Is it art? Is it play? Does it mean something? There are so many ways to express an idea, and often it feels daunting to put the name "art" to the manifestation of those ideas. We’re preoccupied with identifying labels that seek affirmation from others — words and names and titles we can feel in our mouths — because we want to be understood and acknowledged. I meet a lot of young writers who are very nervous to call themselves “writers.” They’re not yet published, or they don’t have an MFA, or they write this kind of writing, not that kind of writing, they tell me, and so they’re not a real writer.

 

I can relate. When I try to describe what we do at With/out Pretend, I still choke on my practiced words. I say that we are a book publisher, because we have published a few books. But we also host storytelling events, and these events are becoming equally important to our mission. And, in less than three weeks, (you heard it here, first!) we’re launching a new magazine as well because I wanted the freedom to make more work, more often, with more emerging writers and artists. Our elevator pitch is getting muddled. Last month we applied for an OAC grant and I was asked to apply as either a book publisher or a magazine publisher. You have to pick one, Erin, I thought. All the small business listicles tell you to pick one thing and do it really well. In short: I'm doing it wrong.

But, we’re having fun. I think we’re building something good, and maybe even important. We’re dreaming up new projects, turning concepts into substance, and learning how to better collaborate with one another, to build community and work that will (hopefully) have an impact.

With this in mind, I’m excited to share a new collaborative series we’re calling “The Inspired.” In each installment of this series, we will ask an artist who inspires us to respond to something in our body of work that moves them to create, elaborate, design, engage.

For me, the most special thing about this series is that there’s no prescribed plan, or reason, or desired outcome weighing us down. There’s a true sense of freedom in this kind of creating that feels very fulfilling to my Sagittarius heart. I think we all need to leave room in our lives for that kind of freedom. To worry less about the point or use of something. To see where our ideas might take us, if we made space for art without a name.

xo
Erin