February 2007
Marcia Reid Marsted
Canton, CT
Non-Fiction
Residency: Spring 2007Marcia's Stay at Casa Libre
"My daughter sent me the Casa Libre en la Solana link and suggested we apply. I liked the website. The red door beckoned. So I decided to apply (and sadly she didn't)…I liked the idea of going somewhere warm for two weeks in January, a time I would as soon miss in Connecticut. I had been to Tucson for the first time the year before and fell in love. I love the mountains, the adobe/rust colors of the soil and the dusty greens of the mesquite and sage. The incredible saguaro cactus and the sun (when it shines properly) complete the picture!When I finally arrived at Casa Libre en la Solana, a day and a half late, after being caught in an ice storm in Dallas, it was 11 pm. Even in the pitch dark, I knew I was going to like the place and feel at home. There were strings of twinkling lights everywhere, at the entrance, around the adorable pool, in the shared courtyard. I was glad I had a car so I could [later] drive out into the desert to the Saguaro Cactus National Park, just passed the more famous Sonora Desert Museum.
[At Casa Libre] the sounds of life around me were almost absent. I felt as though I was the only one there, but I wasn't. I met my two compatriots at a small cocktail party at Ann & Kristen's the first Saturday night. I was able to eat and sleep and work on my own crazy schedule. That was a wonderful, unusual treat. You must be disciplined to go to Casa Libre! There is no one telling you to get to work or to bed. Your time is your own to fritter away or to use well. It is an almost perfect writers' retreat.
Luckily there were some space heaters as well, because I almost froze to death! I woke up the third morning to see snow on the umbrellas and palm trees by the pool. The hot tub was smoking like "Old Faithful". It almost spoiled my trip.
I might have liked a couple of sessions where we shared publishing "tricks" and how-tos. I didn't "learn" anything new about the mechanics of getting my work out, but I created a lot of work to get out. All the best and many thanks, again!
Writer's Bio
Marcia Reid Marsted, born in Hartford, has lived in Canton, CT most of her life She began her academic life as a student of French, graduated, married and had two daughters. Later, as a student at the University of Hartford in the 1970’s, she became a biologist. She first graduated with a BS, and five years later with an MS, also in Biology. She served as chair of the science department at Watkinson School in Hartford for five years, then returned to educating herself. After graduating from the Yale School of Public Health with an MPH, she began working at the UConn Health Center, doing cancer research.In 1988, a cancer diagnosis caused a change in Marcia’s career path. Photography became a new focus, while science became less important. After a new cancer was found in 1998, Marcia left UConn to start treatment. She photographed herself (and her daily life) during the months of chemotherapy as she lost and regained her hair. At a women's photography workshop in 1999, she showed her “hair” images for the first time. Participants suggested she write a book. In 2002 she published About My Hair : A Journey to Recovery. Marcia became an author as well as a photographer. Marcia continues to photograph here and abroad, and exhibit her art, primarily locally in Connecticut, New York, Brooklyn and Boston.
Recently, her focus changed again, as she formed Capelli d’Angeli Foundation, dedicated to helping women artists with cancer through the presentation of art shows and offering of artist grants. The Foundation donated copies of About My Hair to all the libraries in Connecticut. The first series of grants have been awarded. Sales of About My Hair and related sales of note cards, using images from the book, as well as donations from public and private sources will help to fund further grants.
Links to Writer's Work
About My Hair
Capelli d'Angeli Foundation
Marcia's Photography
Last updated February 14, 2007
Document located at http://www.casalibre.org
Website maintained by casakeepers@casalibre.org
© 2007 Casa Libre en la Solana