Posted 10/3/16
Perspectives / Ampersand
A heartfelt Thank You
Forterra pays its contributors for their work. Editorial costs for this issue of Ampersand were generously covered by our friends at Cloud Ridge Publishing, who believe in our publication. We’re thankful.
Related Perspectives — Ampersand
Ampersand celebrates people and place in the Pacific Northwest. It explores the scientific and the quirky found in our natural and built environments. It highlights the art, ideas and stories that elevate our region.
Ampersand is dedicated to the curious and the creative, to the thinkers and the doers, and to all those who love this maddeningly beautiful place we call home.
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2016 Ampersand Live: Musician Evan Flory-Barnes
Evan Flory-Barnes expresses simultaneous resistance and openness to change in this beautifully crafted, emotionally charged, orchestral experience.
The Secret City Life of Raccoons
“Urban wildlife,” that’s what scientists call raccoons that are now thriving in our cities. Raccoons are fascinating scientists as they move into our urban areas in record numbers. They stay close to their many dens — usually only traveling in a three-block radius. Raccoon mothers are affectionate and devoted to their kits; females often den together in what is aptly called a nursery.
So Much Here: Excerpts from the Shelf Life Community Story Project
Most days the store feels more like a community center than a grocery store. Like a lot places in the Central Area, it’s a community center that we’re about to lose… The more people I talk to, the more I begin to see the Central Area as an intricate constellation of stories connecting generations of residents and all the hard work they’ve done to stay put and build and thrive. There are lots of bright stars in that constellation, where many stories intersect. The Red Apple, at the corner of South Jackson Street and 23rd Avenue South, is one of them.
2017 Ampersand LIVE
Ampersand LIVE was an incredible evening. From Jehan’s incredulous retelling of the time she ran from lightning towards the jaws of a Grizzly bear, to Paul’s intimate war portraits of iconic creatures threatened by climate change, to Jade’s heartrending dance, to Okanomode’s high notes, to Bill’s recipe for “goo,” there were so many unforgettable and thought-provoking moments—all punctuated by gorgeous harmonies from The Westerlies. It was a night filled with gratitude, amazement, love and hope for our Pacific Northwest.
One Tree, Two Interpretations
An appreciation of the Western hemlock, as interpreted by artists John Grade and Mark Dion.
Forces of Nature for Nature
Meet some of the women who make it easier for us to connect to the land.
An ode to six native bees
Nikki McClure pays homage to six native bees with words and her exquisite cut paper images.
A Letter from Forterra
With this 6th issue of Ampersand, we have now collected 72 stories about the people and surrounding landscapes that make this the Pacific Northwest we love. Stories about what makes the place tick and stories about people working to make sure it never stops. I’ve set myself a job to connect the dots between some of the latest of these stories—those appearing in this edition. They’re my connections; you’ll have different ones, but no matter, together they sum to a vibrant resiliency for this place, which is what Forterra is about.