Issue Number
Release Date
ISSN
11
1 – 7 – 2023
2753-4103 (Print)
2753-4111 (Online)
Editors
Chief Editor
Nonfiction Editor
Fiction Editors
Art Editor
Drama Editor
Associate Editors
Amber Kennedy
Linda Arrighi
Bruna Gomes
Ned Vessey
Catherine Cooper
Lara Morgan
Tod Barnbrook
Keelan Blagg
Doriana Dyakova
Ashlynn Theo
Cover Art
Daphne Fauber
Lantern Pain
Featured
Kyle Derek McDonald
Excerpt from ‘The Blessed’
Poetry Contributors
Jack Granath
Timothy Resau
Fran Tabor
Maia Joy
Undoing
November Beach
Conversation with a Poet too Modern
free form
Fiction Contributors
Terri Brown-Davidson
Chris Neilan
Arda Mori
Sensation
Ash at the Astoria
Cough Syrup
Artwork Contributors
JC Alfier
Charlie Finesilver
Daphne Fauber
Mirjana Miric
Goran Tomic
Autumn Window
Fanta Toure and the Donkey Cart Ride
Lantern Pain
Herald
The White Stork
When Hopper drove into Constable
Nonfiction Contributors
Caitriona
Lev Raphael
Dana Cabalza
Real Coke
Words & Music
Changing Woman
Drama Contributors
Valerie Garmling
Richard Manley
Rising From the Ashes
Tracks
“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
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 |