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Sorry I haven't been writing much around here lately, but I have been writing for other forums.

Reverend Daniel Meeter was kind enough to post some thoughts on Lent I wrote last week on Ash Wednesday. Not my usual sort of topic, so it made sense to post it on the Old First blog rather than here. But it was very satisfying to express those thoughts, and I'm grateful.

And as you may have noticed, I am now one member of the intrepid blogging crew of the New York Times' new Local blog project for Fort Greene/ Clinton Hill. I'm playing the role of the literary blogger, which means I'll be writing once every couple of weeks about the literary life of the neighborhood, past and present. Andy Newman, the Brooklyn-based reporter who's running the blog, approached me about contributing several weeks ago, and I'm having a great time working with him on this new blogging project.

I'm pretty excited to have a byline in the Times. It's a fascinating project, and I'm learning as much as I'm contributing. But as seems to be the norm with Brooklyn neighborhoods as they are manifested on the internet, the expressions of enthusiasm and interest are occasionally (often) tempered with comments by people who think you don't know what you're talking about. One problem is that yeah, I'm a carpetbagger -- I live in Park Slope, not FG/CH, though my store plans are most definitely FG centered. I don't honestly think that precludes me from being involved in the literary life of the neighborhood -- I know that I am -- but the comments can rankle. But it's probably good practice for doing what I know is best in spite of some slightly snarky opposition. Even if not, I'll just take it as my Lenten discpline.

By the way, if you've got any ideas for Fort Greene or Clinton Hill writers, literary happenings, trivia, or projects -- let me know! I can use all the help I can get. Thanks for reading!

As a last treat before you start your weekend, you gotta read this brilliant piece by Colson Whitehead about being a writer in Brooklyn. He lives here (in Fort Greene), he loves it, but he hilariously pierces the hype about "Brooklyn writers."

Sometimes it's a relief to admit it's just the same here as everywhere else.

And Whitehead ends with an extended metaphor from The Warriors. What could be better?

Enjoy, you kooky literati borough-dwellers. And happy reading.

Here I am, back again in a rush. I'm not even going to begin to list all the commitments that I have today. All I know is that I'm running late AGAIN, and I don't like feeling overwhelmed. Just one more day of appointments and "have-tos" and then I have the whole weekend to just be. I'm hoping to clean up my desk and finish up some of the collage projects that are half way finished. Listing prints on Etsy has ultimately made me lazy, I think. I have a big inventory of my collages on my computer, therefore, if I don't finish an original, I can just list a print. Isn't that the laziest thing you've ever heard an artist say?

So, as usual, I've listed an ACEO print in My Etsy Shop this morning:

Summer Games


I've always liked this ACEO. The two little girls playing ball in the bushes have such peculiar looks on their faces and I was particularly pleased with the moon behind the saguaro.

Until Tomorrow:
Kim
Garden Painter Art
gnarly-dolls
Kim's Kandid Kamera

A student on the forum was searching for ideas for a surrealist painting including the following elements an object, animal, person/portrait in an unusual setting. A book I am reading called “Wild at heart” by John Elderedge prompted my suggestion. This book talks about why “boys need to be boys”. It insists that men need a level of wild excitement in their life, as it is natural to them. In the