“Weave real connections, create real nodes, build real houses. /Live a life you can endure, make love that is loving. /Keep tangling and interweaving and taking more in, /a thicket and bramble wilderness to the outside but to us /interconnected with rabbit runs and burrows and lairs. /Live as if you liked yourself, and it may happen.”
—Excerpt, ‘The Seven of Pentacles,’ by Marge Piercy
Weave Real Connections in Community
Join us for an Open House and Historic Celebration
When we decided to start holding classes and art exhibitions in this historic home in Riverside, it was very intentional. The chimney drew us in: a wide hearth symbolizes a safe, warm, welcoming community. The riverside location symbolizes the connection to water—to the river of women’s voices rising in our community. The cozy cottage style symbolizes safety and, we hope, sincere hospitality.
Our connections to the community run deep; we believe that a historic home does not simply belong to the owner, it also belongs to the community. So does the art and writing that’s unique to the community. Everyone who walks in our doors, writes in our circles, or hangs art on our walls is a valued, real, and honored connection.
We encourage you to stop by this weekend during the Historic Home Tour in Riverside-Avondale, to talk to us and other people, to keep tangling and interweaving and taking more in, living like you like yourself. Because we like you. And we’d love to see you this weekend! Eleven historic homes and buildings will be featured. Hours are Saturday 10-4 and Sunday 12 noon to 4. We will have writers and artists available on site to chat with you! And we look forward to seeing you soon.
Register HERE.
WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO LATELY
Gen W + POETRY + ECLIPSE + BIRDS!
We were blown away, once again, by the fabulous programming and warm connections made at the recent Generation W conference organized by Donna Orender and team at UNF last Friday. Besides meeting new friends, our favorite part was hearing internationally renowned psychologist, Dr. Edith Eger, say that her #1 recommendation for mental health is to get a notebook and start writing things down! And it was a pleasure to read our anthology poetry to the UUCJ Community on Social Justice Sunday. Plus, it was great to meet fellow writers and neighbors on the sidewalk to admire the eclipse together in community Monday. Finally, we had fun with bird identification during our ‘Bird By Bird‘ writing series Wednesday night! —JW
SAVE THESE DATES
WOMEN’S ART EXCHANGE
We’re delighted to partner up again with Emily Cargill and Dancers for their WAX dance program this Saturday night at the Phoenix Arts District. Join our poets for a special performance of a cento poem constructed by our high school interns. Tickets HERE. Plus, WCJ Denim Day and our upcoming Public ReadAround.
UPCOMING CLASSES
New Class: Mini-Series on Animals
Other Nations: Writing About the Animals In Our Lives (Mini-Series) We love our pets, and we love to tell stories about them. In this three-part writing series, we’ll consider animals in and beyond their domestic roles. This is a class for people wanting to explore and share our deep connections with these “other nations” we share our planet with, “caught with ourselves in the net of life and time.” (Henry Beston). Facilitated by Anna Jacobson.
Tickets HERE.—JW
Order online via Etsy or pick up more copies in person at San Marco Books and More, Chamblin’s Downtown, or The Creative Exchange (CX904)downtown.
The Last Word
From Anne LaMott, Bird By Bird
“One of the things that happens when you give yourself permission to start writing is that you start thinking like a writer. You start seeing everything as material.”