I look for stories in unexpected places—like on a viaduct in South Chicago, or swimming upstream in Michigan. Here are some stories that I have found:
Art Can’t Hurt You
personal essay
I know of a woman who moved apartments because of murals. In her first apartment, she had to walk under the 53rd Street viaduct to get to school everyday. She wanted the city to paint over the murals there, to make them clean and white, to sterilize the blue-black face with cowry shells shaping its eyes and mouth. The murals got the best of her: they forced her to move to the other side of the viaduct, where she didn’t have to pass by their outstretched hands every day. …continue reading Art Can’t Hurt You.
In Memorium
eulogy for a friend
Leon taught us gentleness and generosity, humor and love. He animated our lives with dry wit and open arms, with spontaneity and thoughtfulness. If we are heartbroken now, it is because Leon is so deeply rooted in our hearts and in our lives, and because his life has brought so much happiness to ours. …continue reading In Memorium.
Rattling Around the Galleries and Closets of the Met
book review for Contrary Magazine
Even before page one, it’s clear that Danny Danziger knows museums: Museum: Behind the Scenes at the Metropolitan Museum of Art is dedicated to his mother, Gigi Guggenheim Danziger. One might expect that such a pedigree would lead Danziger to pen a reverent ode to one of the world’s great museums. And, in a sense, he does—but his reverence is directed toward people as much as objets d’art, and the result is equal parts charm and history. …continue reading Rattling Around (opens in new window).
Swimming Against the Current: How Migratory Fish Keep Streams Healthy
feature article for The Nature Conservancy in Michigan
During the summer of 2003, Peter McIntyre took a week off from his graduate work to join his grandfather on a trip to the Upper Peninsula. His grandfather took him to a stream to catch suckers—freshwater fish common in the Great Lakes region—to use for his bait business. What McIntyre saw there, he says, was “staggering.” …continue reading Swimming Against the Current (opens in new window)
C’mon Baby, Shake My Flashlight
product review for EcoSceneInc.com
Whether you need to find your way around in a power outage, you are out in the woods, or you are looking for ways to participate in this year’s Earth Hour, you should have a flashlight on hand. If you’re like me, the flashlight sits in a junk drawer or glove compartment and then when you really need it – uh oh, how old are those batteries? … continue reading C’mon Baby (opens in new window)
