Art Beat

Almost thirty years ago, Valentina Velkova stood at the window of a high-rise apartment in Chicago, gazing out at Lake Michigan. She had come from Bulgaria to attend an international architectural conference.

Eric Joseph lives in the past. When he works in his Richland studio, he creates art inspired by the Middle Ages.

When she was a student at Western Michigan University, Anissa Gray dreamed of making a living as a creative writer. But she soon realized that journalism was a more practical alternative.

When Pamela Hadley walks into a dark room, she sees things. A sliver of light. The curve of a shadow.

It was a shocking death. Retired Kalamazoo College professor Gail Griffin quietly maintained a long-distance relationship with her beloved Bob for 18 years. They enjoyed daily phone calls and traveled across the country to spend sabbaticals, vacations, and holidays together. Finally, they were both retired and could get married. But just four months and eight days later, Bob was gone.