“Dawn Flight” • 2023 • Woodcut Print • 4" x 5 1/2" • Trevor Grabill, Flat Mtn Press
In This Issue: ongoing conversation about the 10,000 stories, and belonging, and why it all matters.
Hallucinations of Normalcy
“…we may be so tied to some old patterns that if we don’t clearly and unequivocally define what we mean, we might start to hallucinate. We might see, as our goal for this work: a single family home, surrounded by some acreage, with a well-kept garden, a scattering of chickens, some old but well-tended apple trees, a barn or a hoop house, a well-stacked firewood pile, maybe some clothes hanging on the clothesline."
If you’re just wandering over, welcome — the conversation is getting interesting. Back in July, our steadfast literary helmsman Taylor Reed took a break from work to welcome a new baby to the world, and in his absence I started a five-part series revolving around work, land use, culture, institutions, and stories. When Taylor returned, he began writing responses to some of those essays. Yeah, it’s getting wild.
His first response was interesting enough to inspire me to talk back. No one wants to see this conversation devolve into a bad Facebook thread, but for now, I think there’s an interesting crossroads worth lingering at. Amanda Kik weighed in with some essential comments on this too, and I hope she can find the time and space to produce a full essay on those ideas.
Taylor’s initial argument is worth reading in full. To give a grossly oversimplified version, he says that we ignore the role of the home-place in favor of the community institution at our peril. So, Taylor, that was by design: I intended to focus on community-scale work, and the role of non-profit institutions, because that’s the most generative space for my thinking, and where not many others are looking. I hoped to sidestep the din of conversation around the “family farm” or individual action, and instead contribute to the quieter talk around how community-scale change happens.
That doesn’t get me out of hot water though.
Taylor’s argument is clear:
The home is the most powerful venue for this transformative work, the spot where those crucial and rooted functions happen most naturally.
He then advocates for uplifting and giving weight to
…the education, relationships, development and systems that flow out of households, amongst family and friends, and in work that isn’t tied to a paycheck or organizational ethos, but simply flows from values held without formal organizing frameworks…
He then sharpens the stick and twists:
The Warp — Ideas and Inspiration
|| 1 || I actually wrote this essay two weeks ago but it was important to make room for Taylor’s most recent piece, What am I Supposed to do with This? The TL;DR of that piece (but it’s not too long, so don’t don’t read it): touch grass. We get too caught up in cynical reason and trying to get the exact nuance and most clever idea. It’s a trap, in part because language is a sophisticated trap, and in part because there’s so much good work to do already, so let’s have the finer points over the post-work soup. Here’s my favorite line from that essay: “I’m heading out for a wet, forest-edge meadow meander, golden leaves falling around me.”
|| 2 || We had some soup, thanks to James at NoBo Mrkt who caramelizes a mean onion. The “we” I’m referring to is a score of art and ecology admins, many of them connected to residency programs in Michigan, who gathered at the Alluvion back in September. I’ve been reviewing my notes from that gathering, and finding so many great resonances with these recent essays.
Specifically, we talked a great deal about what it means to be welcoming. This was a prompt from Springboard for the Arts, who helped convene the first day’s gathering. I loved how many answers drew from what the attendees knew about artist residency spaces, yet those answers were universal in impact.
How do you know when spaces are not welcoming? The people you think you are engaging aren’t showing up. Missing amenities like coffee, water, food (food better reflect the community you are serving). How’s the ambiance—lighting, sound, temperature? No one says “hello.” You’re not sure what to do or what not to do. No wayfinding. No one gave you an honest overview of what to expect when you arrived.
How do you contribute to creating welcoming spaces? Be present. Listen. Be honest, not only about your space but about the journey to get to you and the community that surrounds you. This is especially important for people at higher risk of being singled out and harassed for their skin color, gender, religious beliefs or sexual orientation. Address safety. Audit your space. Audit your assumptions.
