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Emily Ruskovich: Rising star
Published
7 years agoon
Posted By
Outlaw PartnersBy Doug Hare EBS Staff
Growing up in the Hoodoo Mountains in the panhandle of Idaho, Emily Ruskovich came to love the beauty, isolation and danger of rural living. Recounting her childhood in a strange, hostile landscape in a February interview with Electric Literature, Ruskovich said, “I remember that one day, our half-built chicken house simply disappeared. Even the cinderblocks that formed the foundation, all of it gone.”
Now a creative writing professor at the University of Colorado Denver, Ruskovich wrote the first chapter of her first novel as a graduate student while in the universally acclaimed University of Iowa MFA program. Another of her first short stories, “Owl,” won the O. Henry Prize, widely regarded as America’s highest honor for short fiction.
Set in a fictional town in the northern part of the state, her debut novel “Idaho” hit bookshelves last year and has been garnering national attention ever since. In the same vein as Toni Morrison’s “Beloved,” it is a story about an unspeakable tragedy that transforms into a story about finding love, grace and compassion amid grief, sorrow and despair.
It is a murder mystery, a romantic thriller, and an exploration of the fragility of memory and imagination in shaping the narratives of our lives. Centered around the relationship of Ann and Wade, a British piano teacher and a man slipping into early-onset dementia, “Idaho” spans four decades and is told in a non-linear fashion. It moves back and forth, mimicking the way the past is constantly intruding on the present.
One day while collecting firewood, Wade’s first wife Jenny murdered their 6-year-old daughter May with a hatchet, and their second daughter June ran off into the woods, never to be seen again. As Ann attempts to figure out what could have caused such a senseless, horrendous act, we are treated to a lyrical exploration of loss and wrenching search for consolation and hope.
From chapter to chapter, the changing perspectives of various narrators are reminiscent of William Faulkner’s classic “As I Lay Dying.” With a stroke of brilliance, one daring chapter is narrated by a bloodhound: “Off duty, head up, the bloodhound is a different dog. The wrinkles fall open. The forehead is smoothed, the scent let go. This is how the dog forgets. This is how a dog moves on. He lifts his head.”
While the book might be considered slow moving by some, the poetic, rhythmic prose never feels indulgent or excessive. To write beautifully about a heinous act of violence is proof of Ruskovich’s raw talent. “Idaho” might be dark, haunting, and melancholic in tone, but in the end this book has much to teach us about how to deal with guilt, loss and forgiveness.
Doug Hare is the Distribution Director for Outlaw Partners. He studied philosophy and American literature at Princeton and Harvard universities.
The Outlaw Partners is a creative marketing, media and events company based in Big Sky, Montana.
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Saturday, March 23rd 6:00-8:00pm We will combine the heart-opening powers of cacao with the transcendental powers of breathwork and sound. Together, these practices will give us the opportunity for a deep
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Saturday, March 23rd 6:00-8:00pm
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March 23 (Saturday) 6:00 pm - April 23 (Tuesday) 8:00 pm
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169 Snowy Mountain Circle
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We all are familiar with using a limited palette, but do you use one? Do you know how to use a
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We all are familiar with using a limited palette, but do you use one? Do you know how to use a limited palette to create different color combinations? Are you tired of carrying around 15-20 different tubes when you paint plein air? Have you ever wanted to create a certain “mood” in a painting but failed? Do you create a lot of mud? Do you struggle to achieve color harmony? All these problems are addressed in John’s workbook in clear and concise language!
Based on the bestselling “Limited Palatte, Unlimited Color” workbook written by John Pototschnik, the workshop is run by Maggie Shane and Annie McCoy, accomplished landscape (acrylic) and plein air (oil) artists,exhibitors at the Big Sky Artists’ Studio & Gallery and members of the Big Sky Artists Collective.
Each student will receive a copy of “Limited Palette, Unlimited Color” to keep and take home to continue your limited palette journey. We will show you how to use the color wheel and mix your own clean mixtures to successfully create a mood for your paintings.
Each day, we will create a different limited palette color chart and paint a version of a simple landscape using John’s directives. You will then be able to go home and paint more schemes using the book for guidance.
Workshop is open to painters (oil or acrylic) of any level although students must have some basic knowledge of the medium he or she uses. Students will be provided the book ($92 value), color wheel, value scale and canvas papers to complete the daily exercises.
Sundays, April 14, 21 and 28, 2024
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Everyone is invited to join us in celebrating 2 years of arts education in the BASE Art Studio with us! Take a tour
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Everyone is invited to join us in celebrating 2 years of arts education in the BASE Art Studio with us! Take a tour of the studio, meet our instructors, and meet other artists of all levels in our community. We’ll be getting creative and you’ll have the chance to make your very own artful button pin.
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