Summer 2023

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Editors

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Fiction Contributors

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Artwork Contributors

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Nonfiction Contributors

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Drama Contributors

“A picture is a poem without words” – Horace

In this editor’s letter, I want to shine a light on the art and photography section of Spellbinder. The marriage of textual and visual art has been central to our mission since the beginning. Whether we consider William Blake’s intricate illuminated books, the longstanding tradition of comics, or the Pre-Raphaelite group’s depiction of literary subjects from Arthurian legends, there is evidently a long history of written and visual art inspiring and influencing each other. Linda’s stylised digital art, interspersed throughout our issues, has vividly illustrated a number of textual works which we have published over the last two and a half years. Parallel to this, we have always kept the art section separate, to give it pride of place for our talented contributors.

We have remained open to the inclusion of all two-dimensional visual art forms within this section, including copies of paintings and prints, as well as digital drawings and photographs. From Inga’s monochrome comic strip ‘Who Are You (Who Am I)’ [Issue 1], to Despy’s innovative collages [Issue 3], to the cityscape photographs of Manarola and Paris [Issue 4], to the richly coloured digital illustration, ‘Sea Rise’, showcased on Spellbinder’s cover [Issue 6], to Gianluca’s tremendously detailed pencil work, ‘Conversazioni’ [Issue 8], our publications have been filled with incredibly mesmerising pieces of art.

Our selections reveal the diversity within two-dimensional art and the incredible potential of mixed media, technology, and traditional practice for contemporary artists. In all of the work we publish, we can see a story unfolding, a narrative between the pencil lines and the framing of the camera lens. Landscapes, portraits and abstract subjects have filled our pages and they have made us think; they have transported us to other worlds; and finally, they have captivated us with their beauty. We hope that those who read Spellbinder enjoy exploring the artworks as much as we do, and we plan to continue to provide and expand our platform for visual artists alongside our talented prose writers, playwrights and poets.

Speaking of poets, this issue sees the return of our Featured section, with the inclusion of an extract from Kyle Derek McDonald’s epic poem, The Blessed. Kyle is a prolific actor, composer and writer among other pursuits, based in Toronto. He is one of the creators of the production company, Mightier Productions, which is home to a number of screen and stage works, including operas. We are delighted to feature part of Kyle’s epic, which is skilfully composed in Sesta Rima, in our Summer 2023 Issue.

Thank you, as always, to all of you who contribute, follow, read and support our publication. We are immensely proud of our community, one that celebrates art and the diversity of its forms, creators and audience.

Amber Kennedy, Editor in Chief

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We have created a playlist inspired by the Summer 2023 Issue. Feel free to play it while reading the issue:

Poetry shortlist – Summer 2023

Bryce Delayney	Tired
Jacqueline Knirnschild	The Trail Behind the Baseball Field

Fiction shortlist – Summer 2023

Inna Capangpangan	Witch in the City
Laura Wolf Benziker	Pickup Dropoff

Drama shortlist – Summer 2023

Tom Lavagnino	The Sound Man
Eugenio Polisky	Tssssssp

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