Author Archives: Katherine Wikoff

Unknown's avatar

About Katherine Wikoff

I am a college professor (PhD in English, concentration rhetoric) at Milwaukee School of Engineering, where I teach film and media studies, political science, digital society, digital storytelling, writing for digital media, and communication. While fragments of my teaching and scholarship interests may quite naturally meander over to my blog, this space is intended to function as a creative outlet, not as part of my professional practice. Opinions are my own, etc.

Crooked lamp with blinds on a sunny day

Posted on July 22, 2023 by Katherine Wikoff

My old crooked lamp from the final close-out sale at the old downtown Milwaukee Marshall Fields store (formerly Gimbels) in the 1980s. It’s showing its age, listing slightly to one side, but still capable of doing its job. Like many … Continue reading →

Posted in Photography | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Wildfire sun (in the style of Mark Rothko)

Posted on July 16, 2023 by Katherine Wikoff

Yesterday’s evening sun was a strange shade of intense orange, almost something you might expect to see in a Mark Rothko painting. (Like, for example, his “Orange and Yellow” canvas, found at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum: https://buffaloakg.org/artworks/k19568-orange-and-yellow.) I tried … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Life, Milwaukee, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

I ASSURE YOU; WE’RE OPEN!

Posted on May 11, 2023 by Katherine Wikoff

Quite an existential feat this furniture store has managed to pull off! It is closed, as evidenced by the security gate across its entrance. It is open, as evidenced by the lit-up sign in the window. And it is timeless, … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, Milwaukee, Movies and film, Photography, Popular culture | Tagged , | 11 Comments

A rainy start to May

Posted on May 1, 2023 by Katherine Wikoff

Which is OK with me! The alternative for those of us who live in Wisconsin is 1-3 inches of snow, which the poor unfortunates who live about an hour north and west of Milwaukee are experiencing today. Additionally, today’s rain … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, Milwaukee | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Abstractions: On a load of dirty dishes, ready to run

Posted on April 12, 2023 by Katherine Wikoff

Or, the mundane and the sublime, lol. I had just finished loading the dishwasher today, placed the little Cascade detergent pod in the tray, but then right as I was about to snap the tray lid shut, raise the door, … Continue reading →

Posted in Creativity, Photography, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

After a March snowstorm, late afternoon

Posted on March 26, 2023 by Katherine Wikoff

I just liked the overall mix of lines and light and color.😀 Would you like new posts delivered to your inbox? To subscribe, click here.

Posted in Photography | Tagged , | 2 Comments

A man on the street

Posted on March 21, 2023 by Katherine Wikoff

WAY far away . . . I was walking down the hill to go into the back door entrance of my parking garage when I saw the man walking ahead of me in the distance. I liked the composition of … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, Photography | Tagged , | 5 Comments

A song about sunscreen from Baz Luhrmann and some thoughts on Leo DiCaprio

Posted on March 13, 2023 by Katherine Wikoff

This “song” came on the radio when I was driving home from work the other day. Baz Luhrmann, of course, is the incredibly talented director of films like William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet (1996), Moulin Rouge! (2001), The Great Gatsby … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies and film, Popular culture | Tagged | 2 Comments

Creativity and good mental health go hand in hand

Posted on January 28, 2023 by Katherine Wikoff

Here’s an interview with Hilde Østby, author of a forthcoming book (April) titled The Key to Creativity. What really resonates for me and jibes with my own feelings and intuitive understanding of creativity is the reciprocal positive relationship between creativity … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Creativity, Life | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Snowy branches outside my office window

Posted on January 25, 2023 by Katherine Wikoff

Just a momentary distraction while pausing during my workday to make a cup of coffee. The snowy contrasts, including the slushy street, were striking enough to prompt a photo. Now back to my slideshow on elections and the Electoral College, … Continue reading →

Posted in Milwaukee, Photography, Teaching | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment