We begin at the threshold.
It’s always at the edge of town, the transitional space between civilization and the wild that stories occur. To grow and discover ourselves, we have to leave behind what we know and venture into that dark wood, face the monsters of our minds so that we can return victorious.
Girl With Antlers is a space for that exploration. Here I combine my own lived experiences with the dream dance of my mind. I have always lived at the crossroads: one foot in the imaginary world, one foot in reality. This feeling of being in-between has left me with a strange dichotomy, a desire to both reveal truth and hide it within stories. This journal will be a combination of both.
What To Expect:
I don’t want to box in this space by giving it too close a definition—my entire purpose in starting this journal is to allow myself room to experiment and grow. That said, you can expect to see themes of magic, dreams, and duality in my writing. I'll share my personal reflections on life, the artistic experience, mental health, spirituality, and more. It will be a window into who I am as a person: creative, emotional, pensive, and vulnerable.
Another component of this journal will be what I call Seedlings. These are rough draft bits and pieces of my own creative writing and poetry. Sometimes these may be fully fleshed-out stories or completed poems, sometimes they may be fragments that I chose to expand upon later.
Why share something in its rough draft state, you ask? To teach myself the value of imperfection. I have struggled with anxiety and perfectionism my entire life, so much so that I’ve almost never shared my writing publicly. I am trying to unlearn this fear by giving myself the freedom to be imperfect, to share things “before they are ready,” and allow my evolutions as a writer to be seen. These rough draft words will be housed under a sub-newsletter, Seedlings, so that you can subscribe or unsubscribe to them as you wish. Speaking of which…
Why Subscribe?
While I intend to share in this space regardless of who reads it, your likes, comments, and encouragement truly mean the world and help motivate me to continue writing. It’s always a gift to see that something I made moved another person or resonated with their feelings. I think these little exchanges are important; they help us feel seen and know that we are not alone in our experiences in the world.
You’ll of course also receive my undying gratitude and appreciation for your support ♡
That’s all the housekeeping for now. I hope you enjoy this window into my mind and soul. To see more of my art and photography work, you can also find me at keraniarpaia.com.
About the Author
Kerani Arpaia is an artist, writer, and photographer from Portland, Oregon. She studied folklore and literature in college, graduating summa cum laude in 2014 with a B.A. in English. Her work is inspired by archetypes, mythology, paganism, nature, and a desire to reveal what is hidden. She is currently querying her debut novel, a dark fairytale retelling co-authored with her elder sister.
