Monday, June 16, 2008

“Where is Nature” Press Release

Whole Terrain, Antioch University New England’s nationally acclaimed literary journal, announces the publication of its 15th annual edition: “Where is Nature?” Each volume of Whole Terrain celebrates reflective writing about nature and work in the environmental field. Our contributors include scientists, activists, educators, poets, and others who encounter nature’s variety.

In answering the question “Where is Nature?,” the secret is in knowing how to look in even the most unlikely places. In her essay “City Harvest,” Jeny Randall finds that living in New York City allows for unexpected discoveries of nature in the seasonal produce at the Union Square greenmarket. Meghan Sullivan, in “Nature’s Patterns,” reveals mathematical patterns, such as the Fibonacci Sequence, that underscore the spirals in pinecones and pineapples, the shapes of ice crystals, and the arrangements of stars. In “Levees, Love,” Sheryl St. Germain finds nature in a built environment—the grass-covered levees that shaped the landscape of her New Orleans childhood.

Identifying where humans end and nature begins is an age-old pursuit. In “Couvade Days,” Michael Branch discovers that the force of nature in human relationships is enough to elicit a set of physical symptoms that replicate those of his pregnant wife. John Tallmadge, in “The Cathedral and the Shell,” finds nature in the cultural heights of the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris. In Tyler Sparks’s poem “injection,” a death row inmate examines his interconnectedness with a spider in the corner of his prison cell.

From the miniscule to the massive, the fabric of all growing and living things weaves timelessly with the nonliving. In studying volcanoes, John Calderazzo assures us that nature is not just the living and breathing, but also in the perpetual churning of rock and lava. Soil ecologist Rachel Thiet delights in life on microscopic scales. Physicist and writer Freeman Dyson asks us to expand our notion of life in the universe, and suggests that warm spots in an otherwise cold universe might harbor nature yet unknown.

A lavish, sixty-pages, “Where is Nature?” includes nine beautiful essays, five poems, an extensive interview, and abundant artwork—all offering diverse and surprising elements of nature. For the first time, there is a several-page display of full color artwork including the work of three artists. A gift to the senses, “Where is Nature?” will by turns entertain, inform, delight, and amaze. Information about purchase is available on our website. A non-profit publication, Whole Terrain depends on the support of readers to continue to provide a rare literary experience.

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Connect with Nature in the Keene area



There are some great events being put on around the Keene area to reconnect people with nature. Spring is a great time to get outdoors and explore everything from beekeeping to foraging or cheesemaking. Click below for a list of some of these events.

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

The Art of Activism

What picture do you conjure when you think of activism? Prepare to throw your stereotypes out the window and join us for either/both of two events this Thursday 5/10 as we explore the role can the arts play in furthering action.

· Panel Discussion at noon (West Wing Gallery and room TBA)
· Feeding the Writer “Beer-inar” for those interested in art and activism at the Colony Mill Brew Pub starting at 4:30

featuring two of our “Where is Nature?” exhibit artists Mark Dannenhauer and Tim Gaudreau (be sure to check out their bios and web sites below, also do take a look at our co-sponsor's EAOP's "well trained activist" blog at: http://eaop-blog.blogspot.com/)):

Mark Dannenhauer:
My work began with puppetry, primarily performance and international tours with the Bread and Puppet Theater. Then, my wife and I did our own tours, mostly within 20 miles of our then-home on scenic Mission Hill in Boston. Then, Jane become a school librarian and I started doing puppet making workshops. Over time, these workshops became more and more about making puppets of local animals. Thinking it might be good to actually know something about animals and habitats, I entered Antioch in 1998. I emerged from the Individualized Program two years later, self-titled degree in Community Landscape Interpretation in hand. So, that’s what I’m doing, Community Landscape Interpretation. I provide the tools and techniques, shape the design parameters, and assist with necessary problem-solving that community members use to create their own interpretation of local landscapes. My principal media are puppetry and photography, to which I’m hoping to add phonography (work with sound). (http://moncon.greenmuseum.org/papers/dannenhauer1.html)

