In 2016 I began writing a play called “The Root River Anthology.”
Slowly, so slowly, this anthology took on a life of its own. (A podcast collaborating with Lanesboro Arts, Commonweal Theater, and ART-Audacious Raw Theater in 2020, then a grant to create a series of ten new monologues and the writing of Part II in 2021.)
Flowing, freezing, thawing, flooding, and peacefully rolling. It kept on moving.
Then, in 2022, I was awarded a Minnesota State Arts Board Creative Support for Individuals. With the grant, I set out to make a short film called “Origin.”
It was written by one of my all-time favorite creative co-conspirators Liz Bucheit. (A goldsmith, artisan, and friend extraordinaire.) In 2021, when I put a call out for new phone booth monologues to add to the Anthology, she delivered a stunning, soul-stirring monologue about a Norwegian farmer who made his way to Southeastern Minnesota. As an aged man, he confronts his choices, beliefs, and memories by calling his long-deceased wife on a telephone that washed up in a neighbor’s field.
(Thank you, NPR This American Life producer Miki Meek for your extraordinary and much-needed inspiration for your podcast entitled “Really Long Distance.” That podcast set off a tsunami of creativity for me.)
Over the past year, I’ve taught myself editing skills using Final Cut Pro, watched more youtube videos than I ever thought I had the capacity for, listened to my instincts and allowed myself time and space to wonder how this film should unfold. I permitted happy accidents to help dictate the imagery. I granted myself permission to make this film into a montage rather than a traditional narrative.
I spent countless hours at my iMac editing photos and listening to find the perfect soundtrack to enhance the audio. I landed on a score created by BenSound entitled “Ophelia’s Dream.” The final result is what I like to think of as a ‘moving meditation’ — just as the original play was intended to be.
I also spent time throughout 2022 recalling how instrumental Ingmar Bergman’s film, “Cries and Whispers,” moved me as a young woman with its hazy imagery, provocative story, and poignant score. It was introduced to me in my senior seminar, “Women and Film,” in college, taught by one of the most potent feminine figures I have ever encountered: Barabra Freedman. She herself, I think, may well be a Huldra.
I also let myself have moments of freak-out, thinking I’d never get this thing done, then gently reminding myself, “I can, and I will.” Moments like this and self-coaching are, I am certain, critical to the artistic process.
The project started in earnest early last spring when I took the time to travel to Grand Marais and the Northernmost tip of our state. There, I took hikes with my dear friend Kristin Heikes Blomberg who generously lodged, fed, and inspired me. From that adventure, I’ve woven footage of the Cascade river into the film because, like the Root River, it holds a power that I find mesmerizing. If you have never been to the shores of Gitche-Gumee, put it on your bucket list. The shores of Lake Superior are a profoundly spiritual force.
I also spent time in my own quaint hometown at the opposite end of Minnesota at Lanesboro Historical Museum. There, I spent hours sifting through the archives of the photographer Matthew Bue and collected photos of Norwegian postcards that captured the essence of Liz’s story. (Thank you to the volunteers who keep that gem of a place up and running!)
During the late summer, I had the pleasure of renting out Stena Lieb’s family farm between Highland and Pilot Mound, Minnesota, where it felt like the title character of Espen lived and breathed.
Stena and her beautiful children took me mushroom hunting and allowed me to wander through the farm and valley. In those woods, I began to hear and understand the call of the Huldra. (Seductive forest nymphs who lure men away from their beloved brides.)
I profited from the knowledge and insights of Michael Seiler and his work with Eye Prize Marketing. This Fall, we played with his drone, bringing home just how far we have come with technology and how it can give us a mighty and mindblowing perspective when appropriately used. My brother-in-law, Scott Zosel, turned me onto Unsplash and opened my eyes to a world of collaborators who openly share their images. In doing so, this film became a global project that went far beyond the borders of Minnesota.
This Fall, I also worked with my husband (Jeremy van Meter.) To work with him is a tremendous gift whenever I get the opportunity! We took long walks in the local state forests and shot portions of the film. He was so patient with me as I directed him to do the most subtle of movements. Jeremy is a talented, disciplined actor who embodies each character with truth and grace. This is why we came to Lanesboro, Minnesota -nearly twelve years ago- and It thrills me to no end that we have both found creative lives here that intersect so beautifully.
Finally, last week as the grant deadline was looming, I worked day and night to put the finishing touches on this monologue/ montage.
On Thursday night, as the sun was setting and the cold front rolled in, I finally shared the film with Liz Bucheit and felt my heart overflow as I watched tears stream down her face. Her words became “flesh.” Collaborating with artists like Liz is like being a doula helping bring something rare and wonderful into the world. To do so in my home state of Minnesota makes it even more special.
I write all this to say “thanks and ever thanks” to the Minnesota State Arts Board and to my political representatives, Governor Tim Walz, Representative Greg Davids, Congressman Brad Finstad, Senator Jeremy Miller, Senator Amy Klobuchar, U.S. Senator Tina Smith, for your continued support of the Arts. And to my fellow Minnesotans for making art and culture a priority!
(“Origin “was made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from MSAB thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts & cultural Heritage fund.)
I am grateful to call this state my Home, and I’m eager to share this work with you! I am grateful to learn still what it means to be an artist and be supported in that exploration.
Rolling premieres of “Origin” are being planned, so stay tuned.
Thanks again to #MSAB. Because of you, The Root River Anthology is still flowing…
This article is taken from a Facebook post written on January 31, 2023.
