How has life led me to this place and what will I do with that?

My distinction as ArtRoot Writer-in-Residence #19 follows in the penciled furrows of notable authors and poets. I am amazed at the support and faith of the creative community in Racine and Kenosha.

I am pleased to meet you! My name is Christy Hoff. Perhaps we have already met. This poet and author was born in Kenosha, never living anywhere else for more than a few months. And there have been a lot of months since that birthing, haha. I can be found out riding my bike, weeding the garden, walking my dog, taking pictures, or gathering with local creators. No, I don’t sit still very much.

Racine and Kenosha have quasi-adopted me as a member of the creative community. I do not take that acceptance lightly. Here, we do have a wealth of creativity and support that encourages appreciation and growth. A loose network of organizations supported by earnest supporters functions in the background. Many of you already know this, I am appreciating it.

Words have been my fascination since first grade when the logical order of black marks on a page blossomed into meaning. As I continued to grow, those ordered marks revealed phonemic basis in language families. Just like the traits you may have inherited from your parents (red hair, brown eyes, medical complications), words bring patterns and meanings from their families.

Traveling across distances and generations, words bring new thoughts, opinions, and skills. We have much to learn from others. Whether through written or auditory means, it is in words that our interactions deepen in meaning and emotion. Words from the past help us understand ourselves and fellow man. They can help us prevent repeating mistakes.

From reading to writing, I hesitate to label myself as either poet or author or even as writer. My life as a creator reaches into even cooking. Despite the fact that the best food I’ve ever eaten was cooked by somebody else, I occasionally throw down a dish into which I’ve poured my creative juices. In a recent 100 day challenge – which I admit I did not complete – my goal was 30 minutes of creativity a day. One of those creations is the Guinness cake with cream cheese frosting you see.

In my tenure as ArtRoot Writer-in-Residence, my goal will be to open up new opportunities for you to explore your meaning and creativity in this world and how to communicate it. Many discredit their own capabilities. Let’s not spend a lot of time on why, instead cutting through whatever holds your words in the dark. Let’s play!

Come out to meet me as I set up in the community. My primary base will be Vintage and Modern Books. As an avid cyclist, I also intend to find a fitness-related location on the last Tuesday of each month. Without interaction, I will focus on writing. Please, interact! Stop to check in and we can chat up about writing. What kind of writing do you enjoy reading or practicing most? Stop in at Vintage and Modern Books on 6^th Street in Racine on Aug. 5 and let’s talk about it.

—Christy Hoff

ArtRoot Writer-in-Residence