Tim Gaudreau:
Tim Gaudreau is a native New Hampshire artist who is passionate about the natural world and the preservation of the environment. The recipient of several cultural exchange grants, Gaudreau has exhibited internationally including country-regionIndia and Brazil. A photographic essay, An African Portrait Revisited, exploring Ghana, West Africa on the eve of celebrating 50 years of independence was published in the spring of 2007. His work combines photography with video, new media, graphics and sculpture to create public art advocating awareness of eco-issues. Using a balance of humor and irony as artistic tools, Gaudreau first seeks to provoke public consciousness as an entryway to questioning our relationship to Nature. Through fellowship awards from the New Hampshire State Council on the Art, the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation and the MacDowell Colony, Gaudreau has been able to produce public works that challenge conventional thinking.
(web sites: http://timgaudreau.com/ and http://www.wake-up.ws/)

~~~~~~~

Both events are free and open to the public. For more info, email us at: whole_terrain@antiochne.edu.

Sponsored by: Whole Terrain, the Environmental Advocacy and Organizing program & Feeding the Writer, a student group that supports writers and creative events in the ANE Community

Thursday, May 3, 2007

Meet the Artist Reception

“Where is Nature?” Art Show Through May 11th
at ANE's West Wing Gallery

*** Please attend a special Meet the Artist reception on
Friday, May 4th, 6-8pm ***

A giant beaver puppet hangs from the rafters, exhorting us to “step it up” on climate change efforts. In a piece entitled ‘Escape’, a tranquil island hangs suspended in air; suggesting both sanctuary and isolation. Mock posters display empty beer cans, conifer trees and auto parts advertising what is lost and found in nature. These and other works by artists from just down the street from Antioch New England’s West Wing Gallery to the suburbs of Anchorage, Alaska explore the question “Where is Nature?” from a myriad of provocative and evocative perspectives.
(Naked Trees by Aviva Cohen)
The exhibit was conceived of in concert with the theme of the next volume of Whole Terrain: Journal of Reflective Environmental Practice (published since 1992 with pieces that explore the deeper shades of diverse topics from “Play“ and “Resilience,” to “Risk” and “Ceremony and Celebration” (www.wholeterrain.org) and will be showing through May 11th (gallery hours: Monday-Friday noon-7pm). There will be a ‘meet the artist’ reception on Friday, May 4th from 6:00-8:00pm,. Come view the art, talk to some of those who created it, relax to live classical music, and partake of light refreshments. Artists include:

John Bajowski
Hannah E. Carpenter
Polly Chandler
Aviva Cohen
Deb Crowder
Erika Curtiss
Mark Dannenhauer
Tim Gaudreau
Bonnielee Hooper
Annie Jacobs
Cassandra Lee Medvidosky
Beth Minor
Rowland S. Russell
Sandra-Leigh Spreckner
Stephanie Tickner

Stay tuned for details on other events to be held in the conjunction with the show. These will include a panel discussion entitled “The Art of Activism” with “Where is Nature?” artists (tentatively 5/10 at noon), as well as two screenings of musician’s Michael Franti’s“I Know I’m Not Alone” a visually and musically stunning chronicle of his exploration, though music, of the human cost of war in Iraq, Israel and Palestine (Thursday 5/3 at 5pm and Friday 5/4 at 12noon).

All events are free and open to the general public. For more information, email us at: whole_terrain@antiochne.edu. Sponsored by Whole Terrain, Student Alliance, & Feeding the Writer, a student group that supports writers and creative events in the ANE Community

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Kimmerer Visit & Presentation Details

Robin Kimmerer will be presenting on her book, 'Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses,' at Antioch University New England (ANE) this Thursday, April 12th at noon.




Come hear her speak at this Thursday's brown-bag talk (one of the series of inaugural events) in the East Wing E-101 at ANE. She will be with us all day (meeting with Environmental Studies: Literature of the Land students who are reading her book), and visiting classes, students and faculty throughout the afternoon.

In addition, later that same day, ANE's 'Feeding the Writer' group will be hosting a special pot-luck in honor of Robin to be held in Conference room 1A from 5-7pm. Attendees are encouraged to bring a dish, desert, or drinks to share that tell some story (which we may share with each other as well).

Tom Wessels will present a talk based on his new book, The Myth of Progress: Toward a Sustainable Future at 7 p.m in the Community Room, which you are welcome to attend in rounding out a very rich environmental literature day!



Thanks must go to Feeding the Writer, Whole Terrain, Environmental Studies, and the Presidential Inaugural Committee for sponsoring Robin's visit. Copies of 'Gathering Moss' are currently available in the ANE bookstore. Robin and Tom also both have essays in Whole Terrain's volume on Celebration and Ceremony, which will be available for purchase (mail-in order forms available here). Robin should have time to sign your copies of her works over the course of the day.

Sunday, April 1, 2007

Earth Day Art Show


Are you an arist with a passion for the earth?
Help Celebrate Earth Day Week and the coming of Spring!!!

Please forward to any artists you know in our extended community
with works which address the question '"Where is Nature?"
for our upcoming show at ANE...

Stay tuned for announcements about opening and events...

Contact whole_terrain@antiochne.edu for submission guidelines.

Monday, March 19, 2007

'Home Ground' Update

To follow up on developments for Home Ground, just wanted to put in a plug for the new Living on Earth series, The Language of Landscape, "exploring features of the American landscape" and based on Home Ground! In case anyone needs a refresher, a posting about Barry Lopez' recent visit to Antioch University New England can be found below.

Clare Walker Leslie Event

Clare Walker Leslie is coming to

Antioch University New England (ANE)!!!




Clare Walker Leslie will be at ANE to lead a journaling workshop on 17 April, 2007. Clare is an avid nature journalist and illustrator. Her published works include Keeping a Nature Journal, Drawn to Nature, and Nature All Year Long. These can all be accessed via the below link. More details on this event to follow!


Thursday, February 8, 2007

