Persimmon Tree had been in existence for only two years then, but its mission was already clearly established: quoting Nan again, Persimmon Tree was to be “a place where our voices would be honored and heard, and although it would have high standards, any older woman could submit her work and be seriously considered whatever her publishing background. Most of all, its existence would be saying to the world: Yes, yes, we too exist, Look at our talent and imagination!”
For Marcia, ArtsMart would be yet another means to accomplish Persimmon Tree’s mission of giving talented older women visibility and voice, another medium through which older women writers and artists could disseminate their work:
ArtsMart continues that tradition today. It exists, first and foremost, as a service to the Persimmon Tree community. It serves Persimmon Tree’s contributors, the women whose writing and art is published in the magazine, by giving them a very reasonably priced platform for marketing their work. It serves Persimmon Tree’s readers by giving them access to books and artwork produced by women whose strength and acumen and experience grant them perspectives and a depth of vision available nowhere else.
It was Marcia’s hope, and it is that of the current editors as well, that you will spend some time browsing ArtsMart, even better that you will make most of your book purchases through ArtsMart. Not only because, in doing so, you support Persimmon Tree and its community of older women writers, artists and readers, but because here you will find, as you do throughout the virtual pages of Persimmon Tree, words and images that will speak to you as no others do.
Encounter with the Future is a political and social drama running parallel with a rapid coming of age. It is a true story of an 18-year-old girl who arrived in London from behind the iron curtain alone. She became an emigrant when her country was invaded by Soviet Union in August of 1968. She went from sleeping in the telephone booth at London’s Victoria railway station, to waitressing, then becoming a model, actress, even a James Bond girl.
This engrossing memoir is told in series of essays, some previously published, some wholly new.
Encounter with the Future is a mirror of an unforgettable journey filled with fear, pain, veracity, and laughter.
“Pavel is a natural storyteller and shrewd observer with a deep understanding of people. She keeps readers engaged across decades, continents, and pages.”
— Publishers Weekly
“Pavel manages, from her present and sophisticated vantage, to evoke the innocence of youth.”
— Nicolas Delbanco, author of Why Writing Matters
“A touching tale of a woman who makes it through the tornadoes of life and still comes out centered.”
— Goodreads
“Beautifully written and captivating…it will make you look differently at your own life.”
— Cindy Myers, author of Mile High Mystery
Available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Bookshop, and your local independent bookstore.
Jean Zorn is publisher of Persimmon Tree and secretary/treasurer of the Board of Directors of Persimmon Tree Inc. She is a lawyer, and retired in March 2018 from the City University of New York School of Law, where she had worked for more than 30 years, primarily as a Professor of Law, and, most recently, as Senior Associate Dean for Administration and Finance.
Diane Rakocy, a Chicago-based painter, creates vibrant, nature-inspired paintings layered with color and texture--exploring the unseen details of life and how they connect us all. Her work, balancing abstraction and representation, has been exhibited internationally, including solo shows in Tokyo, Singapore, and the USA.
Thank you for including my artwork in the magazine!