A Wink and A Dash America’s still a “proper country,” as it was decades ago when suburban teenagers went cruising with family cars. By Russ Smith Several times a week, while looking at X/Twitter, I see a post from a person (or paid-off bot) with a picture of, say, a crowded, hijinks-a-poppin’ Pizza Hut in
Betty Crocker in a DoorDash World What an old, well-loved Betty Crocker cookbook can reveal about our culture of modern ultra-convenience, domesticity, and control. By Jenna Stocker Before Thanksgiving, I was sent my grandmother’s second edition (1956) of Betty Crocker’s Picture Cookbook (Revised and Enlarged!) by my aunt in Maine. A mainstay in Minnesota since the
To See Nature Anew: The Evolution of Animal Art in the 18th & 19th Centuries The 18th and 19th centuries marked a turning point in the artistic portrayal of animals. Philosophical inquiry and scientific discovery transformed how humans viewed the creatures around them, and artists and audiences alike began to see nature anew. By R.E.
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No Nostalgia Pity-Party: Revisiting the Simplicity of the Past If Mary Tyler Moore could face the world with undaunted cheer and Happy Days was more than a television show, can’t that world give a kid a glimpse of what the world could be? That’s not nostalgia, it’s reclaiming the simple life. Is that so wrong?
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My Own Boo Radley My favorite book from early days was To Kill a Mockingbird. I imagined that I, like fellow tomboy character Scout Finch, would be brave and kind if I ever had a mysterious, reclusive neighbor like Boo Radley. The opportunity to be wise and understanding came in a different way than I
Searching for Mid-Century America: 1955 and Kodachrome Dreams The America of 1955 reveals a nation of innovation, optimism, and complexity on the road to fulfill its Mid-Century fate. The search for a cultural identity was reflected in the literature and photography of artists and entertainers who helped curate a new era. By Jenna Stocker In
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Raptor Rescue Squad! The Great Grey Owl is arguably the most elusive of the resident raptors found in the South Cariboo, hunting mainly at night, and infrequently seen during the day. A chance sighting of one that happened some years ago spawned the creation of our own “raptor rescue squad,” and ended up touching us
Cosmic Americana: Nudie Cohn’s Visionary Fashion Expressed the American Ethos From rodeo queens and Rhinestone Cowboys to rock & roll-folk exploding dreamers, Nudie Cohn expressed a certain kind of American ethos. What better thread through the history of the West and the singers and entertainers who epitomized it in the mid-20th century, is found in
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Pigments to Pixels: How Technology and Innovation Transform Art Technology and innovation have continually reshaped the way artists work. Each innovation, from paper and pigments to pixels and printers, has expanded what is possible, influencing both technique and artistic expression itself. And technology doesn’t just change how art is made; it also transforms how it’s
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A Book by Its Cover This story happened in the 1980s, a time when visiting Thailand was more of an adventure than it is today. Back then there were fewer airport connections, rougher roads, and very few luxury accommodations. I’ve wanted to share this story for decades. I thought about pitching it as a Moth
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