This month has been on FIRE! Books: Vincent and Theo was a revealing look at the younger years of the esteemed artist. I learned so much about the role religion played, the extent of his mental distress, and the unfailing support of his younger brother, Theo. Deborah Heiligman did her due diligence while researching this fabulous … More Get Lit with Kit – July 2019
I finally got my hands on a copy of Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. His work echoed some of the epigenetic research. It’s encouraging to think that practice and repetition can free us from unhealthy patterns and facilitate mastery of skill. I tried to encapsulate the take aways in this Instagram post. Using that knowledge, and relying … More Get Lit with Kit – Best of October 2018
“Freedom is what you do with what’s been done to you.” -Jean Paul Sartre The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde proffers a prescient warning about the evils of human nature. In it, the protagonist, Dorian, sits for his portrait painted by the talented Basil Hallward. The young man is admired for his unblemished physical … More Black, White, and Dorian Gray
Beginning with books…it was a powerful few weeks. Primo Levi’s The Drowned and the Saved topped my list as it chronicled experiences in the Auschwitz Concentration Camp and the subsequent psychology of World War Two survivors. Also significant, and saturated with humor, is Eddie Huang’s Fresh off the Boat. It’s a tongue in cheek memoir of his early … More Get Lit with Kit – Best of September 2018
“Chinese people don’t believe in psychologists. We just drink more tea when things go bad.” – Eddie Huang Eddie Huang has created a modern masterpiece with his memoir Fresh off the Boat (also a TV show!). The deviant cum lawyer cum chef cum TV producer epitomizes the quintessence of Asian wisdom as he chronicles the … More Chasing the Dragon (and dinner)
If you don’t know about the mighty Gordon Parks, then it’s time to let him rock your world. His autobiography should be required reading for any American. His writing, photographs, movies, music, and choreography are an essential part of American culture. This article provides and in depth look into sugar. (If you don’t have time to read … More Get Lit with Kit # 21
Kaizen. Good change. I adopted this Japanese concept several years ago, and have since made a consistent effort to apply the idea of constant growth to my life. This year, kaizen manifests as an art class. My first finished piece in three years is pictured above. I have never used color or collage before, so … More Shape Shifting (for Dummies)
Caught between two worlds, the children of refugees seek to reconcile the old and the new. They live in a dichotomy where deep-rooted culture clashes with progressive dynamism. At home are the vestiges of a life left behind; in the streets, novel experiences. I recently met Ify, the daughter of Nigerian refugees (her art is … More The Lost Children
Find the balance. 