photo © Xi Cai

This attempt at understanding is proving a long, delicious journey.
 

WHO

Clara Rose Thornton is a full-time freelance film, wine, visual arts and music critic; political reporter; and book and magazine editor. She acts as weekly arts columnist for the Pulitzer-Prize-winning Rutland Herald daily newspaper; is part of the publishing team of the acclaimed quarterly, Southern Vermont Arts & Living; is a regional correspondent for New England's ArtScope magazine; and contributes cultural criticism pieces to magazines and newspapers across North America.

WHY

A writer since she could hold a pencil, she won various top-level writing awards in her hometown of Chicago during her formative years. These included being both the first African-American and youngest recipient of the first place prize in the John Hancock Father’s Day Essay Contest, a venerated Chicago tradition since 1972. Upon her 2003 graduation from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign--having studied philosophy and cinema--a prominent Chicago arts & entertainment magazine sought her out, and thus began the crazed flight of arts journalism which remains her mind and spirit’s weary passion. In 2005 Clara Rose incorporated her writing services company, InkBlot Complex, to manage the many avenues that she finds herself traveling. Now an eight-year veteran of the publishing industry, she's enjoyed editorial stints at the helm of two arts & entertainment magazines and in the general interest trade book department at Publications International, Ltd.

HOW

At quite a young age, her tenure as professional arts journalist has included picking the brains of such artistic luminaries as film director Ang Lee; film actors Edward Norton, Keanu Reeves and Elijah Wood; rock musicians Tori Amos, Death Cab for Cutie and New Riders of the Purple Sage; and naturalist painters Wolf Kahn and Eric Aho. As a political reporter, a coveted assignment sent her to Washington for the 44th presidential inauguration and Barack Obama’s historic swearing-in. She has covered the hotly contested issue of the use of nuclear power in New England, the blatant racism of rural America, and the role of art in economic revitalization.

This ardent student of wine was awarded her first monthly wine column, in UR Chicago magazine, in 2005, which ran to much acclaim for two years. Upon her move to the hopelessly bewitching New England state of Vermont to write amongst a more natural setting, she was awarded her second wine column, in Southern Vermont Arts & Living. In addition to composing her own works, Clara Rose is a dedicated editor, providing editing and conceptual development services for authors and students. Rounding out a manic schedule is the InkBlot Complex Poetry Workshop that she teaches at various private institutions, public schools and libraries. (Yes, it’s time for a breath.)

WHAT

Please enjoy the perusal of articles collected here. There are several places to leave comments and feedback, so please let your own criticism roll. Also stop by the “Best of Culture” section--recommendations of fantastic music, film, libations, literature, magazines and journals, as well as pages of tips and creativity-starters for writers and editors. Clara Rose hopes that her love of culture, art and the human race is duly communicated throughout. After all, as Henry Luce so eloquently described, she “became a journalist to come as close as possible to the heart of the world.”

Love and light to you all.

☂ *

* For a rainy day.