by Kelsey Marie Harris Functional depression leaves me with nothing much to say this week, if I’m being honest. But in the spirit of “functional” I’ll use this week’s blog post to tell you about my Writer In Residence project. I plan, with the help of some of Wisconsin’s amazing writing community, to create an…
Author: ArtRoot's Writer-In-Residence
The ArtRoot Writer-In-Residence (WIR) project is an initiative founded by ArtRoot, a collaboration of artists and arts advocates who are determined to reinvigorate Racine, WI through the arts. This project is supported by the Racine Literacy Council, and funded through a generous grant from the Osborne & Scekic Family Foundation.
This project seeks to spotlight Racine and Kenosha’s dynamic literary community while encouraging, supporting, and advocating on behalf of writers at all stages of their careers.
The Simplest Forms Of Alchemy
by Kelsey Marie Harris A man lay dying on your steps. You step over his body and call an ambulance. He dreams of the conquests of his lifetime and the missed opportunities. Phantom smells waft in of the foods he loved and places he’s been. You cover your nose, anxious for when he can become…
360 Degrees of Separation
by Kelsey Marie Harris Opinions are an infliction, or affliction, depending on how you look at it. More than wanting to be right, we have this pulsing urge to prove that everyone with an opposing idea is wrong. Insecurity plus validation equals overcompensation. The flawed equation of humanity. We could argue forming opinions has led…
Edible weeds, and other things realized while pandemiced
by Kelsey Marie Harris I’ve recently learned that some weeds are edible, medicinal even. Dandelion is beneficial from the flower to the root. Purslane grows in abundance, and has the most Omega 3 fatty acids of all leafy greens. Lambsquarters, a type of wild spinach, is an excellent source of B vitamins. …
Abandoning Comfort, For Freedom’s Sake
by Kelsey Marie Harris Today I thought about endurance, and how it relates to mindfulness. I find myself practicing this in small ways. I’ll have an itch but I won’t scratch it. I make myself feel it. When it seems too much to bear I assure myself, it likely won’t itch 10 minutes from now….
Writer in residence during Covid19: An introduction
by Kelsey Marie Harris I’m literally a “writer in residence”. It’s certainly a challenge to write about or draw inspiration from the local art scene while distant from it, but I often find it challenging to be around people. So in a weird way, this works for me. Emily Dickinson managed to write almost 1800…
Farewell for now and Thank you
By Jenny Maurer When I first thought about applying for this position last year, I was both a little intimated and at ease about having to put together a portfolio. I had put together a sample of my work earlier in the year for my application to Shepherd’s Express, but at that time I hadn’t…
The Beach and other leisures during Quarantine
North Beach without the hammocks, lunch shack or volley ball net is a very depressing sight. I think the beach is one of the best things about the city and it usually is a welcoming symbol of summer. However, the lack of accoutrements didn’t deter people from enjoying time by the water; there were many…
Zines of Racine a four month assessment
I set out for Zines of Racine to be the main project of my residence at Artroot. Sadly, with the coronavirus crisis, my scope became limited to interviews over email rather than 101 meetings and visits to the annual Milwaukee zine fest. With that said, I do think that the interviews conducted have provided a…
Life during Quarantine: Milwaukee Pride was at home this year
By Jenny Maurer I started attending the Milwaukee LGBT pride festival in 2010 when I was a member of my university’s LGBT alliance. It was festive, passionate and exuded the humble friendliness that the Midwest is known for. I’ve been back four times since and it has always felt different each visit; current events occurred,…
ArtRoot Writer-In-Residence 