Count me among the many grieving Andrea Elizabeth Clarke, who died on October 29, 2025 at the age of 80. She was a singular force, creative and hilarious, generous and mischievous. Her talents were myriad. She accomplished much over her … Continue reading Homage to Andrea Clarke
Here we are, a year since Hurricane Helene hit us. There were many events to mark the date, including “Whether the Weather,” presented by Temple of Seaweed at Story Parlor, which I had the honor co-curating with Heather Laine Talley. … Continue reading Changed by the rain
June in WNC is, as always, magic. Verdant, warm, sweet. The bliss of sunny days by the river. Garden gifts. Evenings where the blinking lights of fireflies are nothing short of miraculous. This June people have been taking to the … Continue reading On ancient and unknown worlds
The beat of resistance throbs through my being. The rhythm of refusal. “Do not obey in advance,” Timothy Synder advises in his book On Tyranny. ¡Viva la resistencia! Our power is real. The overwhelm is also real, the chaos and … Continue reading Resist | Rock | Remember
On Saturday, January 4, I had the profound honor of being on a panel at the closing reception for the Art of Recovery exhibit at Pink Dog Creative. The exhibit, supported by Asheville Creative Arts, brought together youth artists from … Continue reading The Art of Recovery (Panel Recap)
“me oh my, how the time does fly | time and the river keep a rollin’ on by” That phrase of a refrain by John Hartford has flowed in and out of my mind for decades. Just last week I … Continue reading Time and the River
The power of parties “Get on the ground,” my friend and neighbor Odell Irby often says, referring to the importance of in person encounters. And he means it. Frequently sitting on the corner in front of his house, Odell knows all … Continue reading Get on the ground
Embracing multiple truths is not easy in a culture that prefers binaries, that tends to simplify complex realities into good/bad, right/wrong, etc. Yet multiple truths exist. We find them woven throughout the story of the Montford Park Players and their … Continue reading Shakespeare and Stumptown
“Another turn of the wheel,” a friend recently noted as we discussed loss and love and the brilliance of a red fall leaf. Life presents reasons to feel grief and gratitude over and over. And so we keep taking care … Continue reading Onward in October
Friends, as I’ve mentioned, I’ve been using my personal writing time for a long-term project, and have not had space to write for this site. In lieu of an essay, here are two recently released treasures to fortify your heart, … Continue reading Nourish Hope
Ami Worthen 