Controlled Burns, Snakes and Poetry

Central Michigan University student Jane Amstutz, a double major in French and English and a senior from Manistee, is the sixth CMU Creative Writing student to win the coveted Creative Arts Fellowship from the Pierce Cedar Creek Institute (PCCI), an environmental education center located ten miles south of Hastings.

The Creative Arts Fellowship provides writers and artists a stipend, as well as food and lodging, giving them time and space to create, immersed in Michigan’s breathtaking natural environment in June and July. During her five-week fellowship, Amstutz studied with mentors, collaborated with scientists and other artists, and was inspired by the beauty around her.

English faculty member Robert Fanning interviewed Jane about her experiences this summer, and how they inspired growth in her writing and perspectives.

Robert Fanning: What did it mean to you to win Pierce Cedar Creek Institute’s Creative Arts Fellowship?

Jane Amstutz: Winning the fellowship meant taking the next step in my education and applying what I’ve learned at Central to a semi-professional context.

RF: What was a typical day there like, for you? 

JA: My typical day started at 7 a.m. I would wake up and walk through the dew-covered prairies from the fellow housing to the field station. I would eat breakfast and begin my work for the day, which usually meant writing on my laptop. Whenever I found myself getting stuck, I would talk to the other writers about my work. They were my biggest resources, along with my writing mentor, Rachel Lutwick-Dean. I made an effort to get outside every day, too, so typically after lunch I would spend time hiking and immersing myself in nature. I usually ended up by the creek or the lake. Evenings typically looked like making dinner and then winding down with other fellows by the campfire. 

RF: What are a couple core memories/experiences you had there?

JA: One unforgettable experience I had at PCCI was taking part in a prescribed burn. Prescribed burns have been historically utilized by Indigenous people to preserve prairie ecosystems, and it's a practice PCCI continues to use. We burnt around one acre of prairie while I was there. I watched the smoke billow over my head. There was an intensity to the fire, as if it was a breathing animal. I had never witnessed controlled chaos like that. Just as I took part in the destruction of the prairie, I also watched it grow back in a few short weeks. What had once been a charred field of ash was already returning to a lush green field by the time I left the institute. I was floored by the ability of the prairie to come back so quickly, and I think it says something about how all living things on this planet possess a profound resilience.

RF: What did you gain on this experience as a writer/artist?

JA: The biggest thing I gained from this experience was learning how to set a schedule for myself. The structure of class and homework holds me accountable to consistently making work, so it was challenging at first when I was without that structure. PCCI allowed me to hold myself accountable to meeting my writing goals, which is a skill I will need upon graduating from CMU. 

RF: Did you collaborate with any other artists or biology students while there?

JA: I had many chances to help the field biologists with their work, whether it was removing invasive plants or looking for rattlesnakes. I tried to incorporate these experiences into my work, but I was directly inspired by the Photographer-in-Residence, Henry Black. He titled his work “Perigrination,” which inspired me to write a poem of the same name. That felt like direct collaboration for me.

RF: What did you find most inspiring about your time there?

JA: I was heavily inspired by the work of the researchers, fellows, and stewards at PCCI. I had the chance to attend several guest lectures too, which exposed me to new areas of study. I was part of a collective force of passionate individuals all working toward preserving and appreciating the land, and this inspired me to keep creating and incorporate all that I had learned. 

For more information about the Creative Arts Fellowship and how to apply, visit the Pierce Cedar Creek Institute website. For more about Creative Writing opportunities at CMU, contact the Department of English Language and Literature.