’m very tempted to succumb and order Showtime.

Last season ended with an image of Anne Boleyn’s head in mid-flight — not unlike the cover of Doomed Queens — while Henry gluttonously tucked into a roasted swan. This third season promises to cover three more queens, starting with Jane Seymour and ending with Catherine Howard. I’ve heard rumors that Showtime plans to end The Tudors after the fourth season, when presumably Henry marries (and is outlived by) his last bride. I hope not. It would be a shame to miss the antics of the Tudor offspring as they gather ’round the throne.

In anticipation of The Tudors’ return, I’ve planned some blog treats for the week:

~ Alisa Libby, the author of The Blood Confession will be interviewed about her new novel, The King’s Rose. The King’s Rose is a revisionist retelling of the story of Catherine Howard, Henry VIII’s too-soon-beheaded teen queen. I just read a hot-off-the-press copy of it and was unable to sleep for hours afterward — haunting and intense.

~ We’re going to raffle off an autographed copy of The King’s Rose to one lucky blog reader!

~ Carlyn Beccia, the author of The Raucous Royals will be offering her two cents in a post about Anne of Cleves, who was probably the most fortunate of Henry’s six wives. The Raucous Royals is a ton of fun as well as a stunningly designed and illustrated tour de force; read my review here. BTW, the ever-resourceful Carlyn has already written a post about the historical accuracy of The Tudors’ third season. Spoiler alert: Read only if you’ve already watched the first episode on Showtime on Demand.

~ File under “Doomed Queens’ Bitter Wisdom”: I’m planning a post about Anne Boleyn, perhaps the most polarizing of fair Albion’s queens. Was Anne a witch? Or a religious martyr? A political pawn? Or just plain bad news? Whether you concur with Philippa Gregory or Eric Ives, I’ll do my best to cover the bases.

And that’s all for now!

• Filed under art and words, creativity, events, giveaways and raffles, publishing, publishing 101, studio and gallery, tarot and oracles, the world around me | One Response

defining moments – a resurrection

One of the blogs I read is Elizabeth Genco’s; Elizabeth is a writer who’s also fascinated by the mythic. She’s just written a thought-provoking post on defining moments which reminded me of a similar post I wrote approximately two years ago.

Anyway, I thought it would be fun to resurrect it from my archives, in answer to her request for others’ defining moments. Enjoy!

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I’ve been thinking lately about defining moments. (Maybe this phrase should be written with a capital “D” and “F”, to underscore their importance.) My life lately feels a bit like this right now. For the most part, things are in a welcome state of peaceful equilibrium, like the Balance card in the Goddess Tarot. I tell myself to remember this peaceful state and to cherish it. Having sold Doomed Queens, watching my daughter grow up into a beautiful little girl, feeling connected to a supportive community around me — it’s all good. I want to capture this defining moment, like a snapshot to be pulled out of my memory at will.

Though other defining moments I’ve experienced haven’t always risen out of contentment, they are equally important to me. They’ve helped me to figure out exactly I am, what my path should be. We all experience these moments, these quick-brilliant flashes of mythic living that illuminate our lives. What’s tricky is to recognize them for what they are before they fade into yet-another-detail to be cataloged.

One true story: I think I’ve mentioned in the past here that I lived for a year in England after I sold my first book. It was one of the most magical years of my life — it was the first time that I was able to devote myself entirely to art. And I was living in one of the most beautiful places I’d ever seen, surrounded by intensely creative and gifted people.

Sometimes it was hard. Even with a book contract, I still worried about making a living and whether I’d be able to sell future books. I also worried that my art would be beautiful enough to move people as I’d like it to. Would I’d ever be able to reach the artistic goals I yearned for? I pondered this intensely, wondering if I’d chosen the right path. Art can feel like an indulgent proposition, when so much of the world is in trauma.

And one day, the answer came to me when I least expected it.

Of all places, it was on the Underground, London’s equivalent to the NYC subway system. I was in London to show my portfolio around, in hopes of alleviating my ever present “can I make a living as an illustrator” anxiety. Though the Underground was crowded, I managed to score a seat — much welcome, since I was tired from walking around the city all day. I settled in, keeping my eyes low and body tucked tight, to avoid any contact with strangers.

Suddenly, I heard a woman’s voice. “You must be an artist.” Sitting next to me was a middle-aged woman, neatly dressed in business clothing. She continued, “I usually don’t do this, but look at your hands — they’re so long and graceful. You must be an artist.”

Stunned, I nodded yes.

The woman said nothing else to me during that crowded train ride. But what she said was enough.

And what about you? What defining moments do you value?

• Filed under art and words, be-mused, blogs we read, mythic living, the art world, the world around me, travels | 3 Responses