Житель Невады издал роман, сравнивающий местный пейзаж с импрессионизмом XIX века

By Breven Honda Living in eastern Nevada, surrounded by diverse landscapes and topography, can inspire creativity. For Mesquite resident Steve Dudrow, that inspiration led to the creation of Sandcastle Windows, a novel that compares eastern Nevada to the Impressionist era of 19th-century France. “Nevada has given me a deep appreciation for wide-open spaces, reflection and, especially, community. Living in rural Nevada is great,” said Dudrow, who has lived in Mesquite since 2016. “I chose Paris in the 1870s because it was a fascinating time. It was the Impressionist period. You had artists like Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Berthe Morisot.” The novel, currently available on Amazon, follows Sam, a podcaster focused on living in the present while exploring creativity, curiosity, memories and inspiration through conversations with others. As the story developed, Dudrow found inspiration for the title in one of his favorite songs. “One of my favorite songs is ‘Amber Cascades’ by America,” he said. “I’ve always loved that song, and they talk about sandcastle windows. My message is, ‘Take your time, listen and don’t miss your opportunity.’ “If you build a sandcastle, the windows aren’t going to be there very long, so you need to take the opportunity to look out that sandcastle window. That became the title of the book.” The imagery throughout the novel, particularly the use of the color blue, also reflects Dudrow’s admiration for Monet. “I love the color blue, and it amazes me when you look at the sky and see how many shades of blue there are,” Dudrow said. “Monet used blue extensively in his paintings of rivers and skies, so it naturally fit into the story.” Dudrow approached the writing process more like a director than a traditional author. Rather than writing chapters in sequence, he completed them individually and organized them later into a cohesive narrative. “I wrote a chapter here, a chapter there, and they weren’t necessarily in order,” said Dudrow, who spent about two years writing the novel. “Then I arranged them later. I was excited when they fit together.” A major influence on the novel was Dudrow’s podcast, The Art Box. The podcast, which is approaching 500 episodes and has featured more than 400 guests, has exposed Dudrow to a wide range of perspectives and stories. “Each one of those people has a different story,” Dudrow said. “If you really think about it, maybe all 400 guests are involved in this book in one way or another because they’ve taught me to listen differently, think differently and think about creativity differently.” With the novel now published, Dudrow — who serves as chair of the board for the Mesquite STEAM Center — said he is grateful for the support he has received from the community and his listeners. “Mesquite has been incredibly supportive of my creative work,” Dudrow said. “We have the STEAM Center, I’m chair of the Public Arts Commission, we have the podcast, and there are countless local artists and volunteers who demonstrate that creativity can truly flourish in rural Nevada.”