FOTR Weekly: The Madness and Sanity of the Creative Life with Jennifer Clement and Dr. Suzanne Mallouk this Tuesday

Written By Kellie Rankey

“Are the flowers here? The birds are.
Shall I call the flowers?”

– Theodore Roethke, “The Long Alley”

This past Sunday, March 20th, marks the first day of Spring. As the Canada Geese honk their way back to our parks, golf courses, and backyards here in Saginaw, we’ll have to wait for Roethke to call the flowers. But don’t worry – you don’t have to wait for more virtual speaker events and poetry workshops! Check out what we’ve got coming up and join us on Zoom for these great events and more.

Upcoming this week

Speaker Series continues on March 22:
The Creative Life and the Perpetual Question: Is It Madness or Sanity?
with Jennifer Clement and Dr. Suzanne Mallouk

Join us on Zoom this Tuesday, March 22, at 7pm for a conversation about Jennifer Clement’s biography, Widow Basquiat, which is driven by Dr. Suzanne Mallouk’s own writings and stories. The pair will explore their personal experience on this topic as opposed to a scientific, medical, or academic discussion, and this event is sure to be enriched by their unusual background as a part of the 1980's NYC art scene, as well as Clement's upbringing in Mexico and her contact with Surrealism.

Praise for Widow Basquiat: 

“With short, episodic chapters, Clement delivers real insight into the life of the brilliant artist as well as the glittering—but ultimately chaotic—world that consumed him. A disturbing and poetic biography of a talented but massively flawed artist.” – Kirkus Reviews

“Sublime, poetic . . . A harrowing, beautifully told love story about two seekers colliding in a pivotal moment in history, and setting everything, including themselves, on fire.” – Rebecca Walker, New York Times bestselling author 

“A brilliant account of the relationship between Basquiat and his muse and lover . . . a compelling book that leaves a giant-sized lump in the throat . . . Clement hypnotises us with a vivid portrait of Basquiat, powerfully evoking his inventiveness as an artist.” – Independent on Sunday (UK) 

“Widow Basquiat, first published in the UK to incredible acclaim, is the striking story of an artist whose impact would echo beyond his time in the visual art world—in the United States and abroad—and through the voices of musicians such as Macklemore, Jay Z, and Frank Ocean alike. A captivating coming-of-age story, a heartbreaking romance, and a powerful exploration of love, addiction, race, fame, and the commodification of art, Widow Basquiat shows the artist as you’ve never seen him before.” – Crown Publishing

Register here for the event with Jennifer Clement and Dr. Suzanne Mallouk. We look forward to seeing you there!

Looking Ahead

We’ve got a lot more in store for you as we near the end of March and head into April.

Poetry Workshops continue on March 29:
Pandemic Poetry: Biting Hard Crackers
with Carol Barrett

After two years in the pandemic, we’ve all got something to say about it. From small joys and regenerative breaks from the day-to-day, to total disruptions of normalcy, debilitating challenges, and personal losses, the pandemic has touched all of our lives. Join facilitator Carol Barrett on a journey of healing and self-expression in this workshop, where you’ll be invited to vent and process your experience with the pandemic and its multifaceted impacts on your world. With Barrett’s experience in interdisciplinary studies and her dual-doctorates in Creative Writing and Clinical Psychology, her workshop is sure to be a site of constructive exchange, creativity, and healing.

Register here ahead of time to save your seat and join Carol Barrett via Zoom at 7pm on March 29 for this workshop!

If you’re thinking of participating in any of our poetry workshops, seats are going fast! After Carol Barrett’s workshop on March 29, we’ll be halfway through the poetry workshop series with three poetry workshops left. For more information about the poetry workshops, click here.

Special Thanks & Additional Info

Thank you to everyone who attended Anita Skeen’s March 15 workshop, Home, House, Neighborhood: The Places We Inhabit. We hope you enjoyed your time together and that this workshop has given you the space you needed to think more deeply about the concept of home. 

While you work on the poems you’ve created, don’t forget that you are welcome to spend some time with us at Theodore Roethke’s home in Saginaw! For more information about the schedule for time at the Roethke House, see our Museum Hours page.

Thanks to generous support from the Michigan Arts and Culture Council,Arts Midwest, the Ohio Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts, our events are free and open to the public through May 31, 2022.

Kellie Rankey holds a BA in Creative Writing from SVSU, where they currently remain a student. Their work has appeared in The Normal School, Tiny Molecules, and the Michigan Sociological Review, and is forthcoming from Wrongdoing Magazine.

Kellie Rankey

Kellie Rankey holds a BA in Creative Writing from SVSU, where they currently remain a student. Their work has appeared in The Normal School, Tiny Molecules, and the Michigan Sociological Review, and is forthcoming from Wrongdoing Magazine.

Previous

FOTR Weekly: Pandemic Poetry: Biting Hard Crackers with Carol Barrett, and more
Next

Poetry Workshops Continue as Speaker Series Takes a Break This Week