folklore

Nature’s Mosaic: Lessons We Can Learn From Animals

Nature holds a lot of power that can teach and inspire us, as evidenced by all the folk tales involving animals. Making art helps me think about how we get along with animals and how we can change our lives to be more like them. One of the many things animals have taught me is to be adaptable—to change with my environment and to make art that changes with my environment, even using materials from it. Like a bird making its nest! But another lesson from animals is that of stillness, as I’ve been reminded during quarantine.

Outbreaks of Vampirism: Fiction Versus Folklore

What does the continued relevance of vampire stories say about humans’ natural inclination to ostracize the ‘other?’ How have modern vampire tales changed this narrative? Could this evolution of thought be representative of an evolved human condition? What do vampire tales say about our fear of the dead, or mass hysteria associated with things we do not understand?