about

 

A full-time writer who lives in Chicago, Kristy Bowen creates poem-ish things, lyric essays, hybrid fiction, and design/decor/diy content for various websites and publications.  For the past two decades, she's blogged about writing, art, horror films, and other miscellany at DULCETLY: NOTES ON A BOOKISH LIFE. Raised in the wilds of northern Illinois, she lives and works in a beautiful, but drafty, art deco building near the lake with her cats, her love, too many books, and a vast collection of thrifted finds--only some of which are haunted. 

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A poet and essayist whose hybrid work often delves into gothicism, surrealism, the speculative, and the delightfully strange, Bowen issues a regular series of chapbooks, zines, artists' books and video poetry blending text and image. She is the author of several longer book projects, including the recent WILD(ISH), RUINPORN, and GRANATA, a darkly sensuous retelling of the Persephone myth. Other recent collections include COLLAPSOLOGIES, AUTOMAGIC, ANIMAL VEGETABLE MONSTER, DARK COUNTRY, FEED, and SEX & VIOLENCE (Black Lawrence Press, 2020).  

Bowen's writing has recently appeared in The Morgue, Grimoire, and Marrow Magazine.  A poem, "house of strays," appeared in the Academy of American Poets' Poem-A Day:365 Poems for Every Occasion anthology. Her visual/text/installation work has exhibited locally in galleries, libraries, and arts organizations. She runs DANCING GIRL PRESS & STUDIO, where she makes and sells all manner of art, books, paper goods and accessories, as well as curates a long-running chapbook series devoted to women writers. 

Bowen creates content for a number of publications and websites about design, decor, and DIY. She is a staff writer for House Digest, where she writes regularly about thrifting, vintage design, antiques, and upcycling. She also writes about various lifestyle topics, including writing/visual arts, DIY projects, and entertaining,  for Classpop! Magazine.  Additional articles on everything from horror movies and home improvement to antique ephemera and architecture have appeared at Cozymeal, E-How, Homes.com, Worthpoint, Study.com, Thriftcon, GameRant, and others. 

Bowen has read her work in a number of galleries, bars, cafes, conferences, academic institutions, and other venues, including the Field Museum of Natural History and the Poetry Foundation.   She occasionally facilitates workshops in zine making, bookwrecking, and other paper arts. She holds graduate degrees in literature (MA) and creative writing (MFA) from DePaul University and Columbia College Chicago.