ON THE COVER
Alfonso “Pompo” Bresciani

IN THIS ISSUE
•Pompo Bresciani •Daniel S. Sorine : Robin Williams •Tracy Conway •Tom Cox & Will Twynham •Fiona Almeleh •Blue Alchemy : Cyanotypes •Barbara Lane Gauley •Tara Shannon : Rabbit & Bear •W.H. Davies •Ed Spiece •Hazel Hall •Amos Russel Wells •Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean) •John Lubbock •Katarzyna Szulc •Charles Fenno Hoffman

This turned out to be a strange issue of technological extremes. When I invited Pompo Bresciani to send me his art, I didn’t realize how deep into Wonderland it would take me. I almost didn’t include it when I learned his art was generated by Artificial Intelligence. But then I tried it for myself and did a little research and soul searching. Like most new technology, it is here to stay and we need to understand how it works and how to use it, and be ready for how it can be misused. So I wrote a lengthy editorial to explore this and the inevitable consequences.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, I feature cyanotypes, one of the oldest photographic printing processes. Sept. 24th is World Cyanotype Day and I compiled some works from previous years. Ironically, photography was not considered art until recently, and the cultural and artistic parallels to AI is striking. Like AI, cyanotypes are evolving quickly with artists exploring and pushing its boundaries. I already bought a starter kit of chemicals and paper and plan to begin experimenting soon.

100 Silent Ways has been in the works for a while. I discovered a poignant photo of Robin Williams by Daniel S. Sorine to showcase a compilation of nonverbal communication methods inspired by Rumi’s quote. Obviously, I only touched on a few ways, but it reminds us, in our world of talking heads, that we communicate in so many other ways. The Letters poem paired perfectly with an old letter I recently discovered on Ebay that connects to my ancestors.

Tracy Conway is a repeat contributor, and I’ve been looking forward to featuring her pet mausoleums. They complement a poem that friend Barbara Lane Gauley recently wrote about losing her beloved dog. My mom discovered Tara Shannon’s Rabbit and Bear series that delves into the emotions of loss and life.

I can’t get enough of Fiona Almeleh’s intricate textile artwork, and had to cut out quite a few for the issue. Ed Spiece’s flower photography from the Crosby Arboretum has been in the cue for months, so I found some poems to pair with them. Ed is a student from my photo walk at the Arboretum.

I am also putting the word out that I am seeking clients for book and magazine design, art direction, and photo editing. Until I can figure out a way to monetize O Muse!, I need to find more clients to pay the bills and keep O Muse! going. I’m working on a Patreon-style sponsorship program to be announced shortly. I also do genealogy research, biographies, and photo collection scanning, so if you know of anyone who needs my help, please send them my way.
—Diana

Click here to Download or View PDF from OneDrive
(designed to be viewed on a tablet or computer in any PDF reader or browser)

Or click on live view below to read in full screen now.

Sponsor to received sneak peeks, extra content and new issues.