CELEBRATING LIFE: CREATIVE JOURNALING       

Oct. 18, 19, 20, from 9:00-11:00 a.m.

Instructor: Sandi Baron                                                  Cost: $50

Learn how to quickly assemble life lessons, family stories, and document your truths in a creative journal.  Pass this down to your family to keep those family stories alive.

No time to write a lengthy memoir?  Try Sandi Baron's artful way of recording your favorite stories. You will use colored papers, photos, writing, stamps and even pictures from magazines.  You will like this speedy way to record your personal stories.

Classes will include directions, ideas, journal prompts, and art supplies.  Bring a few favorite photos (copies would be best).  From these photos, you will write the story you would like to pass down to future generations.  Bring your most loved writing pen, and it will dance across your pages recording treasured memories.

About the Instructor:

Sandi Baron’s passion is working with people and coaching them to better understand their giftedness, talents, and interests. Part of that awareness is grounded in creativity. Discovering who you are through creative outlets brings new understanding of self-worth, God’s purpose for our lives, and how to reflect on the past to grow in the future. She enjoys her role as writing and creative coach by laughing, being free, and having fun. Participants leave with a light heart as well as confidence in writing, recording, and creating.

She is currently a retreat leader sharing her writing and creative skills with others, and writes a blog (Sandi’s Impressions) which shares life lessons from everyday life. Sandi taught English and Speech for thirty-three years in local high schools.  She has a B.A. and M.A. from Ball State University, serves on the committee for the Midwest Writers Workshop, and is a member of National League of American Pen Women and Muncie Art Guild. She continues to be a freelance writer and an oil painter. Creativity is her life and passion, and she shares it with contagious exuberance. Lee Baron

Sandi's Impressions

http://sandisimpressions.blogspot.com

Calligraphy Class!

9/29 - 11/3 @ E.B. Ball Center

Thursday nights  7p - 9p

$75 call Nancy @ 285-8975 to sign up

Submitted by Muncie Branch NLAPW member Paula Sullivan, instructor of this session

Please join us for a reading by award-winning writer Michael Martone, author or editor of twelve books of fiction and nonfiction. The reading will be followed by a reception and booksigning. Refreshments will be serves. This event is free and open to the public.

Monday, October 3rd at 7:30pm Bracken Library, Room 104

According to John Barth, Fort Wayne native Michael Martone's fiction "combines remarkable originality with a keen eye, deadpan humor, and an amused, massively knowledgeable obsession with his native Indiana." Martone's latest book is FOUR FOR A QUARTER. He is also the author or editor of twelve other books, including THE BLUE GUIDE TO INDIANA, THE FLATNESS AND OTHER LANDSCAPES, and DOUBLE-WIDE: COLLECTED FICTION OF MICHAEL MARTONE. He teaches in the Creative Writing Program at the University of Alabama and the MFA Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College.

This event is sponsored by the Creative Writing Program in the department of English.

Manuscript Makeover Opportunity!

Straight from the Midwest Writers Workshop E-PISTLE:

Due to Popular Demand, MWW is offering Manuscript Makeover: October 29 at Ball State Alumni Center,  9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Get individual editing of your work!    

On Saturday, October 29, Midwest Writers will offer a special session of "Manuscript Makeover," the session which sells out first at our MWW summer workshop. MM is an intensive session with Dennis E. Hensley and Holly Miller, held at the Ball State Alumni Center, (Muncie, IN) from 9 am to 3:30 pm. The one-day workshop is limited to 20 participants and costs $125 (and includes a brown bag lunch so the work flow won't be interrupted).Register here! 

This interactive intensive is designed for those fiction and nonfiction writers who are ready to take a quantum leap forward in enhancing their writing skills. Participants will submit the first 10 pages of a manuscript in progress and a one-page synopsis. The instructors will edit and critique these pages and display them (anonymously) to the class as a way of revealing strengths and weaknesses in the material. 

Additionally, the instructors will lead the students in writing exercises and offer advice on such topics as enhancing dialogue, learning to self-edit, mastering proofreading, finding the right markets for manuscripts and knowing when and how to go into writing full-time. After your registration has been received, you will be asked to e-mail the FIRST 10 pages (double-spaced) of your manuscript and a one-page synopsis (single-spaced) by October 10.

Author Jeannette Walls at Ball State

Courtesy of Ball State email:

In her former role as the popular gossip columnist for MSNBC, tall and confident Jeannette Walls gave little indication of the extremely poor, nomadic childhood she lived and later chronicled in "The Glass Castle" (Scribner, 2005), this year's freshman common reader at Ball State. The "detailed, appealing and admirable" memoir spent three years on The New York Times bestseller list, and Walls will discuss it and her life since with an audience in Emens Auditorium on Wednesday evening, Sept. 21, beginning at 7:30 pm

Unknown to Walls' colleagues during her ascent to national network prominence was her greatest fear - that a fellow journalist might uncover the real scoop: that she had lived in near-unimaginable poverty in West Virginia as a child, sometimes sharing cat food with her siblings, and that her bohemian parents had followed her north when she was a student at Barnard College, willingly becoming members of New York City's homeless population.

