My Workspace: a Photo Essay by Natalie Solmer, Editor-in-Chief
Clockwise from top: This is a lie. I do not love challenges or even like them, but I try to brainwash myself to like them every day, remnants of a Catholic girlhood and a photograph of Notre Dame in the 50’s by a great uncle, one of my collage/paintings, a portrait of me by one of my aunts (based off of a photo I took of myself at my former workplace–a floral department backroom that featured a mirror from the seafood department), a painting on glass of Mary breastfeeding by a Polish artist, another collage experiment, a photograph of amazing doors and pots.
Plants surrounding a ceramic sculpture by the same aunt who painted my portrait. A Polish scarf reminiscent of a garden. My kids are finally old enough now where I can have plants and they are not trying to eat or destroy them! I dream of gardening off and on all day long. It has been this way since I was ten years old.
Waiting on students in Zoom. We learn to cross the virtual divide. The Indianapolis Review has been my way of connecting with writers and artists virtually for over three years now. I often said I began Indy Review because of having no time or money or energy to go out and see people (and I’m a bit of a hermit naturally).
A pink lava lamp to elevate mood. The photograph of my father in Rum Village Woods, near where my grandparents lived, and we visited often. I like to paint the backs of my phone cases with nail polish. I try to get a little art into my space everywhere.
I learn so much while working on every issue of The Indianapolis Review, especially about art and about writing. We are fortunate to have incredible artists contributing to this Winter Issue: Wasima Farah, Bill Wolak, K. Johnson Bowles, Robin Frost-Bess, and Catherine-Esther Cowie. We share these features alongside the works of 20 incredible poets.
I am also very excited and honored to present an interview (and two new poems!) from Indiana-born poet Douglas Manuel, whose work is full of humor, music, attention to detail, and vivid landscapes.
We also have a couple of reviews in this issue: Naoko Fujimoto meditates on Minami Kobayasi’s paintings, and Amanda Auchner breaks down Julie E. Bloemeke’s debut, Slide to Unlock.
I also want to say that my heart goes out to all of you who are experiencing loss and despair due to the COVID pandemic. Members of our staff have lost loved ones, have been affected; we all have been affected.
We hope you enjoy this issue,
Natalie Solmer
Indianapolis, January 2021
Previous Page (Review of Julie E. Bloemeke’s debut collection, Slide To Unlock)