Portfolio
A collection of past/current copy
Excerpt from forthcoming book release (2024):
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" In a flash, a patch of ice sent the car spinning—a black pinwheel rolling along the gleaming road while steep valleys flanked by jagged cliffs loomed on each side. After launching through the passenger window and landing twenty feet away, Jim stood in the middle of the highway and brushed broken glass from his clothes as a semi-truck flew past, missing him by inches. He walked away with only a scratch on his thumb.
What was this voice which guided him before the crash? What was this intelligence which seemed to know what was about to happen? From this moment on, Jim was determined to find answers.
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This book follows the life of an African American man, from early years in the Midwest, to the streets of Philadelphia, through strange and magical stories of travels in Africa. Amidst a constant pursuit, stories of incredible healers, incredulous events, and other-worldly beings keep readers engaged as Jim moves toward discovering Qigong."
Landing page for dentist (2020):
"Surrounded by the beautiful forests and pristine waters of Minnesota’s north woods, Ely Family Dental is dedicated to bringing healthy smiles to the community through compassionate, client focused care."
Maker-Space, published in the local news (2019):
"So, the big-short story with Zach Huberty and Ely, MN is: As a young boy Zach grew up coming up to Mom’s cabin on Farm Lake; fishing, canoeing, exploring, swimming; it became one of his favorite places on earth. Then growingup happened. He went to college, joined the military, got a degree, traveled the world, and all the while kept growing his skills in computer technology, eventually landing a hot programming gig in D.C. Until one day, he had had enough of that big city life. He dreamed of running free in those wild evergreen thick North Woods of his childhood. Oh, and a couple more things about Zach- He’s a boxing instructor, a renegade insectologist; he speaks Arabic, typically runs several miles per day, and has an interest in Zen and meditation. So that brings us here – to a new space designed, inspired and motivated by Zach (and with the help and donations from some AWESOME locals), about to open to the public: HAK ELY."
Artist detail, website (2018):
"I start with the black.
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This is not what they expect. I see surprise, then confusion. It is somewhere between these two, the surprise and the confusion. Maybe it’s something like delight. This is where I paint from. I start with the black, but where I begin is from the nothing. I empty the paper; I empty the room, empty myself. Then there goes the black.
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As the ink carries the brush, the first stroke lays itself down. And here the story begins: Colors, characters, objects, and motives quickly reveal themselves. The formless becomes form. Still, I never know, even in its completion, what the whole story is. The story has its own life. Unique to each viewer, the transformation is ongoing; now momentarily held captive by this white wall."
Blog post excerpt (2023):
Over the phone, my sister and I have our usual banter, always loaded with humor. Her monologue, like stand-up, has me rolling on the other end of the line, as she relays her day-to-day — over wet noodles smashed into the carpet, or strawberry milk in the dog bowl, or maybe both at the same time — amidst parenting two headstrong little girls. After the laughter died down though, my sister lamented that she, at times, loses control. She told me a story.
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“I always apologize after I lose it,” she said. “I tell them I shouldn’t have yelled, that it wasn’t right; I should be more calm.”
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It seemed normal, I thought. Things happen, you feel bad. She continued, “But when I say sorry, right away, my daughter responds — that’s ok, I forgive you mom. So, I stop her there. I tell her that she can’t forgive someone that quickly, she needs to think about it more, take time, and really feel the forgiveness.”
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After I heard her story, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I thought: Maybe 5-year-olds know more about forgiveness than we adults do. What if? What if it were possible to forgive someone that fast? Like blinking the eyes. Blink=forgive.
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What is forgiveness anyway? And who needs it the most?
The best definition I have found for forgiveness is: to let someone off the hook. Maybe the most difficult person to really let off that hook — is you.