Art is Storytelling, Storytelling is Art
Image courtesy www.gratisography.com
An Open Call For Featured Artist Submissions
The literary world doesn’t give visual artists enough credit. Yeah, you read that correctly and, yeah, it may kinda, sorta, no definitely, be an inflammatory statement. Here’s the thing though, I’ve heard murmurs in various pockets of the writing community that describe graphics as a necessity more than a brilliant aesthetic display of a story within a story. Art is about more than marketing, it needs to rank higher in the order of literary importance. The unfortunate misconception is that concept or cover art is on par with shaving the back fur off of an angry cheetah to garner attention. While it may get you noticed, especially if, say, your book is titled “The Fastest Ways To Lose A Digit To Exotic Wildlife”, unless you get maimed or eaten no one’s really supposed to give a shit.
The truth, however, is that we do. The more I get such advice, the more stubbornly I want to push against it. I find it irksome. Here’s the problem with the book art = cheetah theory, real art in any discipline isn’t meant just for marketing purposes, it’s meant to connect, to resurrect a few of those vital little pieces of ourselves we lose to life along the way. Real art, true storytelling, in any medium can do that. It has magic and guts.
For those pragmatists out there, our society is visual. Our first connection to anything new is usually visual and, let’s be honest, it’s a make or break moment. That means, if a story is phenomenal and it looks like junk most of us are going to skip over it in search of the total package, or something closer to it. On the flip-side words paint pictures graphic enough to warrant collaboration. And for some reason writers, in particular, seem to get a big ole societal head pat of creative and social clout. I think artists and writers are way past due to make something spectacular, immersive, and different together.
Here’s the concept: I want to world build across multiple disciplines by championing amazing artists. Ash to Embers is a multi-faceted story and the Courting Shadows world is a big one. There’s no reason that the inner worlds gnawing away at our synapses can’t be as real, as visual, and as diverse as the one we live in. Send me your Courting Shadows artwork and tell me a little bit about yourself. I’ll feature the best submissions monthly on my website for all of my readers with a big fat artist credit along with a link to your artist page and other work. Not only that, but for each featured character or concept image, I’ll write a new corresponding scene or piece of flash fiction to go along with your glimpse into the Courting Shadows Universe.
That said, I’m an art geek (I’ve got the tattoos and the degree to prove it) so everyone’s creations will have an artist credit and a special place in the gallery. Have another idea, you clever thing you? E-mail me. This is intended as a true collaboration, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
There is a gap between the various creative disciplines that doesn’t have to be there and I want to obliterate it. That’s it. By now with any luck, all you amazing artists out there will feel effectively wooed. This is my author site and I have no interest making about me. It’s a place for readers and creatives; a continuation of the Courting Shadows characters and concepts. Want to world build in across multiple disciplines? Me too. The idea is becoming an obsession. Let’s make something new.
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