Read more about the article Art is Art

Art is Art

Sometimes, I feel conflicted. Why am I so drawn to the arts? Why did I choose to study communication disorders? Where’s the connection? I sometimes forget the connection is the human element of expression. As humans we seem to be motivated to express ourselves. This need is also reinforced when our needs are met through communication. Our mere survival depends on it. My time with you now will explore the connection between visual art and written language as evidenced by a total of four works.

Continue ReadingArt is Art
Read more about the article Collaborative Writing as a Cure for Writer’s Block

Collaborative Writing as a Cure for Writer’s Block

As writers, we bring our own set of experiences and perspectives to whatever we write. That’s part of what makes writing compelling. But with collaborative writing, you bring in the experiences and perspectives of several other writers as well as your own. By including more writers in the process for a single written piece, you enrich the word choice, syntax and thematic elements dramatically. Sometimes the product gets muddled with competing ideas and approaches. But more often than not, particularly if there is no ego or agenda brought to the table, the product of collaborative writing is something that astonishes the participants.

Continue ReadingCollaborative Writing as a Cure for Writer’s Block
Read more about the article Ralph’s True Stories

Ralph’s True Stories

This feeling only grew when I bought a used copy of Ralph’s book – an autographed copy, it turned out— and began reading. Ralph’s True Stories is a lovely compilation of articles that reminisce about a life lived fully, mixed in with folksy observations and no small amount of humor. Even more wonderfully, these vignettes are accompanied by photographs infused with the vintage charm of old-fashioned cars, clothing and past traditions. There’s Ralph in a gaggle of school boys in front of the old school house, 1930. There he is in a bobsled pulled by the family’s horses, 1931. He and his wife as a young couple, 1948. His mom holding their first-born in front of the chicken coop, 1950. The 300+ page book had one homey, sweet, candid photograph after another.

Continue ReadingRalph’s True Stories