Sarah Lawson is a writer and visual artist living in Nelson County. The child of two librarians, Lawson has always loved books of all kinds, but is especially excited to spend time with speculative fiction, poetry, environmental nonfiction, multi-genre and experimental lit, and pretty much anything written by queer or trans authors. Lawson writes about local authors and books that have a connection to the Charlottesville community, with the hope of getting you to spend more time in all of our incredible bookstores and libraries. When they’re not writing, Lawson can be found making collages and zines, exploring local art spaces, advocating for public health and access to mental health resources, or hanging out with their two dogs.
Poet MaKshya Tolbert discusses ‘Shade is a place’
MaKshya Tolbert practices poetry and placemaking in Virginia, where her grandmother raised her. She is the 2025 Art in Library Spaces artist-in-residence at the University of Virginia and co-stewards Fernland Studios, an open-ended studio insistent on rest, rejuvenation, and reciprocity as a core compositional practice. Tolbert was the 2024 New City Arts Fellowship guest curator, […]