"We were always supposed to pretend our life was one long and incredibly fun adventure," Walls writes in "The Glass Castle." Instead, the family lived hand-to-mouth, with her father taking occasional electrician jobs and her mother using her teaching degree for a year before giving it up in favor of painting and drawing, a pastime she preferred over supervising or even providing meals for her children.

After earning her degree from Barnard in 1984, Walls went on to pen the "Intelligencer" column for New York magazine and features for Esquire.  She joined MSNBC in 1998. Her first book is "Dish: The Inside Story on the World of Gossip" (William & Morrow, 2000); her latest is "Half Broke Horses" (Scribner, 2009).

She appears at Ball State courtesy of Freshman Connections. The event is free and open to the public. 

Update - August 2011 meeting reflection

By Cahty Shouse

Meetings aren't my favorite activities. (Are they anybody's?) That's why I'm glad when I find an organization where meetings aren't really meetings. They feel like friendly gatherings. Since my schedule hadn't cooperated so that I could attend a Pen Woman meeting for awhile, I was especially happy to be able to go on August 19tth. Our hostess was Barb Kehoe, our membership chairman.

Barb is very suited to her job in the chapter. I should know. She "dragged" me into the group before she officially became membership chair. Of course, she was the president. I was a tough sell. Did I mention I don't like meetings? But Barb was persistent. And once I saw these weren't really "meetings" and that as women in the arts, we automatically "get" one another, it wasn't long before I joined. Such a warm, inviting group of women!

Friday the 19th, we convened in Barb's lovely dining room for a meal of pasta, finished off with snicker doodle cookies, catered by Judy Baker. Yes, there was other food, but I would have been satisfied with just those two delectable selections. Yum!


We ate at two separate tables and at our table, we covered a variety of topic, including the Kardashians. Think cocktail party talk, except there was no alcohol, and it was around noon, before the weekend even kicked off. Divine!

Member Holly Miller gave a talk on "Norman and Me", reflecting on her time as editor for The Saturday Evening Post. Norman referred to Norman Rockwell, who did the Post's covers for decades. No, she didn't get to meet him. However, her story of the history of the magazine was fascinating. I hadn't realized it started out as a weekly (I think) and had so many over-sized pages someone said it took about 18 hours to read it. That's the number I think she said. I was enthralled and didn't even take notes, which is unusual for me. I'm a journalist, after all. My favorite part was Holly's initial interview with the Post, and Cory SerVass hiring her on the spot to interview a celebrity that same afternoon. See, Holly's from Anderson and, to give herself an edge, had read the Indy Star before the interview in Indianapolis. Holly tipped Cory off to the celebrity going to be in town, per the newspaper, and they were off and rolling--literally. The two women went to the interview with Holly driving Cory's car--a Cadillac or something. (I’m not a car person, either.) What an unusual start to a long-term business relationship. How spunky Holly was--and still is.

Holly's was a great talk for Ella to bring her guest, Jan Lewis. Laurie Lunsford brought her mother, Willa Mae Stevenson. Laurie was excited to share that she's gotten a position as interactive art specialist at Parkview Hospital, where she'll work with poetry and other arts with the residents. Jude is still writing for Maximum Living magazine and showed us her latest article.

I always like to hear what others are doing and go home inspired to kick up my work a notch.

Charlotte Shepperd talked about  Dear Me: Advice to Our Younger Selves, a book published in August 2011. She edited it and contributed, too. She worked with the Savvy Dames, who created the project. The title says it all. Charlotte wrote for the chapter about children, organized the chapters and collaborated in other ways. Indeed, it takes a village to publish a book. What a great reminder. None of us really does art alone, although it can feel like it sometimes. That's what's nice about connecting with artsy friends!

Art Collector's Home

One of our members, Pat Schaefer, is an avid art collector. Her home is really an art gallery – can you imagine living in an art museum?! Ms. Schaefer’s home gives new meaning to the term “usable art”; from the landscaping outside and the architecture of the physical structure and layout of her home to the various collections and unique pieces inside, Ms. Schaeffer’s home is a complete immersion in art!

Ms. Schaefer has worked with renowned professionals from all over the world to create an eclectic gallery of fine art masterpieces.

Earlier this summer Ms. Schaefer hosted the Muncie, Indiana chapter of NLAPW in her home. We held our meeting in her beautiful living room surrounded by pieces from her glass collection, paintings collection, and sculpture collection. Then we had a catered sit-down meal beneath a beautiful chandelier sculpture by Dale Chihuly.

