Popular Iowa City author Lori Erickson will discuss her book, Travels with the Muse, during this 2026 Iowa City Book Festival event at the Iowa City Public Library.
Travels with the Muse is a journey into the creative life, told through Erickson’s travels to places where art and spirit meet. From the luminous interior of Barcelona’s Sagrada Família to the rhythms of the Mississippi Blues Trail, from quilting traditions in Nebraska to the turning dance of the whirling dervishes in Türkiye, Erickson explores what happens when we approach art not as experts, but as beginners willing to pay attention.
Along the way, she sketches, listens, and learns from artists and places, discovering that creativity is less about talent than about presence. At its heart, Travels with the Muse is an invitation to see more deeply, make something with your own hands, and recognize the sacred woven through the world around us.
This event is live in-person at ICPL and will also be streamed live on the ICPL YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/thelibrarychannel