Darlene “Lolly” Wesenberg Rzezotarski calls Wisconsin home—for better or worse, though mostly better. A lifelong lover of words, she knew by the age of 13 that writing would always be a central part of her life. Her journey with clay began unexpectedly on Groundhog Day in 1982, when she first placed her hands in it, sparking a passion for ceramic sculpture that would come to complement her poetry.

Lolly’s poetry is deeply personal, often exploring themes from her experiences in teaching, spiritual contemplation, human connection, and the natural world. She frequently draws inspiration from mythology and folklore to craft narrative-rich stories. Narrative is at the heart of both her writing and her sculpture.

In the spring, she was honored with a retrospective show at Woodland Pattern, titled “Everything Has a Story,” which featured both her poetry and her sculpture. She describes it as one of the most impactful events of her life. In recent years, encouraged by her writing group at Woodland Pattern, Lolly has begun sharing her poems at local readings.