Hello! I’m Carlina Scalf, a writer based in Cincinnati, OH. For as long as I can remember, I’ve used art and pop culture — books, movies, music, television, and more — to make sense of myself and the world around me. For better or worse, art has always had a strong impact on my emotions and sense of self. And, while I’ve learned the value of creating some inner boundaries between me + art, I also believe some of my deepest insights and emotional growth spurts have happened in this space of connection.
Close Readings is an attempt to make use of that connection. In each piece of writing, I examine a small part of a piece of art — a lyric in a song, a scene in a movie, a passage in a book — that has helped me understand something about myself or the general human condition.
A Few Things To Know About the Project:
- CR is a celebration of the subjective impact of art — the way that five people can listen to the same song and experience it in five different, unique ways. I recognize that my interpretations of the works I examine may not necessarily line up with the artist(s)’ intended impact, or with someone else’s experience with the piece. These essays are about my small, individual experiences, and I hope that by sharing them, readers are inspired to think about their own personal experiences with art (and share those experiences with others)!
- CR is also a joyful experiment in deep analysis. By closely examining a small part of a piece of art that I love, I hope to express a deep appreciation for that art, while also finding an outlet for my insanely-too-deep thoughts about the shows, movies, music, books, and more that I consume.
- Finally, this is a prototype project — I am hopeful there will be more refined, sophisticated, and expanded iterations in the future! (E.g. - in a future iteration, I’d love to feature guest posts and interviews that explore other people’s subjective experiences with art. I’d also love to have a more sophisticated website design + user experience in the future.). For now, CR is my little creative sandbox where I practice writing and analysis to my heart’s content (and, hopefully, share a few thought-provoking, useful ideas for readers along the way!)
I hope you find something of value in this project. If you’d ever like to talk stories/art/pop culture, please reach out on my contact page. Thank you for being here!