Just a few long-overdue updates that I wanted to share:
Poetry
Over the summer I decided to submit a few poems to a couple literary magazines. To be honest, I didn’t expect much; I hadn’t formally submitted any creative writing since my undergrad days, and I know all too well the difficulty of the process.
So imagine my surprise when I got two acceptances in fairly short order!
My poem “On Identity” will be appearing in issue 14 of the Heart of Flesh literary journal (in print and online), which is slated to come out toward the end of November, and my poem “Lazarus” is going to appear in Spirit Fire Review (online) in December. I’ll be sharing links to those in the Notes and also posting them in the sidebar on the main page when the time comes.
At any rate, the success galvanized me: in my euphoria, I’ve submitted a few more humble verses to other magazines (why not?!), and it will be fun to see what happens! (I’d like to think great-great-many times-great cousin Emily would be very proud of my literary foray.)
Artwork
I’ve been doodling pretty regularly even though I haven’t had any formal projects on my radar, but the coolest thing of recent note has been teaching an introduction to nature journaling and scientific illustration at the school where I work. Watching these kids immerse themselves in nature and diagramming and learning how to apply art to other academic disciplines is increasing my excitement in the best ways for a discipline I’ve always been passionate about. In some aspects, it is simultaneously clarifying my call as both an artist and a teacher, as well as bringing a long-awaited fulfillment of some points on the vision board I put together four years ago.
Which fills me with deep gratitude that I can hardly express. When I put that vision board together, it was nothing more than a pipe-dream floating far out of reach above a life in shambles. To see it happen in real time… Truly delightful!
And, here are some of those aforementioned doodles from my sketchbook:
What began as a stylistic experiment, I am now growing particularly fond of. There’s something calming and almost “old-world” about it. The pencils are not a true trois crayonnes selection (that would be black/sanguine/white, as opposed to the brown/sepia/white that I’m using), but the mimicry is there even if subtler. I also appreciate the texture shifts between the smooth fountain pen text, the grittier pencil, and the soft muted watercolor. Yes, very satisfying.
Personal
The weather shifted pretty suddenly out here, but I can’t say I’m complaining even though it heralds the end of the outdoorsy season. There comes a point toward the end of summer when everything feels rather like that quote from Bilbo Baggins, about feeling like “butter scraped over too much bread.” To have rain again, and watch the trees change color, and smell that particular damp scent that the mountains all have in October is a welcome change, even if it means I have to bundle up a bit more intentionally before going out.
I’m still working on the book I began over the summer, but it’s been slow going (like so many other things). I feel like I’m in a bit of a waiting season on many fronts, like there’s a deep, internal recalibration going on before it will just pour forth onto the page. And that’s okay; creativity is sometimes like that. Especially at this time of the year when everything in Creation slows down, takes a deep breath, and settles in for a well-earned rest. Why would we (and our productivity) be any different?
In the meantime, I’m content to continue honing the craft word by word, pencil mark by pencil mark as the muse strikes. Holy Spirit will get us all where we need to go, as He always does.
Best,
—Heather
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