The Work of Art — inside the creative process of some of the most beloved artists of our time: poets, painters, novelists, musicians, filmmakers, playwrights, architects, chefs, and other makers of meaning and beauty themarginalian.org/2024/05/01/the…

David Bowie on creativity and his advice to artists themarginalian.org/2022/11/24/dav…

Today I watched the counter pass 3,000 bicycles on the Manhattan bridge. (I was one of them.) A little more than a century ago, that was unthinkable. Here is a superb 1896 manifesto for the bicycle as a portal to joy and empowerment, especially for women themarginalian.org/2020/04/08/bic…

Wonder, hungry wolves, and the whimsy of resilience – Arthur Rackham's hauntingly beautiful century-old illustrations for Irish fairy tales themarginalian.org/2022/03/19/art…

The vital difference between work and labor – a classic read on creativity themarginalian.org/2023/01/27/lew…

Anna Deavere Smith on discipline and how to stop letting others define you themarginalian.org/2014/06/16/ann…

Margaret Atwood on marriage, in a poem themarginalian.org/2019/12/09/mar…

In this peak season for bird migration, the majesty and mystery of nocturnal flight turned into a poem turned into a symphony themarginalian.org/2023/11/18/han…

After Love – Maxine Kumin's stunning poem about eros as a portal to unselfing themarginalian.org/2023/10/02/max…

On this day in 1921, 'the big apple' became NYC's moniker. Here is the story of its origin, unknown even to most native New Yorkers themarginalian.org/2021/05/02/nyc…

Chekhov's 6 tenets of a great story (which also make for excellent tenets for living) themarginalian.org/2018/10/03/che…

I love @orion_magazine — a favorite place on the internet, and a favorite find in a bookstore. It was a joy to answer their version of the Proust Questionnaire: orionmagazine.org/article/maria-…

'The true artist is not proud... Though he may be admired by others, he is sad not to have reached that point to which his better genius only appears as a distant, guiding sun.'

Beethoven's letter of advice to a young girl who wanted to become an artist themarginalian.org/2017/05/18/bee…

“Anyone with any degree of mental toughness ought to be able to exist without the things they like most for a few months at least.”

Georgia O'Keeffe on art, life, and setting priorities themarginalian.org/2014/09/17/geo…

Ursula K. Le Guin on time, the measure of loyalty, and what responsibility really means themarginalian.org/2018/10/10/urs…

“No fear or shame in the dignity of yr experience, language & knowledge.”

Jack Kerouac's 30 tenets of writing and life themarginalian.org/2012/03/22/jac…

Ecological philosopher and Rilke translator Joanna Macy, who turns 95 today, on mortality and how to be more alive each day themarginalian.org/2014/12/10/joa…

Frankenstein author Mary Shelley on nature and the meaning of happiness themarginalian.org/2018/10/23/mar…

Before the apogee of the civil rights movement, before the second wave of feminism, Jacqueline Ayer, born on this day in 1930, made an artistic career at Vogue and Christian Dior, then went on to write and illustrate some absolutely lovely children's books themarginalian.org/2017/08/30/the…

'Our world, and the worlds around and within it, is aflame with shades of brilliance we cannot fathom — and is far more vibrant, far more holy, than we could ever imagine.'

Wonderful, wonderful read: themarginalian.org/2018/10/31/how…