Three Things: A Moment of Quietude, Edition II
Post-AWP greetings, dear writers. As we all recover from the exhilaration/madness/euphoria that is AWP, let’s take a moment of stillness. And then write a few words.
Edward Hopper, Office in a Small City, 1953. Oil on canvas. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York.
Laura den Hertog, Flying High. Oil on canvas. www.lauradenhertog.com
Bastienne Schmidt, Untitled, from Home Stills. Photograph. www.bastienneschmidt.com
Three Things: The Sewing Machine Edition
This week I’m thinking about sewing machines. In fact there is one, right this moment, staring at me from just behind my left shoulder as I write this. (The joys of multi-purpose rooms: sewing room and office. And did I mention bedroom?) Lest it acquire midnight superpowers due to woeful neglect, let’s just keep the peace and write an ode to my sewing machine. Or one of the three below. Your choice.
Eugenio Recuenco, Untitled (Tailor), circa 2009. Photograph. www.eugeniorecuenco.com
Jacob Lawrence, The Seamstress, 1946. Gouache on paper.
Edward Hopper, Girl at a Sewing Machine, 1921. Oil on canvas. Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid, Spain.
—-
Huzzah! It’s Open Mic this week! Submit your work-in-progress today and tomorrow, and get feedback from your fellow writers on Wednesday!
Three Things: Summer Evening Edition
Can you hear the crickets? I’m sure you can’t, since you’re probably reading this on Monday morning, but as I sit here Sunday evening, the night is quiet but for the crickets. A summer evening such as this one is quite conducive to writing some words, in my opinion, so I’ve chosen three images to keep the evening going for us all. In all three of these pieces, can’t you just hear the crickets? Good. Now write.
Todd Hido, #2214 from homes at night: houses series. Photograph. www.toddhido.com
Edward Hopper, Summer Evening, 1947. Oil on canvas. Private collection.
Eric Aho, Skowhegan Firefly, 2012. Oil on wood panel. ericaho.com
Spring is finally, slowly, arriving. Which means we Minnesotans are beginning to finally, slowly, go outside. After months of being cooped up in our warm caves, we’re finally able to stretch our legs and venture out beyond the open door.
This week, let’s write about those open doors: your character is standing before the threshold, deciding when to cross it. Does he or she take those steps?
Edward Hopper, Rooms by the Sea, 1951. Oil on canvas. Private collection.
Zhijie Sui, Untitled from the Odes of Chen series. Photograph. www.tacasui.com
Still from The Tree of Life film. Directed by Terrence Malick, 2011. Fox Searchlight Pictures.