Pre-Order Volume 15: Where is Nature?

Download this order form to pre-order Volume 15, or to purchase previous issues. Be forewarned that there are some volumes already sold out (they are noted on the order form). This customer was disappointed that the volume she wanted was no longer available.

Thursday, February 1, 2007

February Celebrations and Ceremonies

We've heard from Bill Murray and Hallmark, but how do you mark the holidays of February?

How do you celebrate the middle of Winter? February 2nd is commonly celebrated as Groundhog Day, but it is a date with longstanding significance across the globe. Did you know that it is also celebrated as Candlemas? What ceremonies and events do you practice to mark this day? See what others have to say, then add your own story.
http://www.seedwiki.com/wiki/celebration_and_ceremony/february2

Valentine's Day is also around the corner. Do not be fooled by Hallmark! They do not have a patent on the holiday and there are deep, meaningful roots to Valentine's Day. Share your stories, thoughts, or frustrations about this holiday - or simply read what others have to say!
http://www.seedwiki.com/wiki/celebration_and_ceremony/february14

Did you know that you can subscribe to the Whole Terrain Celebration and Ceremony Calendar and get the latest updates as they appear? Follow the link below to keep tabs on the latest stories appearing in the Calendar.

http://www.seedwiki.com/otherpages/celebration_and_ceremony/RecentChanges.xml

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Volume 15: Where Is Nature? Call for Submissions

Since 1992, Whole Terrain has been publishing deeply reflective works of non-fiction, fiction and poetry by writers and practitioners representing an array of disciplines. We are pleased to announce our theme for the upcoming volume; the intriguing and complex question “Where is Nature?” We welcome submissions from writers from around the world, both noted and novice, with something to say about our theme. Theme details and specific guidelines are described in the full call for submissions below.

Best,
Annie Jacobs
Editor
Whole Terrain



Call for Submissions
~
Volume No. 15: Where is Nature?



Within the varied landscapes of the human experience, the identity of nature can be both diverse and elusive. In the current age of websites, global markets, and space travel, our conceptions of where to find nature may be expanding. Seeking priorities and strategies in environmental work, we grapple with the question: where is nature?

Volume 15 of Whole Terrain invites contributors to explore the question of where nature resides. Is it limited to wilderness areas and native ecosystems, or is it also located in city arboretums, organic farms and community gardens? Is nature only "outdoors?" What about our minds and bodies? Can nature live, through metaphysics or psychology, in our memories of a place? Where do we find nature when we travel to new countries or regions? How is it interpreted by different cultures and spiritual traditions?

As environmental practitioners, we often find ourselves behind a desk, shut away from the ecosystems we are working to protect. Where do we find nature in our busy and isolated life styles? Where can we renew our connections with nature? Are there practices that can help us discover nature in unexpected places? For children and adults across society, do computer games, social networking sites, websites, and pod casts replace the experience of outdoor nature with a cyber-space reality? Can cyber space, movies, and television bring outdoor nature to people in urban, indoor or denuded environments?

Whole Terrain seeks provocative submissions that perceive nature in all its places and meanings. We encourage contributions from practitioners in all fields that intersect with nature, on the inner, outer, virtual and even astronomical scales. Fiction, nonfiction, and personal essays are strictly limited to 2,000 words; they should be typed and double-spaced, with pages numbered and word count noted. Poetry submissions may contain up to three pertinent poems. Electronic submissions are strongly encouraged to: whole_terrain@antiochne.edu. Hardcopy submissions must be accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Submitted work will be subject to review. Whole Terrain pays upon publication in copies and a lifetime subscription.


Reading Period: January 2007 – April 2007.
Please send submissions to:

Editor, Whole Terrain
Antioch University New England
40 Avon Street, Keene, NH 03431-3552
Phone: 603.357.3122 ext. 272
Fax: 603.357.0718
Email: whole_terrain@antiochne.edu
http://www.wholeterrain.org

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Barry Lopez at Antioch

Acclaimed writer of fiction and non-fiction, Barry Lopez spoke at Antioch University New England on Thursday, November 16th. He presenting from the just published 'Home Ground: Language for an American Landscape.' As editor of the volume, Lopez invited 45 poets and writers to craft definitions for terms that intimately describe America's land and water forms. Comprising over 850 descriptions, 100 line drawings, and 70 quotations selected from seminal nature writers, this work connects us with place through language that evocatively arises from the land.

Of Home Ground, author Michael Pollan says: "[This] is a treasure house of a book, chocked with gems of the American vernacular. To learn these terms for features of the landscape is like putting on a new pair of glasses-the land comes more vividly into focus. But to call this a reference work is to shortchange it-the entries are written by some of our best writers, and the result is an unexpected page turner."

Lopez's work deals with issues ranging from human-nature relationships, to identity, ethics, and intimacy. He has been decorated with awards from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the John Hay Medal, Guggenheim, Lannan, National Science Foundation fellowships, Pushcart Prizes in fiction and nonfiction, among many others. Mr Lopez is an artist of broad talent, having worked as a landscape photographer, and collaborated on theater and concert productions.

For a complete listing of Barry Lopez and Home Ground events, see: www.homegroundproject.com/authortour.html

Barry's web site: www.barrylopez.com

The event was sponsored by the Antioch New England Environmental Studies Department and Whole Terrain, Journal of Reflective Environmental Practice

Please post any comments, thoughts, reflections, or reactions to Lopez' presentation.