A small room in Boston

At January 17, 2020
By Lisa
In Experiences, Features, Wellness, Writing
2

I write from a small room in Boston without a view. There are two west-facing windows which open to the mustard-colored clapboard siding of the neighboring three-story, and at this time, it is an advantageous vantage point. It keeps my attention focused on my writing and my mission.

Several weeks ago, I took to rearranging the furniture in this room to something I felt was more conducive to creativity. Pushing my desk into a corner I made a cozy place for concentration. A great chair, good lighting, and a variety of sacred items that I believe help my process. It’s a comfortable room also containing an old unused fireplace in the corner — it’s interior bricks painted white against a red wall. There are piles of books, journals, candles, and two sleepy cats. I see this arrangement as something I hope will prove beneficial in the full immersion of my craft because an enemy also lurks within these walls.

The War of Art, written by Steven Pressfield, discusses this enemy. It is known as Resistance. Pressfield refers to Resistance using a capital letter and assigns to it some powerful personality traits. It is what he considers the major deterrent of artists being able to do their work. It is a formable enemy — invisible, insidious, impersonal, and infallible. The battle with Resistance is fought on a daily basis.

Ninth Street Women and the MFA’s Big Show

When women are left out of the annals of art history only half of our collective human history is being told. A study of art history shows us not only visual representations of any given artist’s oeuvre –– and it’s not just about analyzing the technique or talent of that artist –– but art history also gives us the cultural, political, and historical stories behind those works.

For centuries, women artists have struggled to receive recognition for their accomplishments and contributions. Despite activism toward social and professional equality, women remain underrepresented and undervalued in the art world.

As Murray Whyte of the Boston Globe points out, “the best strategy for career success for woman artists appears to be to live long enough to see it. Though waiting — and waiting, and waiting — has never been much of a guarantee.”

Whyte also includes some statistics: ninety-six percent of all art sold at auction is by men. While forty-six percent of American artists are women, only thirteen percent of American art museum holdings are by women.

In my hometown of Boston, MA, strides are being taken to draw attention to women artists from our history as well as those working in the contemporary art world. Like others who write about this subject, I’m struck that there still seems to be a need to differentiate “women artists”.

Summer Issue of Venü Magazine

I’m so excited about this issue of Venü Magazine. Knowing how difficult it is to be in the publishing industry these days, I have to take my hat off to Tracey Thomas and her staff. The amount of work that goes into creating a magazine is certainly a labor of love. Venü issues are not only available online but the beautiful print editions, with their satin sleek covers, are wonderful to hold and read. Many people tell us that they keep past issues as collectables. Additional thanks also goes to Nichole D’Auria for always making my stories (and all the stories in Venü) look so gorgeous with her layouts. And thanks to the editors who make our stories so much more readable and grammatically correct.

For this summer issue of Venü Magazine, my article on the work of artist Betsy Silverman graces the cover. This is the second time I’ve interviewed Silverman and like the first interview, I’m still inspired and impressed with her eye for architectural perfection and attention to detail. Silverman creates highly detailed and vibrant scenes of Boston using only carefully curated and cut pieces of paper. All from recycled magazines. Not a single brush stoke of paint nor a hand drawn line exists in her work.

Life in Jamaica Plain, Boston

I’ve been working on a photography series and I thought I’d share it with you today. Freedom – JP, is still evolving but features photos from lovely Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. The locals here simply refer to this Boston neighborhood as “JP”. It is home to a diverse group of professionals, young families, artists, and activists. It was the perfect place for me to land after my life in Sweden providing the support and solace I needed.

