"[I]n diversity there is beauty and there is strength." Maya Angelou This book is a product of the collaborative effort of 26 women from 15 different countries. These original illustrated stories seek to entertain readers of all ages with their unique perspectives, rooted in very different yet shared experiences of intercultural exchange. This creative art project includes storytelling, writing, reading, drawing, painting, editing, and layout work-all conducted in English as a second language of (almost) all of the project's participants. Beyond that, moreover, "The Wish Tree" grew in the process of its making into an illustrated expression of friendship, comprehension, and appreciation for our diversities and multicultural understandings-as well as a medium of enthusiasm, optimism, and courage.
About the Author: The authors of this book are women, international spouses and partners, who-temporarily or permanently-subordinate their own career paths and personal priorities in order to support their families during their studies/work at Duke University (Durham, NC). This particular group of women (2014-2016), has been blessed with artists, writers, and digital designers who decided to create a storybook that incorporates the traditions and story models from their cultures. About editors: Working on "The Wish Tree" felt like a natural implication of my previous life experiences-says Kasia Repeta from Poland-and brought me a great deal of joy during my second year in the US. "International" is a word that has always stayed close to me. Since my teenage years I have enjoyed traveling and learning about other cultures and peoples. With these trips, near and far, I learned the value of intercultural diversity and developed sensitivity to worlds other than the one I was brought up in. I incorporated my cultural experiences with professional life, while working as a marketing specialist in India, Turkey and Poland. Since 2014 I have been leaving in Durham, NC with my family where I volunteer at the Duke University International House in my spare time. I like to keep challenging myself with creative projects; love creative writing, digital design. Karin Denson was born in Poland, lived most of her life in Germany, and moved to the United States in 2014. She holds a master's degree in education as well as a Montessori degree and is a certified systemic counselor. She worked for several years as a teacher for children with special needs in emotional and social contexts. In 2015-2016 she was the art instructor for the Duke University International House. Since coming to the US, she has devoted herself to her art practice, experimenting with a variety of materials, media, and technologies. Her art interrogates the shifting boundaries between physical, digital, and mixed materialities. She sculpts in concrete, paints (mostly acrylic), and uses augmented reality applications to merge physical objects with digital photography, glitch-based video, and virtual 3D objects. Karin Denson has collaborated with the Duke S-1: Speculative Sensation Lab and with Shane Denson, and her work has been exhibited across the US and Europe.