After the meal we were treated to a tour of Ms. Schaefer’s home and a full viewing of all her collections. Below are just a few pictures of some of the pieces in this Muncie, Indiana Pen Woman’s home.

I’m hoping I can catch Ms. Schaefer in an opening in her busy schedule to interview her about some of her favorite artists and post that information here on our blog sometime in the near future. 

In the meantime, enjoy this visual peek into Ms. Schaefer’s Gallery Home!

Library

Gazebo Room

Bathroom

Art Studio

Garden

Front Entrance

Why Aren't You Writing?

Why Aren’t You Writing?

by Ella Reff

            To be writers, we have to believe in ourselves. What do we have to say that others would want to read about? While Ecclesiastes kept saying there is nothing new under the sun, our own experiences are unique.  My first effort at being published besides having a poem in the school newspaper was to enter a contest sponsored by Warner Press of Anderson, Indiana. Directions were to write a spiritual autobiography of at least 20,000 words. How easy it would be to do today compared to then, with a manual typewriter. I did not win. I did not receive any critique, merely a mark on a certain page. I wondered why. But I never knew the answer.

             

            I do know that a while after that, I met a man who had his own business called Beck Publishing Company and a trademark called Silent Witness. His business was in Pandora, Ohio. Was I opening Pandora's Box to pursue my dream to publish a book? He asked me to add a couple more chapters then printed one thousand copies and took half for his use. I gave some away and sold others by speaking at retreats and placing copies in bookstores. I was twenty-nine years old. Now, I take the book off the shelf and look in it, and I reflect on how I have grown as a Christian and how the world has changed.  I had used my talent and I went on from there to write in other venues: an interview in an evangelical magazine, a how-to article in a national hobby magazine, a weekly newspaper column.

            In class I learned four reasons to write:  to inform, to entertain, to persuade, or to share vicarious experiences.  At this time, I am reflecting on the same thing: What could I say that hasn't already been said? Besides writing about my own experience, I need a unique approach. Out of all the books on the shelf, what would make mine be the one picked for purchase? I need a brainstorm list.  

As the computer sometimes says...Thinking....

Upcoming Event: Ruminate

picture source

Muncie, IN branch president of NLAPW, Judy Urbanski, shared this publication with us recently.

Ruminate is a quarterly magazine that comes from Ft. Collins, CO. Its central focus is to "resonate with the complexity and truth of the Christian faith" (from the website).

You can read the magazine online and submit your writing for consideration for publication. There is also an upcoming Writer's Workshop sponsored by Ruminate on September 10th.

Visiting Artist Opportunity

For those of you who are local, you may want to take this opportunity to hear Daly Walker, author of Surgeon Stories.

Here's the information:

E.B.& Bertha C. Ball Center presents a Readers & Writers Series Reception featuring DALY WALKER, author of Surgeon Stories, on Friday, August 19, 2011 at 4:30 p.m.

Winchester native Daly Walker is a retired surgeon who practiced medicine for 35 years in Columbus, Indiana. A fellow of the American College of Surgery, he served in Vietnam as a battalion surgeon and received a Bronze Star. Walker studied creative writing at Indiana University, the University of Louisville, and has studied with Sena Jeter Naslund (acclaimed author of Ahab's Wife), founding director of Fleur-de-Lis press, at Spalding University. His short stories have been published in The Atlantic Monthly, The Sewanee Review, The Louisville Review and The Southamption Review.

Books will be available for purchase. There is no charge. Reservations are required. Please call 285-8975 for more information or to make a reservation.

Calligrapher Paula Sullivan

Introducing our newest Member, Paula Sullivan!

Repost from Jude Urbanski, Muncie, IN Branch NLAPW President

Welcome Paula! Tell us about yourself, Paula. Where were you born? School? Children?

Thanks, Jude, for having me today. I was born and raised in Indiana. Married for 25 years and divorced. Have two wonderful daughters and four precious grandsons, including a set of twins. Graduated from Muncie Central High School. I'm a proud Bearcat!

You're a great calligrapher and I'm wondering how long you've been working at your art? When and how did you begin?

I've been a professional calligrapher, or lettering artist, for 31 years. My love for this art began at age 12 when my Father bought me a book about lettering. I started drawing letters and even designed my own. I spent many years doing posters, signs, quotes, and note cards.

Is there any particular thing which inspired you?

The book on lettering that my Father brought home to me was my impetus, but I'd say my break through or my real passion began once I took a workshop at the Ball State University Museum of Art and learned how to use a lettering pen. This was an improvement over my drawing the letters and coloring them in. I practiced every day for one year, before I accepted any payment for my work.

That is a wonderful story, Paula. I'm sure your Father was pleased. What piece of your work makes you most proud?

