Here we are in 2025 with a whole new year ahead of us. We have missed sharing updates with you all, so we are hoping to revive that tradition with seasonal columns sharing what inspired, moved, or interested us most as of late. As we write this first installment of this series, we find ourselves in the thick of winter, and the year still feels fresh.
At the end of 2024 into the beginning of this year, we had our open call on the theme of Books & Literature, and we are currently undergoing the process of reading and viewing all of the excellent pieces that everyone chose to share with us. We hope to be sending out responses in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, we wish to share with you some of the media that we enjoyed in these deep winter months, including what inspired our own creative processes and what best filled our foggy days.
Ariel’s Favorites
Slow Seasons by Rosie Steer
This book is a gentle-handed reminder to slow down in our day to day lives and reconnect with nature and the wheel of the seasons. The author includes recipes, crafts, and activities to inspire the reader to make the most of their daily lives and embrace slowness, which is delivered with the intention of helping the reader in connecting with the seasonal wheel of the year. The audiobook is especially lovely.
My Victorian Nightmare
This is a podcast hosted by Genevieve Manion that focuses on the macabre elements of Victorian culture. The Victorians were known for their interest in the occult, the spiritualism movement, their intricate practices and beliefs surrounding death, and their ghost stories, among many other creepy odds and ends. Each episode covers a different topic, such as the death of Edgar Allan Poe or haunting children’s stories of the era. I highly recommend this podcast for those with a particular interest in history and the macabre.
Nosferatu (2024)
As a lover of the gothic and vampire genres, as well as the original Nosferatu film, I had high expectations for this movie. I was impressed by the original’s use of lighting and character design to ellicit terror, and I was not dispapointed by this newest rendition. The cinematography was perfectly haunting, and the acting as well as the costume and set design were immersive. There are layers to unpack regarding gender, assault, folklore, and love versus hunger. It is certainly worth a watch, but I must advise those who are sensitive to sexual themes, including sexual assault, to be aware that this might not be the easiest movie to view.
Terri’s Favorites
Groundhog Day
A perennial favorite. No February is complete without a rewatch of Groundhog Day. It’s a hilarious movie that always leaves me feeling better afterwards – highly recommend, even if you don’t observe the day of the weather rat.
David Lynch
January brought the loss of legendary director David Lynch, whose work is particularly close to my heart. For the uninitiated, I recommend checking out Twin Peaks. Horror fans may enjoy Eraserhead, and Dune is a great choice for anyone who prefers sci-fi.
Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto
A beautifully melancholy novel about a young woman working through the loss of her last remaining family member, Yoshimoto manages to capture those brief moments of peace and hope in the midst of grief.
Otogizōshi
Anyone familiar with Osamu Dazai’s No Longer Human may be surprised to know that he penned a few fairy tales. This collection contains a handful of retellings of traditional Japanese tales, told with wit and an almost bitter sense of humor.
Music
I’ve been making a point to play music first thing in the morning to wake up my brain and stave off the winter blues. Currently on repeat are Nick Drake’s Five Leaves Left (1969), Joanna Newsom’s Have One On Me, The Chameleon’s Strange Times, and Erik Satie’s greatest hits including Pièces Froides, Je Te Veux, Caresse, and Gymnopédies 1-3.
The Art of Joanna Karpowicz
Joanna Karpowicz is a Polish artist who creates beautifully whimsical paintings featuring a stoic and modernly dressed depiction of Anubis.
