ABOUT RUSTICA
Our Vision
Rustica was envisioned as a literary project dedicated to celebrating and elevating the captivating tapestry of rural living in the beautiful state of Maine through the written word and visual art. Our journal stands as a timeless ode to the unique essence of rural life, capturing its serene landscapes, resilient communities, and the profound stories that emerge from its quiet corners.
Our team is committed to showcasing the rich tapestry of experiences that come from rural living. We believe that there is profound beauty in the simplicity and complexity of life outside the city, and it is our mission to bring these stories to light.
Meet The Founders
Josh Billings
Josh Billings is a writer, translator, and nurse. His published translations include Alexander Pushkin’s Tales of Belkin and the Strugatsky Brothers’ Dead Mountaineer’s Hotel. His reviews and essays have appeared in the Los Angeles Review of Books, LitHub, The Collagist, The Literary Review, and Full Stop, among others.
Layla Billings
Layla Billings is a writer, psychiatric nurse practitioner, and fabric artist. She received an M.F.A in poetry from Warren Wilson College in 2008. She currently lives in Farmington, Maine, with husband and two sons.
Jesse Lundquist & Mary Lundquist
Jesse Lundquist is a writer and scholar of linguistics and ancient languages. He is an Assistant Professor of Classics department at Princeton University and lives in Princeton, New Jersey with his wife, Mary Lundquist, and their three kids. You can learn more about him here.
Mary Lundquist is an artist and children’s book illustrator. She has illustrated nine picture books, two of which she also wrote, for publishers such as HarperCollins, Random House, and Bloomsbury. She lives in Princeton, New Jersey with her husband, Jesse Lundquist, and their three kids. You can see more of her work on her website and follow her on Instagram.
Meet The Twins
Samantha Taylor
Samantha Taylor is an educator, songwriter, and designer from Anson, ME. They graduated from the University of Maine at Farmington with a BA in Visual Arts and Performing Arts with concentrations in New Media and Music.
Samantha designs Rustica’s magazine, print materials, and also provides design assistance with digital media.
S
Sara Miller
Sara Miller is a web designer, digital marketer, and versed in most things technology related. Sara grew up in Anson, ME, and graduated from the University of Maine at Farmington with a BA in Interactive Media with a concentration in Computer Science.
Sara created & maintains Rustica’s website and social media channels. She also provides design assistance with the print materials.
Check out Sara’s website.
Beyond The Team
As a community-oriented project, we couldn’t get where we are on our own. See the full list of Rustica’s contributors & supporters.
