An Image Can Launch a Thousand Books

Life has been expressed through visual art for eons, and in its earlier stages it was the only method by which stories were told, aside from oration. In Medieval times the illuminated manuscript, text embellished by elaborate borders and miniature illustrations, was used to convey stories that ranged from scriptural events to heroic legends such as the Arthurian tales. In more modern times some of the best stories have been launched from a single glance at a painting or photograph. "Don DeLillo has said that single images inspired some of his novels. 'Falling Man' came from the curiosity generated by the photograph of that same title, by Richard Drew. 'Underworld' was sparked by juxtaposed headlines in the New York Times: 'I saw these two headlines, literally, in a pictorial way,' DeLillo said, 'the way they were matched, each followed by three columns of type.' (1)I remember being in elementary school and delving into picture books. I was fascinated with the vivid imagery and color that accompanied every tale, rhyme, and adventure. For me, it was an experience that went beyond bringing more depth to the story.  A fairy flitting through a mystical forest was not just there to accentuate the book I was reading, it became a part of other stories that I would create as a result of being influenced by the color, shapes, and characters. I imagined that the fairy had  friends and family and brought them to life in another dimension, taking their adventures into new and distant realms. As a result of this infatuation of the combination of words and pictures, I have written some of my favorite works, especially narrative poetry.Poems such as Battlefields, and Glory, were inspired by photography and paintings of the Civil War. The poem, 1483 came to me as a result of the portrait of Richard the Third and other paintings of the Battle of Bosworth Field, and the poem Little Lamb Lost is a lyrical rendering of a painting of Christ holding a wayward lamb.There are several websites and Twitter accounts that post challenges for writers through photographic prompts. They will generally post a picture and assign those willing to take on the task to frame a story from it. One of my favorites is Angela Ackerman, who also has an amazing website with lots of resources for writers, writershelpingwriters.netIt is my hope that writers who have never delved into visual art as inspirational sources, take some time to indulge in it and see just how much further they will expand their writing technique and creativity. Remember, in writing there are endless possibilities. There is a multitude of stories in every corner, through every door and in every framed image you lay eyes on. 1. Cep, Casey M.  "A Thousand Words: Writing From Photographs." Web blog.           www.newyorker.com. Condé Nast, 26 Feb 2014. 2 October 2016.