There are three actually. The RESOLUTION I lettered for the Minnetrista Cultural Center is one. I also lettered the song, Wind Beneath My Wings, which we placed with both of my parents when they died. Then I lettered a quote found in my sister's pocket upon her untimely death at age 17. Twenty-one years later, I had the opportunity to present this piece to her high school class.

I can see why those pieces would make you proud. Mention some of your clients, Paula. Any commissions?

I've been fortunate enough to be commissioned by the notable Muncie Ball Family, the Muncie Minnetrista Cultural Center, the Pan Am Games, Life Touch Portraits, Ball State University, the Muncie Symphony and the American Red Cross. I've also done work for local businesses, individuals and Tri Kappa Sorority.

How impressive! You also teach calligraphy don't you, Paula? Please tell us about that aspect.

Thank you. Actually, I have taught several years and to over 200 students.

Quite an accomplishment in itself. Paula, how do you fit your art into your daily schedule? I find this is always a challenge.

Well, I do have a 'day job' and have had even two sometimes! I most often find myself fitting my art jobs into the last part of the day. Late at night after family needs are met.

It seems most of us have events in life which challenge us. Can you tell us about one of yours?

The loss of my 17 year-old-sister and the loss of both of my parents impacted my life. Yet through sorrow I found the meaning of joy. So, I've tried hard to spend my life comforting and encouraging others through my work by bringing them from sorrow to joy.

I like that. There's even a favorite Bible verse of mine which fits just what you're saying. In II Cor 1:3-4 it says Praise be to the God …of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

Where else do you find inspiration for your work and life, Paula?

Through my faith in knowing God. The sorrow and pain in my life have made me lean on God and He in turn has given me the strength to create my work and allowed me to comfort others while I receive the joy of healing in my life.

When I'm doing my art, I'm in a different world, which gives me a feeling of pure joy. I was taught that it is in giving we receive. No matter the circumstances, my passion and dedication to my art have never wavered.

Tell us 'a secret' or something we don't know about you, Paula.

Well, I was in the movie that all Indianans love-The Hoosiers. I did a lettering marathon. For 7.5 hours a day, five days a week for three months, I lettered 9,000 names on photographs for Life Touch. My fingers were numb for a long time!

If you could meet any person in history, who would it be and why?

Joyce Meyer, the incredible inspirational speaker and author. She has endured and overcome great odds in her life by knowing God and allowing Him to lead. In turn, she inspires thousands with her strength, wisdom courage and faith.

Do you have any parting words for us?

I do. I'd like to share my favorite mottos: DON'T POSTPONE JOY and FIND STRENGTH IN THE LOVE THAT SURROUNDS YOU. Thanks for having me, Jude.

New Blog Site

This is the new blog for the Muncie, Indiana Branch of the National League of American Pen Women. Our first attempt at blogging was originally located at http://penwomensink.blogspot.com/. As the primary writer/organizer of this blog however, I found it much better to make a new one under my own profile.

Members of the Muncie, IN Branch of NLAPW are invited to send their contributions to me, River Lin, via email and I will post them here for the group.

Thank you!

Mission and Vision

Mission and Vision

According to the Pen Woman, the publication of the National League of American Pen Women, the mission and vision of this group is as follows:

Founded in 1897, the National League of American Pen Women is the oldest women’s arts organization in America. The League, recognized for its support and creation of art, music, and letters, is comprised of professional women artists, writers, poets, composers and arrangers.

The mission of the League, a not-for-profit 501 © (3) corporation, is to encourage, recognize, and promote the production of creative work of professional standard in Art, Letters, and Music, and through outreach activities provide educational, creative, and professional support to members and non-members in these disciplines.

The core values of the NLAPW are respect, knowledge, creation and preservation of the arts. 

History of Muncie and National Branches

History of Muncie and National Branches

by Judy Martin-Urban

History of Muncie and National Branches

of

The National League of American Pen Women

            The Muncie, Indiana Branch of the National League of American Pen Women began March 7, 1944. Susan Marsh served as first president. There were 20 members; 18 in letters and two in art.

            On the national level, the organization began June 26, 1897 through efforts of Marian Longfellow O’Donoghue (yes, William’s niece), Margaret Sullivan Burke and Anna Sanborne Hamilton. They desired to bring together ‘women journalists, authors and illustrators for mutual benefits and strength that comes of union.’

            Alice Morgan, a New York illustrator, designed the League insignia owl, symbolic of wisdom. The owl is placed in a triangle formed with a red pen, a blue pencil and a white brush, bearing colors of the American flag.

            The first national convention was held in Washington, DC, April, 1921 with 300 women in attendance. President Harding attended the convention with his wife, who was a distinguished member. Mrs. Roosevelt and Mrs. Clinton have also been members.

            Our local branch has sponsored academic scholarships and creative writing contests as well as many other worthy activities connected with the arts.

            There are 135 branches in the United States.