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Karen Blessen Journals

Interim Tangled Wires

A journal page with handwritten text and a photograph of a sky with clouds and trees.

This journal began as an in-between JOURNAL - before starting one tentatively called SOME THING BEAUTIFUL. Then, as always, came DIGRESSIONS. The questions of parent/child responsibilities. Then came THE OPPOSITE OF BEAUTY. Destruction of nature.

IT CAME TO BE ABOUT TREES

A scrapbook page featuring handwritten text, a photograph of a fiery sunset, and various decorative elements.

to hear your voice. Make me wise, so that I may understand the things you have taught my people. Let me learn the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock. I seek strength, not to be greater than my brother or sister, but to fight my greatest enemy—myself. Make me always ready to come to you with clean hands and straight eyes, so that when life fades as the fading...

...sunset, my spirit may come to you without shame.

A handwritten page in a scrapbook with two black-and-white photographs and accompanying text.

December 1951, Columbus Hospital. I gaze into Mom’s eyes.

I rarely, if ever, went to my parents for comfort. I protected them.

So I never cried in front of them—maybe a few times in my entire life. (then as adult)

Black friends, Native friends call on their ancestors. Should I do that more? Are their spirits fading because they are being forgotten? Some of it comes.

A mixed-media page featuring a collage and handwritten notes discussing "The 29 Pieces" and "The Journals."

Because you know that WHAT IS DONE IN LOVE IS DONE WELL, show that LOVE IS KIND, believe that ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE, & prove that LOVE CONQUERS ALL, we THANK YOU.

Red Paper: love island

Square: 29 PIECES

Signatures: "We love being with you Karen Blessen: Founder & Executive Artistic Director Karen D. Isbell: President, Board of Directors on love island."

What more could we/should we be doing? Think about this.

'MY' WORK The 29 Pieces. What should I be doing? What should happen with them? The JOURNALS. Look at the agreement again - get back with UNL. The JOURNALS. Context & keywords.

A journal page with handwritten notes, a photograph, and a document related to a property violation.

OPEN & VACANT VIOLATION
INFRACTION POR ESTRUCTURAS ABIERTAS Y DESOCUPADAS
INSPECTOR: V. Brown
TELEPHONE 419.551.1118

hired for tree removal
August 13th, 2020
WELL the tree thing blew up...

August 13th, 2020
There's so much to report...
THING THAT STANDS

A handwritten page with a photograph of a residential area, accompanied by a list of tree-related phrases.

Family Trees.
Tree Cut.
Tree falling in the garden.
Trees became the home.
Trees in the parks & prairies.
Trees gone next door.
Trees on the borderline.
Lochline.
Trees for Christmas gifts, from Arbor folk.
Trees planted in my yard.

Legend says yes.
Do trees have the capacity to haunt?