Quiet and laid back, the neighborhood contains a number of parks and even some grand country estates, but is close enough to the heart of the city to make the trip downtown in minutes. Harvard University’s Arnold Arboretum is 281 acres of magic during lilac season and is the oldest public arboretum in the United States. There is also Olmsted’s Emerald Necklace that includes Franklin Park, Jamaica Pond, and Olmsted Park. Along Centre Street, JP’s main street, are independently owned restaurants, boutiques, and shops. These streets are lined with old Victorian townhouses and traversed by hipsters, bicycles, and friendly faces. Jamaica Plain was America’s first street car suburb and was once home to poet Sylvia Plath.

: A Street Where I Live

: Freedom, Jamaica Plain, MA 2018

: Working

: Serenade, 2018

: Sunday in the park

: Snowed In, 2017

: Facts Matter, Centre Street

: Behind Hyde Square

: Dumbwaiter

: Jamaica Pond, 2017

: Reaching

: Jamaica Pond

: Departure

: Rim, Jamaica Plain, MA 2017

: Spring Play, Centre Street

: Ascending and Descending

: No Rush

: It was all brand new and nothing hurt

: Jamaica Pond

: Coffee, Danish, Muffins

I hope you enjoy the photos. There’s more to come but in the meanwhile please leave your comments below.

Lisa Mikulski is a freelance writer and photographer based in Boston, MA. Available for print or online publications. Editorial, features, content development, and creative.

Boston Design Week Gala

Last night’s AD20/21 2018 Gala was a fantastic evening. April showers brought the who’s who of art and design into the beautiful historic Cyclorama building on Tremont Street in Boston. Delicious food, wine, champagne, art, and home furnishings … who could ask for more?

I attended with Venü Magazine‘s publisher, Tracey Thomas, for a celebration of Boston’s Design Week which runs through the 15th of this month. 100% of ticket proceeds from the Gala went to support the ASID New England Scholarship Fund. ASID New England recognizes the outstanding achievements of local undergraduate and graduate students by awarding scholarships to help them complete their interior design education.

Venü Magazine comes to Boston

Venü Magazine is coming to Boston!

2018 marks the 8th year VENÜ has been indulging affluent readers with cutting-edge editorials and captivating visuals dedicated to the world of luxury. Our writers and staff cover stories that inspire and inform our readers – from the most alluring artwork in the world, to delicious dishes by famous chefs (who share their culinary secrets and sensational stories), to impressive yachts, and posh locations at some of the world’s hottest travel destinations.

Venü is coming to Boston. We look forward to showcasing the best in Boston as we seek to capture some of the city’s finest galleries, restaurants, and hot spots. We await to meet new readers, artists, restaurateurs, gallery owners, and advertisers as we stroll through SoWa and partner as a media sponsor at Boston Design Week 2018 and AD20/21 HOME, April 4-15, 2018.

How I became a writer (and the single life)

It’s autumn now. The leaves turn gold and red. The Morning Glory vines have shriveled and turned brown, the chilly nights altering their assent toward the roof of the porch. Autumn makes me self-reflective and I’ve been thinking about where I’ve been and where I’m going. I consider the paths and opportunities available to me and these ideas remind me of my youth when all things were possible. I became a writer partly because of my mother’s insistence that I become a reader. She told me that books would “take me away” to far away lands, introduce me to interesting people, and teach me about the world.

My mother would strategically put books in places for me – on the back seat of the car and on the tank of the toilet. Always a book and a Reader’s Digest. This was pretty good thinking on her part because where else could I go when in a car or in the loo? But as a young girl, I wasn’t interested in books. I was interested in bugs and hanging around in the woods with my dog.

Eight months repatriation in Boston

In February 2017, I was told that reverse culture shock might be an issue for someone like myself returning to the United States after five years abroad. When I was told this, I scoffed. I was simply too happy to have returned to a place where I once again … fit.

While I don’t dismiss the repatriation experience of others, for myself I have only had a few blips – like figuring out the ATM at the cash register, how doors open when entering a building, and the fact that the pedestrian street-walk buttons in Boston often don’t work. I have had no problems with reverse culture shock with the exception of perhaps navigating the work/life balance I learned in Sweden.