Demeter​
Dawn, again.
She moves through the rooms of their house like she’s taking a survey
Of all the cups, the spilled wine, the remains of the party from the night before
Counting on her tired fingers all the ways things were turned
From light conversation into dark moments
“We are killing this planet” a friend said between bites of carrot
“We don’t seem to give a shit at all”
She carefully picks out the compostable things from the dirty plates scattered on her coffee table
Considers pulling the last of the tobacco away from the filters of smoked cigarettes
Fishes lemon twists out of cloudy half-drunk glasses of vodka
And thinks of her daughter, who leaves when the season ends to hide in warmth and
love
While she stays, and grows cold.
~ Cynthia August
Karenlyn Morse-Babb
Waiting on Persephone
Cyanotype Fabric Collage
Meet the Creators
Cynthia August
Cynthia is a commercial and fine art portrait photographer. She is known for her 'magic realism' - style portraits that are created in camera, in the moment, and feature costumes and props she often makes herself. She works out of her studio in the Tyler Building in Ipswich but can often be seen in the woods or the ocean with her camera.
She is also the founder and current president of the Ipswich Art Association, Chair of the Ipswich Cultural Council, and a long time member of the North Shore Creative Collective. In 2023 she was selected for the Essex County Creative Foundation's ChangeMaker Program, a yearly cohort dedicated to advancing the creative potential of Essex County by building a strong arts and culture ecosystem. She believes strongly in the power of art to connect and build community. You can follow her on instagram @the_light_in_august
Karenlyn Morse-Babb
My work is inspired by curiosity, dreams, nature, and a desire to explore the realms of spirituality and creativity through mixed media. I strive to create visual poetry that evokes emotion and invites contemplation in the viewer.