Who We Are: CNF students in the Hamline MFA program in Saint Paul, MN
Why Grout?
Much of the work of creative nonfiction seems to be about grouting, filling the spaces in between, finding the craft to be able to place tiles or tesserae next to each other. From the mess—of experience, thought, ideas—comes beauty and art.
"When grout does its job — locking tiles tight, keeping out water, and giving floors and walls a finished look — nobody pays much attention. It's only when grout fails, becoming stained, cracked, or falling out altogether, that people take notice.
But grout deserves more respect. 'Not only does grout fill the voids, it makes the floor, wall, or countertop stronger by bonding the tiles together and preventing the edges of a tile from chipping and cracking.'" – This Old House
Photo of tiles and grout by Andrew Rochfort
