Dear Readers,
Those of you who follow me on twitter, instagram, or Facebook are
probably already aware of the fact that I am being published in Wolftree
Volume 2 (I am so excited :D)! You are also probably
aware that Wolftree has started a Kickstarter campaign to help their
magazine grow. I have been asking people to check Wolftree out, to
consider their project, and to help by donating or by spreading the word
to others. What I haven't told you is why I personally
am rooting for Wolftree Magazine. So today I would like to take a
moment to explain and expand upon the three main reasons why I love
Wolftree: 1) They are publishing a photo spread that is very dear to my
heart, 2) Wolftree's mission lifts up artists and
celebrates the unique character of the Midwest, and 3) Brooke and Noah
Kupcho- the founders of Wolftree.
For those of you who don't know me very well, I am a twenty-two year
old artist from a small-ish town in North Dakota. It is a college town,
and there is a growing community of artists, writers,
musicians, and dreamers. Our place in this town in still being
negotiated, and opportunities to share our work are growing. However, I
know that I personally have struggled to find a niche for my art within
my home state.
Then Wolftree was started. Finally there was a journal in the Midwest
that celebrated the quiet beauty of everyday life and had an aesthetic
that fit my style. I had stumbled across Wolftree
on accident- I followed Brooke on instagram and she was selling
beautiful wooden coasters to help raise money to launch Volume 1 of
Wolftree. I bought the coasters as a house-warming gift, and Brooke and I
began to email each other about Wolftree. I was (and
still am) captivated by their mission, which is to "... support and
encourage those who are taking risks, fully embracing the journey of
life, and continually seeking for the beauty that is woven in and
throughout the simple everyday ventures." (wolftree.co/about)
But it was more than just their mission, it was how they pursued it
that truly stood out.
Keeping with their desire to celebrate that which seems ( sometimes
deceptively) simple and yet still beautiful, Wolftree Magazine embraces
and aesthetically pleasing minimalist design. Much
like Cereal and Kinfolk Magazine, Wolftree is more of an art book than a
magazine, and is bare of any advertisements. The entire focus of the
magazine is allowing the articles, recipes, and art to shine. Wolftree
seeks to highlight the small moments and the
people which give the Midwest its unique flavor. As Brook put it so
wonderfully in a recent Wolftree journal entry, "we want the magazine to
be something that celebrates others."
This brings me to the Kupcho's. Brook and Noah are two of the founders
of Wolftree, and could be called the heart of this young magazine. This
married duo's shared love for all the different
facets of the Midwest culture, and their adventurous spirits have
molded Wolftree into the beautiful creature that it is today. As I
mentioned earlier, Brook and I started emailing each other before Volume
one launched. What I didn't mention was that when I
arrived at the launch party, Brook saw me and immediately rushed
forward to greet me with a huge smile and a hug. She had never met me in
person before, yet she welcomed me with an open and sincere heart.
Then, a few days after the event, I sent in an idea for a photo spread
for Volume 2. I hoped for maybe a positive response and to exchange a few
emails discussing the idea. Instead, Brooke
enthusiastically replied and asked to meet with me in person to discuss
not only my idea, but also Wolftree, art, religion, history, and the
small moments that make daily adventures sparkle. Furthermore, Brook was
open to ideas and suggestions, and when I
offered to help edit the article for Wolftree she immediately accepted.
Though Wolftree is the Kupcho's baby, they are not over-protective or
jealous in their care. Instead, they choose to open their project up to
the input of others. They are an entirely
submission based journal, and the joy that they find in sharing the
talents of others seems to shine through every aspect of their life.
These are some of the reasons why I love Wolftree, and I hope that you
understand why I have been encouraging you to help the magazine via
their Kickstarter campaign. The Kupcho's are a special
couple, with a unique gift and vision, and they need our help to
establish Wolftree into a self-sufficient magazine. They are currently
halfway to their fundraising goal, and I know that with our help they
can reach their that goal by the cutoff date. By supporting
this project you will not only be funding a special magazine, but the
widespread community of dreamers, artists, writers, and musicians in the
Midwest. As Brooke wrote in a recent Wolftree journal entry, "Let's
listen. Let's support. Let's celebrate others."
-AK
