I have just signed off on the proof for Inspiration Speaks - our forthcoming book. It is a wonderful collaboration of art and authors I hope you will be on the edge of your seat waiting for its publication early October! I am personally so grateful to our editor Jessica Kristie for her imagination and dedication to making this project a reality.
It came about because I wanted to include writing within our definition of art and I was struggling to present a piece of writing in a way that I could sell, like the art on the site. So Jess and I got talking over twitter and we came up with the book.... so we invited authors to use a piece of art on the ArtPlatform site as a starting point, inspiration if you will for a piece of writing. We had a great response and the editorial team made their selections, inviting those selected authors to then make extra submissions to be included in the book.
I must state that as ever everyone involved in this project has worked for free or given their words or images for free. I am astounded by people and their generosity. Huge thanks to our artist Sherina for letting us use her image
'solo' for the book cover and to
Andy Bolter for creating the book cover. Finding a publisher isn't always easy so we were so pleased to meet the team at
Winter Goose Publishing, who are donating some of the proceeds to our partner charity
Colalife.
What awaits you?
Orchids in Bloom
She casually strolls down the winding pathBreeze of spirit dancers waltz with her hairSkies cheeks turn pink because of staresShe’s humble but she remains unawareAs her sandaled feet grace the soft dirtOn either side the vibrant daydreams in bloomTry to flirt as they kiss her ankles and her calvesHoping that she’ll notice them and place one behind her earThe path continues to curveUntil she gets to the chin of the cliffBelow, the waves reach for the shoresHoping to see their lover aboveThe waves moan with a loss felt in their bosomCan she not come down to wash her feet amongst them?
...continues
Inspired by Ellie Perla's Iluminada - Written by
JJ Violet
SleptHave I slept for all these yearsHave I spokenBut couldn’t hearDid I dream the life I leadOr is it possible I can’t conceiveThat part of me has been lostAnd if so at what costIdealistic boy grows into a manDoes the fruit of subconscious thoughtContinue to growOr just rotThe answers to life’s questionsIs what I once soughtDisillusioned by the reality’s I can’t escapeCan I wake upBefore it is too lateAnd try to become the personI always wanted to beSomething so far removedFrom the now that is meInspired by Rain, Havana by Paul Cooklin and Writen by
Swan Rose
The Lady LaughsLike cracked dominoesthe pompous find themselves together,face to face, back to back, wearingtheir insecurities like used clothing.Each stand, caught in their own onuses,their too willing desire not to be mocked,and yet perfectly picked to be pushedover with a mocking tongue,the chance comment voicing truthwith a laugh. At times all of uswear those used clothes, those mantlesof self importance, self impotence;a world created for self-defense in bluster.The lady laughs; she shows metheir simple garments cover quiveringminds, a feeling of weakness,a humility each deserve and is shown.Continues.... Written by Peter Wesley. Dedication to Danielle.
These excerpts are the pin head of a book full of stunning writing. I do hope you will want to read poetry and prose by
Aletha Hutchison,
Libithina,
Bat-Ami Gordin,
Fred Rutherford,
Jaymes Ian Woode,
Heather Feaga, Jessica Kristie,
Julie Laing,
Katie M John,
Luke Prater,
Miriam Dunn,
Natasha Head,
Renee Malove and
Tifani Pust. Sincere thanks to them for wanting to be involved in this collaboration.
You may be curious about
which pieces of art were used as inspiration by the writers. To put all the images in here would be too much but I can link you to them through the site as most of the pieces are still available to buy -
Light Movement IV by Katarina Fagerstrom Levering,
Iluminada by Ellie Perla, The
Art of Travel II &
Nucleus by Sarah Hinds,
New Avenue by Sara Sherwood,
Cactus Orchid by Barbara Manzi Fe,
Deep Ocean &
Flows of Thought by Eric Olson,
Sounds of Us by Saeed Azish, Quiet Place by Lee Campbell,
Anemone by Ruth Peche,
Amrit by Pashet and
Rain, Havana and
Wicham Skeith by Paul Cooklin.
Truly an amazing gift for Christmas, I know I mentioned the C word! But it is September next week and then you will have an eye on the Christmas break.
Inspiration
Speaks
COPYRIGHT © ArtPlatform.org, 2011
Excerpt appears courtesy of Winter Goose Publishing