Something Rather Than Nothing

DANGUOLE LEKAVICIUTE is a creative living in Portland, Oregon.  Born in Lithuania and raised/educated in Reno, Nevada, she found her creative outlet via a food and cocktail recipe blog that allowed her to hone her writing voice and photography skills that also formed a foundation for creative discipline. Pursuing that on the side, she spent 6.5 years post-college graduation working in state government in Nevada before moving to Oregon and slowly building the bones of a career in the creative industry.  She currently serves as Creative Director of a food and beverage marketing agency and occasionally finds time to create personal work that refuses to pick a lane, ranging in themes from: the American West, the cosmos, nature, humor, and combinations of all of the above.

Danguole

SRTN Website

DANGUOLE LEKAVICIUTE is a creative living in Portland, Oregon.

Mystery/Thriller Writer ALLEN ESKENS!

Allen Eskens is the bestselling author of The Life We Bury, The Guise of Another, The Heavens May Fall, The Deep Dark Descending, The Shadows We Hide, and Nothing More Dangerous.

He is the recipient of the Barry Award, Minnesota Book Award, Rosebud Award (Left Coast Crime), and Silver Falchion Award and has been a finalist for the Edgar Award, Thriller Award, and Anthony Award. His books have been translated into 26 languages and his novel, The Life We Bury is in development for a feature film.

Allen has a journalism degree from the University of Minnesota and a law degree from Hamline University. After law school, he studied creative writing in the M.F.A. program at Minnesota State University-Mankato, as well as the Loft Literary Center and the Iowa Summer Writer’s Festival. Allen grew up on the hills of central Missouri. He now lives with his wife, Joely, in greater Minnesota where he recently retired after practicing criminal law for 25 years.

His website

SRTN Podcast

Mystery/Thriller Writer ALLEN ESKENS!

Allen Eskens is the bestselling author of The Life We Bury, The Guise of Another, The Heavens May Fall, The Deep Dark Descending, The Shadows We Hide, and Nothing More Dangerous.

He is the recipient of the Barry Award, Minnesota Book Award, Rosebud Award (Left Coast Crime), and Silver Falchion Award and has been a finalist for the Edgar Award, Thriller Award, and Anthony Award. His books have been translated into 26 languages and his novel, The Life We Bury is in development for a feature film.

Allen has a journalism degree from the University of Minnesota and a law degree from Hamline University. After law school, he studied creative writing in the M.F.A. program at Minnesota State University-Mankato, as well as the Loft Literary Center and the Iowa Summer Writer’s Festival. Allen grew up on the hills of central Missouri. He now lives with his wife, Joely, in greater Minnesota where he recently retired after practicing criminal law for 25 years.

"Seamus Murphy grew up in Ireland and is based in London. He is the recipient of seven World Press Photo awards for his photographic work in Afghanistan, Gaza, Lebanon, Sierra Leone, Peru and Ireland. He received The World Understanding Award from POYi in the USA for his work from Afghanistan and a film he made based around this work was nominated for an Emmy and won the Liberty in Media Prize in 2011. 

His work has been published and exhibited widely. He has made films for The New Yorker and Channel 4 Television in the UK. 

He is the author of four books including 'A Darkness Visible: Afghanistan' (Saqi Books. 2008) is based on 12 trips to the country between 1994 and 2007 and is a chronicle of Afghanistan’s extraordinary recent history. 'I Am The Beggar of the World' (Farrar Straus Giroux. 2014) offers a rare glimpse into the lives of Afghan women through their anonymous Landay poetry. 

He has collaborated with musician PJ Harvey on projects for 'Let England Shake' and 'The Hope Six Demolition Project,' for which he won a Q Award for Best Music Film in October 2016. Patti Smith listed Murphy’s film for Harvey’s 'The Words that Maketh Murder' as one of her Top 10 artworks, saying “... this unheralded piece (directed by Seamus Murphy) is a wisp of humanity celebrating the small things. “ 

Murphy and Harvey together published 'The Hollow of the Hand' (Bloomsbury. 2015) a book of his photography and her poetry. An exhibition and live presentation of 'The Hollow of the Hand' work took place at the Royal Festival Hall, London in 2015 and at Les Recontres d’Arles in France in 2016. 

His latest book 'The Republic' (Allen Lane. 2016) is an immediate and personal portrait of Ireland and was exhibited at The Little Museum in Dublin in 2017.

His latest film 'A Dog Called Money,' another collaboration with Polly Jean Harvey, is currently screening around the world.

Video

SRTN

"Seamus Murphy grew up in Ireland and is based in London. He is the recipient of seven World Press Photo awards for his photographic work in Afghanistan, Gaza, Lebanon, Sierra Leone, Peru and Ireland. He received The World Understanding Award from POYi in the USA for his work from Afghanistan and a film he made based around this work was nominated for an Emmy and won the Liberty in Media Prize in 2011.

His work has been published and exhibited widely. He has made films for The New Yorker and Channel 4 Television in the UK.

He is the author of four books including 'A Darkness Visible: Afghanistan' (Saqi Books. 2008) is based on 12 trips to the country between 1994 and 2007 and is a chronicle of Afghanistan’s extraordinary recent history. 'I Am The Beggar of the World' (Farrar Straus Giroux. 2014) offers a rare glimpse into the lives of Afghan women through their anonymous Landay poetry.

