13 Comments
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Curt Gesch's avatar

The painting is wonderful.

Kendra Fiddler's avatar

I love the painting too!

Maaike VanderMeer's avatar

Thanks Curt! It's a meditation on Rehoboth, if I remember correctly...

Callahan Gobble's avatar

Where are you doing your MFA? In what discipline?

Maaike VanderMeer's avatar

At the University of British Columbia, in Creative Writing! It's great fun :)

Callahan Gobble's avatar

That’s so cool! What year are you? How long of a program is it? I did the three year program in poetry (and a little playwriting) at UT Austin

Maaike VanderMeer's avatar

Oh that's so cool! I'm still in my first semester:) it's a 2-3 year program

Callahan Gobble's avatar

That’s so exciting. Enjoy it. Such a special time.

Maaike VanderMeer's avatar

What were your favorite moments or takeaways from your program?

Callahan Gobble's avatar

That’s a very sweet question, thank you. I had an experience very clouded by mental illness and personal drama. But your inquiry has reminded me how special that time was, too.

Things I remember fondly: the gift of so much time and support to just write for three years / picking up visiting writers from the airport / a queer poetics class mixed with MFA poets and PhD lit folks / an excuse to live in Austin / the honor of being classmates and a student of folks whose books I’m still discovering on bookshelves / hosting a reading series / taking some playwriting classes / working with my favorite poet Dean Young on my thesis manuscript

What made you choose that program? Who are you excited to study with? Any projects going?

Jayne Shore's avatar

“We set out porcelain questions for the future…” 💙