From the Editor

We’ve got a lot of passion in this issue. In this month’s stories, we highlight some people who are truly excited about what they do and with great results — from making amazing art to leading others in musical endeavors to bringing change to the world.

Our cover story on artist Aaron Shafer is inspiring not only because of the amazing work he creates, but also because he is entirely self-taught. From his stunning photography to his pyrographic creations (works that involve wood burning), Aaron’s artistic skills are very developed not only for one so young (he’s 29), but also for someone with a visual impairment. Shafer, however, has never let his impairment keep him from his passion for creating art that reveals the depths of his imagination.

Another artist in this month’s issue is Margaret DeRitter, whom Encore has been so proud to have as our copy editor and poetry editor for more than eight years. She’s a wordsmith of the highest caliber, but it turns out she’s also a poet of considerable talents. Fellow poet Elizabeth Kerlikowske lets us get to know what passions are behind Margaret’s new book of poetry, Singing Back to the Sirens. We also introduce you to Jessica Mallow, the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra’s new executive director. She’s a houseplantloving Iowan who left Florida — and many of her plants — to take on the leadership role at the KSO, because, even though she was a professional opera singer, she found that her musical passion was not so much on stage as behind the scenes making things happen.

Finally, Donna McClurkan, a writer who is passionate about fighting climate change, tells us about how efforts in the community to do just that are gaining momentum. It will take people who are passionately dedicated to this fight to deal with what the United Nations is calling a “climate emergency,” but Donna points out that even a community the size of Kalamazoo can make an impact on this globe-sized problem.

Enjoy this issue, and thanks, as always, for being a loyal Encore reader.

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