Lots more to say on this, and the cohort that gathered is planning to do so again. If you work in the intersection of arts and ecology or are dreaming toward a land-based-project, we’d love for you to join us. Start by filling out the form here.
|| 3 || Random links that have been haunting my tabs:
The Simplicity & Beauty of Dynamic Symmetry – Visual Glossary. Maybe you’ve heard of the rule of thirds, but there are lots of ways to divide a frame to help make the scene inside it come alive.
A collection of simple and inexpensive Printmaking Hacks, including a DIY drying rack and a tiny brilliant makers mark.
A lovely reflection on the indelible TechGnosis, which turned 25 this year, written by its author Erik Davis.
I finally built a dim bulb tester and can get my dad’s old record player spinning just in time to play my 7-LP set of Reader’s Digest Christmas music. Nostalgia!
Russel Means, “For America to Live, Europe Must Die.” Powerful stuff.
|| 4 || Crosshatch, like 90% of non-profits out there, will ask for your support at year-end to help keep this newsletter and our many programs rolling forward and spreading into the cracks. Beat the rush, and give here now.
The Weft — News and Events
We’re heartened by a wide-range of expressions of resilient communities and gatherings. Here’s a smattering of regional events and happenings that reflect that diversity, collected for your consideration. Choose your own adventure!
|| 1 || The Traverse City Film Festival began anew on October 3rd. The new iteration of the annual festival features a curated film every Tuesday of the year, along with Q/A sessions with filmmakers, $2 popcorn, and more. Find details here.
|| 2 || Herb Guild meeting!
Thursday December 7th 6 to 8 pm at
Traverse Area District Library—Thirlby Room
610 Woodmere Ave, Traverse City, MI 49686
The topic for this meeting is “Resources”—what better way to connect with our local herbal resources than at the local library. Let's learn about what is available in our community and finish compiling our resource lists. It is the goal of the guild to create resources that are shared with everyone in a living type document that is available digitally.
Do you have a favorite herbal book? Feel free to bring that, or send an email if you are unable to attend to be added to a type of herbal book club.
|| 3 || Two important ag events—one via the web, the other a little further afield:
Savanna Institute’s Perennial Farm Gathering feat. Robin Wall Kimmerer & Ross Gay
December 6 to 8
Virtual Event
Savanna Institute’s signature event of the year, the Perennial Farm Gathering brings together a wide community of farmers, land stewards, and perennial enthusiasts. Over three days, folks gather virtually from across the country and beyond to share our work, research, and lessons learned in panels, workshops, deep dives, and nutshell overviews – all to advance perennial agriculture.
7th Annual Women in Ag Conference at Iowa State in Ames, IA, November 29 - 30.
This year’s theme, “Cultivating Confidence, Harvesting Happiness,” reflects the purposeful dedication women give to the agricultural industry they love. Several of the conference sessions and tours revolve around career advancement, financial management, leadership development and hot topics in agriculture. The conference has become a comfortable setting for women to explore new opportunities while expanding their network of women working in farming, agribusiness, and agricultural organizations; as well as students.
https://www.regcytes.extension.iastate.edu/womeninag/
|| 4 || “Is your organization who focuses on clean energy or climate work interested in engaging on agriculture work or understanding the interconnections of agriculture and climate? We've got an opportunity for you!” The RE-AMP Network is putting on the 2023 Midwest Climate and Agriculture Summit in Nebraska City, Nebraska, November 15-17. Click here to see the agenda, and/or register to save a spot.
sponsored by:
Desmond Liggett Wealth Advisors is a mission-driven, fee-only wealth management company with a simple purpose: to generate exceptional value for the individuals, families, small business owners, and non-profit organizations they serve. Desmond Liggett Wealth Advisors believe in and adhere to triple-bottom-line analysis for portfolio investments, ensuring that they review how a company’s environmental and social values impact its long-term resilience and, consequently, value.
Many thanks to the Michigan Arts & Culture Council and the National Endowment for the Arts for their support of this work.
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