Violette: A triptych
Violette is a piece I have been experimenting with methodologically for a few years: a surrealist inquiry into the way things might be, speaking to my long-standing theoretical inquiry into feminine monasticism.
SubTerrain issue 100
I responded to a call from SubTerrain magazine, on the occasion of their 100th issue, to submit stories which were exactly 100 words in length. Two mini-stories from Violette were chosen for publication: “Horizon of Possibility” and "On feminine monasticism" (both published under a pseudonym).
Monasticism and Typesetting at the Dick Kouwenhoven Book Arts Studio
I spent several months typesetting a 600 word introduction to Violette entitled “Experimenting with Sin”. “Experimenting” was a true exercise in monasticism: typesetting forces you to address whether each word is truly necessary; and forces you to answer whether erasing words is done out of necessity or growing fatigue and laziness at the process.
Click here to explore the process.
[Forthcoming] Found You Issue 4: Violette in full
Violette is a story told in three parts. I’m grateful to Kolton Procter of Found You magazine for supporting my creative vision. Found You Issue 4 is out September 2026!
[Forthcoming] NCG Lectures on Embodiment & Feminine Spirituality with Remy Low and Marion Benkaiouche, (hosted by New Curriculum Group May 21, 2026)
Building on many backyard events, NCG are hosting an evening of lectures in East Vancouver near the end of May.
My lecture will hone in on this evolving notion of feminine monasticism, specifically oriented around the book Holy Feast and Holy Fast by Carolyn Bynum. Violette and its accompanying projects have explored the role of fasting and self-denial; the lecture will incorporate themes from other religious and philosophy studies (such as Gananath Obeyesekere's book Medusa's Hair).