Z Acres Photography on Exhibit at Studio Grill

All photography copyright 2013/2014 by Zinta Aistars




If you are in Kalamazoo (Michigan) in June through the end of July, stop by Studio Grill (next door to Michigan News Agency) at 312 W. Michigan Ave., enjoy breakfast or lunch ... and while you are savoring your meal, enjoy the photography of Zinta Aistars on display, scenes from Z Acres. All photos (approx. 60, all high resolution) are for sale: $30 unframed; $35 framed. 

Studio Grill was voted to have Michigan's #1 best burger! 

Farm fresh art and artisan foods in Fennville

by Zinta Aistars
Published in Southwest Michigan's Second Wave Media
June 12, 2014

Dawn Soltysiak in her studio

An art gallery and specialty grocery store in downtown Fennville, is part of the creative package that Dawn Soltysiak offers. At her farm, her kiln is solar powered and there's more space for other artists' works. Zinta Aistars has the story.

Far, far into the green and open country, where the road winds into what the uninitiated call "middle of nowhere" but the initiated term "ahhhhhhh, bliss," is a large red barn and an old yellow house. On the house, just above the curved red brick stairs leading to the wrap-around porch, is the name of the farm: Fernwood. It dates back to 1891.

Dawn Soltysiak has lived on the 32-acre farm at 6322 113th Avenue in Fennville with her husband Rob for 14 years. They are not alone. On the farm with them are 115 chickens, one llama, several peacocks, two sheepdogs, a herd of Scottish Highland cattle, a horse, ducks and bees in hives. 

Inside the big red barn, its side decorated with an assortment of shiny hubcaps and a sign that states "Barn Goddess Parking Only," is more treasure. Soltysiak is not only barn goddess, but also resident artist at Khnemu Studio, housed in the barn along with a shop selling the work of 25 southwest Michigan potters and artists. The studio is named for Khnemu, the god of creation, arts and craft, and fertility in Egyptian mythology.

"I got scared when I saw the listing for this place," says Soltysiak, sitting on her porch with sheep dog Samson leaning into her. She’s wearing denim cover-all shorts and a blue bandana to match, two long braids hanging over her shoulders. "Scared because that’s how much I wanted it. It wasn’t anything like this back then. No plantings, nothing for the animals … but I could see its potential."

Her eye was trained for it. Soltysiak, a Rockford native, worked as a real estate agent in greater Grand Rapids for 12 years, the last year overlapping her move to Fernwood Farm. 

"Pottery, I did that always," Soltysiak says. "It’s how I kept my sanity. But once we moved here, a year later, I walked away from real estate totally. I haven’t kept up my license. I don’t want a back door. Was it scary? Sure. And it’s ten times harder to start your own business than you think, but it’s worked. People give up too easily."

Soltysiak has not only not given up; she’s expanding. In May 2014, she opened an extension of Fernwood Farm and Khnemu Studio in the form of an art gallery and specialty grocery store in downtown Fennville, at 120 Main Street, a couple doors down from the popular restaurant, Salt of the Earth. The new shop is called, aptly,Fernwood 1891.

"I didn’t really dream about opening a shop," Soltysiak says. "It was just something always there, in the back of my mind, something I kept thinking about. When the previous tenant of the space moved out, I immediately moved in."

The grand opening, with its ribbon-cutting ceremony, pottery-making demonstrations, music and food, was a grand success, bringing in about 200 people and double the sales Soltysiak had dared hoped to make.

"We pulled it all together by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin," Soltysiak says with a laugh. "We had old timey music, and people brought along their own instruments and jammed. Family and friends helped with the food, and we had tents out back for the overflow. There was a synergy of people inviting other people."

Keeping that synergy going between Khnemu Studio and Fernwood 1891, Soltysiak employs five people at the shop, and all five are makers. "I call them makers, not artists," says Soltysiak. "Fernwood 1891 is a makers market, makers of things. The potters who work there do so in exchange for kiln time at the studio. My assistant, Erica Shirey, works for pay, but all the others are exchange situations."

Soltysiak walks her farm to show off the ...


READ THE COMPLETE ARTICLE IN SECOND WAVE.

The Smoking Poet Summer 2014 Issue #26 with special announcement

THE SMOKING POET 

"Guardian of Glenaraha" by Linda Rzoska, our feature artist

The last word …

It’s time. With this 26^th issue of The Smoking Poet, founded in 2006, I am closing shop on this wonderful literary endeavor. Yes. It is time. And I don’t doubt that is at least in part why it has taken me so long to get this final issue ready for publication. The other part—that’s the main reason why the doors are closing.

About two and a half years ago, I left “corporate America,” that world of long commutes, endless meetings and office politics to open my own business, Z Word, LLC, as a full-time writer and editor. I worked for some great institutions, true, but I longed to be on my own. At the same time, I made the move to my dream home: a 10-acre farm in southwest Michigan. It’s a life I’d been longing for since I was a girl, and at last, it’s mine.

What I quickly learned (unsurprised) about this new life is that the work never stops. Thankfully, I don’t want it to. The farm requires attention on a daily basis, including the flock of chickens I raise that keeps expanding. The writing and editing work occupies the full week, with the rare day off, but since it’s work I adore, and never two days the same, I’m happy to say that Friday brings no special bliss, while Monday morning is not without it.

The Smoking Poet was one part of this life that has become increasingly difficult to keep up. Through some interactions with writers and readers, I was surprised to learn that some out there think there’s a board of people running this magazine, at very least a panel of editors. There seemed to also be a perception that the magazine is funded by some, I don’t know, magical funding, the backing of a university or other large institution. In truth, it is funded by my own wallet. It always has been. And it’s not cheap.

TSP is just Joannie Stangeland, my poetry editor, bless her poetic heart, and me. Occasionally, I had college interns helping in the process, some truly wonderful young people with great ideas and work ethic. Tim Bazzett came on recently with his colorful book reviews. All did the work on a voluntary basis.

After struggling to find the time and allocate the funds when paychecks were no longer predictable, I finally realized I could do this no more. And there’s a third reason: after years of making time and financial sacrifices to showcase other writers and artists, I want to take the time to focus on my own writing and art. That, and this glorious farm.

And so, it’s time. Not an easy statement to make. I have been dawdling and dragging my heels and rethinking and debating. Finally, I ran out of arguments. Perhaps it’s someone else’s turn to take up the spotlight and shine it on the worthy work of others.

Thank you, ever so much, to Joannie for your years of hard and elegant work. Thank you, Tim. Thank you to all the many, many, many writers and artists who have graced these pages through 26 issues.

Thank you to those of you who have made this final issue so beautiful: feature artist Linda Lee Rzoska, authors Bruce Mills and Kristi Petersen Schoonover, and a line-up of spectacular writers and poets. Book reviews will be posted throughout the coming weeks, so do keep visiting our last issue for news … while it remains online.

Thank you to all you who read these good works. I will miss you.

With a good last word,

Zinta Aistars

Founder and editor-on-chief

Please visit and enjoy our last issue, and return throughout the month of June for new book reviews.