He has collaborated with musician PJ Harvey on projects for 'Let England Shake' and 'The Hope Six Demolition Project,' for which he won a Q Award for Best Music Film in October 2016. Patti Smith listed Murphy’s film for Harvey’s 'The Words that Maketh Murder' as one of her Top 10 artworks, saying “... this unheralded piece (directed by Seamus Murphy) is a wisp of humanity celebrating the small things. “

Murphy and Harvey together published 'The Hollow of the Hand' (Bloomsbury. 2015) a book of his photography and her poetry. An exhibition and live presentation of 'The Hollow of the Hand' work took place at the Royal Festival Hall, London in 2015 and at Les Recontres d’Arles in France in 2016.

His latest book 'The Republic' (Allen Lane. 2016) is an immediate and personal portrait of Ireland and was exhibited at The Little Museum in Dublin in 2017.

His latest film 'A Dog Called Money,' another collaboration with Polly Jean Harvey, is currently screening around the world.

I am so excited about this episode. Can't hold it back!

This week on 'Something (rather than nothing)' 

VICKO ALVAREZ VEGA - in her words -

***

I never planned on being a comic artist. I never planned on being a teacher. I never planned on being an organizer or an activist. But I am so happy that I have done all that and more.

I’m a native Tejana that has called Chicago home for 12 years and the creator and illustrator of the ScholaR Comics web and zine series. The comic follows the lives of ScholaR, Rosita, and Masir as they wrap their heads around their own tough realities. ScholaR has a few anger issues, Rosita is learning what it means to be undocumented, and Masir is coming into his own as a mixed race boy who doesn’t feel very “boy-ish”. Altogether, they’re a reflection of my friends growing up, the youth I’ve had the privilege of teaching, and the childhood stories that we all carry with us as adults.

My latest comic zine, "Rosita Gets Scared", recounts Rosita coming to terms with her fear of deportation. The comic also serves as an activity book to be utilized in classrooms and with youth groups as a tool to encourage culturally relevant social and emotional learning. Weeks into its release, the comic was covered by Telemundo, Newsy, and Radio Vocalo, and has been ordered by activists, educators, and parents across the country. I’m very excited to have found community in people of color comic cons and I’m very happy about the growing opportunity to connect with like minded educators.

My workshops and discussions cover a variety of topics including

•  Comics / Art as Activism
   
•  Becoming and Independent Woman/Latinx Artist
   
•  Immigrant and people of color portrayals in comics + literature
   
•  Do It Yourself (DIY) zine making and publishing
   
•  Career days and art workshops for middle school and high schoolers
   
•  Drawing and Writing as therapeutic practice

SRTN
 

I am so excited about this episode. Can't hold it back!

This week on 'Something (rather than nothing)' 

VICKO ALVAREZ VEGA - in her words -

***

I never planned on being a comic artist. I never planned on being a teacher. I never planned on being an organizer or an activist. But I am so happy that I have done all that and more.

I’m a native Tejana that has called Chicago home for 12 years and the creator and illustrator of the ScholaR Comics web and zine series. The comic follows the lives of ScholaR, Rosita, and Masir as they wrap their heads around their own tough realities. ScholaR has a few anger issues, Rosita is learning what it means to be undocumented, and Masir is coming into his own as a mixed race boy who doesn’t feel very “boy-ish”. Altogether, they’re a reflection of my friends growing up, the youth I’ve had the privilege of teaching, and the childhood stories that we all carry with us as adults.

My latest comic zine, "Rosita Gets Scared", recounts Rosita coming to terms with her fear of deportation. The comic also serves as an activity book to be utilized in classrooms and with youth groups as a tool to encourage culturally relevant social and emotional learning. Weeks into its release, the comic was covered by Telemundo, Newsy, and Radio Vocalo, and has been ordered by activists, educators, and parents across the country. I’m very excited to have found community in people of color comic cons and I’m very happy about the growing opportunity to connect with like minded educators.

My workshops and discussions cover a variety of topics including

Comics / Art as Activism

Becoming and Independent Woman/Latinx Artist

Immigrant and people of color portrayals in comics + literature

Do It Yourself (DIY) zine making and publishing

Career days and art workshops for middle school and high schoolers

Drawing and Writing as therapeutic practice

For questions email Vicko directly at [email protected]

***

Another great listen this week with Artist VERONICA CASSON!

"I'm Veronica, an illustrator and queer mom, living the dream with my family in Portland, Oregon.

After being born on the east coast and spending many years in New York City, San Francisco and Mexico, I have recently moved to the Pacific Northwest.

I am an award-winning graphic designer, illustrator and comic artist. My webcomic, Claviger, was nominated for and Ignatz Award at the Small Press Expo.

Currently I am working on the remastered version of Claviger as well as a new comic, Grind Like a Girl, which shares my experiences in the world as a transgendered woman.

Ways you can support my art: buy a print, Patron on Patreon, or hire me for your next project. Cheers!"

Another great listen this week with Artist VERONICA CASSON!

***************************************************************************************

"I'm Veronica, an illustrator and queer mom, living the dream with my family in Portland, Oregon.

After being born on the east coast and spending many years in New York City, San Francisco and Mexico, I have recently moved to the Pacific Northwest.

I am an award-winning graphic designer, illustrator and comic artist. My webcomic, Claviger, was nominated for and Ignatz Award at the Small Press Expo.

Currently I am working on the remastered version of Claviger as well as a new comic, Grind Like a Girl, which shares my experiences in the world as a transgendered woman.

Ways you can support my art: buy a print, Patron on Patreon, or hire me for your next project. Cheers!"

******************************************************************************************