Writer and editor on topics of art, literature, and culture. Southwest US Editor at Hyperallergic and Managing Editor of the Los Angeles Review of Books publishing project.

“Creative practice is embodied, existential, and devotional. I hope to deepen my understanding of social-practice art so it considers communal life as spiritual practice and provides a framework for bringing spiritual practice into creative communities.”

For her MRPL final project, "Extraordinary Life," Ellie Duke presented a blended memoir-essay accompanied by a body of artwork comprised of video, illustration, and sculpture. The collection of stories, reflections, and explorations explored the intersections of embodied, creative, and spiritual practice; the balance of contemplation and action; and the challenge of radical presence. It presented a life in progress, driven by the question, "Can I become a nun, while staying a None?"