Laura writes:
"Pagan Island" is a map to a place replete with mythic symbols of freedom and enlightenment under an amethyst moon, but—like the "outlying arc volcano" below the surface of the water—where it's impossible to efface the threat of destruction with a wash of beauty; hence the litter of beer cans staring out from the path of the donkey.

Laura Slapikoff is a visual artist, poet, and short fiction writer, living and working in Somerville, Massachusetts. Born and raised in the Boston area, she spent twelve years in Los Angeles, where she published poetry and short fiction in the small press. It was also in LA that she began to work with collage as an antidote to writer’s block. Using images influenced by LA’s Latino culture, her collages include themes from mythology, politics, and the relationship of humanity to the natural world, often expressed with whimsy and visual puns. Her work can be seen at www.hechoensomerville.com.