"'Artist' Borne" by Arlene Mandell

Talent. Self-confidence. Perseverance. Patience.

An artist explores and discovers. Damaged, an artist believes and persists. This artist recreates herself—bearing the weight of “born talent,” refusing, rebuffing, rebuilding, rebounding, reborn.

Arlene Mandell is an artist living in Linville, North Carolina. Her engaging portraits can be seen year-round at the Carlton Gallery in Banner Elk. Relocating two years ago from Miami to the Grandfather Mountain community inspired a love of writing. She is a member of the North Carolina Poetry Society and Sue Spirit's Writing Workshop in Vilas. Her essays and poems have appeared in Second Spring and Gateways literary anthologies.