Contributor Update, Tania Katan: Creative Trespassing

Today we are happy to announce the news of past contributor Tania Katan! Tania’s instruction manual for inserting creativity into your work and personal life, titled “Creative Trespassing,” was just published in February by Penguin Random House. Creator of the viral campaign #ItWasNeverADress is no stranger to integrating feminism, power and creative strength into everyday life. The book is full of her own incredible stories and encourages all readers to make their own opportunities and fun.

More information about Tania’s book can be found here, her non-fiction short story from Issue 4 can be found here, along with her interview from the same issue.

Congratulations Tania!

Authors Talk: Jen Knox

Jen KnoxToday we are pleased to feature Jen Knox as our Authors Talk series contributor. Jen talks about her contributions to Superstition Review and what she, as a reader, looks for in a strong short story. Jen also says that the why and how she writes ultimately boils down to character and her desire to understand the human condition from different purviews. She ends her talk by offering advice to burgeoning fiction writers.

Disengaged” by Jen Knox can be read in Issue 4 of Superstition Review, as well as “West on N Road” in Issue 14.

Contributor Update: Jen Knox

Jen KnoxToday we are pleased to share that Jen Knox recently appeared in Elephant Journal. Her piece, titled “Learning to Breathe through the No Good, Very Bad Days” was published the end of February this year.

Jen is featured in Superstition Review Issue 4 and Issue 14. In addition to her two fiction contributions she has also shared guest posts here on the blog. In Jen Knox: On Workshops, Jen shares some of her thoughts, teaching, and characterization. She then shares the sentiment, “I sometimes feel the urge to burn all those old tester stories” in Jen Knox: Burning My First Words.

Congratulations, Jen!

Contributor Update: Deborah Bogen

In Case of Sudden Free FallWe are glad to announce that past contributor Deborah Bogen has recently released a collection of poems titled In Case of Sudden Free Fall. The collection has already received recognition from poet and actress Hélène Cardona, who called Deborah’s writing “a delicious gem” worth revisiting. Purchase a copy of In Case of Sudden Free Fall from Jacar Press here.

To read four poems by Deborah in Issue 4 of Superstition Review click here.

Congratulations, Deborah!

SR Pod/Vod Series, Authors Talk: Poet and novelist Deborah Bogen

Deborah BogenToday we are pleased to feature poet, novelist, and SR contributor Deborah Bogen as our thirty second Authors Talk series contributor. Deborah addresses two points in her Authors Talk. The first point she explores is “some of the problems people are going to have when they enter a field that is, quite frankly, flooded.” The second point is “How do you connect with other writers?”

When MFA programs started, it seemed possible to have a teaching job in academia and also a be a writer. But so many people are graduating from MFA programs every year that it is no longer realistic to assume one can get a good academic job. Trying to help you “stay sane and stable during your writing career,” Deborah has three alternatives to having an academic job: take a day job, teach at a (private) high school, and find a job that needs good writers.

She says though “it’s hard to give up the desire – I can’t be the only one who has this – it’s hard to give up the desire for big time recognition,” it just isn’t going to happen for everyone. (Although she has some tips to help you find that coveted big time recognition.) Since every writer cannot be famous, she suggests investing in your local reading/writing community. Being part of a local writing community gives you the chance to meet other talented writers and get inspiration and new ideas.

You can listen to the podcast on our iTunes channel, podcast #223.

Deborah has contributed to Superstition Review Issue 12, 10, and 4.

Christopher Jagmin Encaustic Painting Workshop

I’m a born Phoenician, and I find it unfortunate that among my friends (who are also from Arizona) and among my classmates (who are often from out-of-state), the general consensus is that the Phoenix cultural and arts scene is “not really there.” It’s “stagnant,” and “spread out all over” the metropolitan area. But the truth is that Phoenix does have great artists, and several of them have graced our cyber pages in the last five years; one in particular that still stands out is Christopher Jagmin, whom we originally featured in Issue 4, and whose work was the inspiration for our new logo and banner.

DSC_0008Trish and I decided that it would be a great experience to visit Jagmin’s workspace. Jagmin works in encaustic painting and the magic happens in the backyard of a house painted light green in downtown Phoenix—just blocks away from the neighborhood where I grew up, in fact. It was too windy and cold for a demonstration but Jagmin walked us through the process of creating one of his encaustic paintings on wood, and even gave us some history on the art of wax encaustic painting.

DSC_0005 In ancient times sailors covered the outer surface of their ships with beeswax, and over the years the practice came to include painting and decorating the exterior of the ship. Encaustic paintings were discovered in the 1st century as mummy portraits and the tradition was later brought back by artists like Jasper Johns in the 1960s. The method of painting also had a resurgence in the ’80s with mood painting, and it has more recently made its appearance again.

DSC_0003 However, Jagmin’s work with encaustic isn’t traditional, because while many encaustic painters use the wax to give their paintings a more polished look, Jagmin uses encaustic for the process and what the process allows him to do with color and space. His work doesn’t always boast the smooth finish that many encaustic painters go for. He still has a high level of control over the composition, but he layers on the wax and the paint, and then he carves away, adding more layers, and carving again. He has an array of carving tools, a heat gun, a hot plate, an iron. Sometimes he will draw a quick sketch of an idea or two, but “the point,” he said, “is to tell a story…to capture an idea, a desire.” He uses symbols and images with the idea of hieroglyphics in mind. A good-sized piece, he gathers, takes anywhere from 80 to 100 hours, though it was hard to say exactly how long it takes him to complete a painting, since he works on several at a time. Whenever he returns to a piece, he has to carve and dig and remember what story he was trying to tell.
DSC_0004Jagmin also expressed concern for the art community in Phoenix. There are great artists, great venues, and great things happening in the Phoenix art community, but because it is spread out through the valley, it is difficult to draw people to the exhibitions and to have people think seriously about the art that is being created. But the efforts are being made and Jagmin hopes that soon the community at large will become more involved with the arts.

If you are interested in learning more about encaustic painting, Jagmin is holding a workshop this coming weekend:

March 1: 4-9 p.m.
OR
March 2: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Learn the basics of working with encaustic in a hands-on exploration of this ancient wax art form. Encaustic is composed of beeswax, tree resin and pigment, applied hot, and fused to produce works that are translucent, sculptural and rich. After learning a brief history of encaustic, students will learn to make encaustic medium, paint mixing, basic fusing techniques, and layering.

The goal of each of these half-day workshops is to become comfortable with encaustic, and finish 1-2 pieces of artwork. If you have always wanted to try encaustic, this introduction is a great way to get started! No experience necessary.

All supplies are included in the price.

This class is limited, so reservations are necessary.
$110 for one session.
Reservations: (602) 595-2244 (URBAN BEANS)
or write: chris@christopherjagmin.com

Jagmin was gracious enough to answer some of my questions through email.

How did you come across and begin to use the medium you now work with (encaustic on wood)? Have you worked with other mediums?

When I was living in Boston, I worked as an illustrator and as a graphic designer. Time was very precious as I worked about 65+ hours a week, and on a track to burn myself out. But, I was young and wanted some money in my pocket, and frankly, liked the work.

I always liked pencil drawings, and also painted with gauche and oil paints. But, I rarely had the confidence to show my work in a public form. Once in awhile I showed my pieces, but I had to be dragged, screaming and kicking. Recently, I started working with pencil drawing again, and this time, it is much more like fun.

In Boston, every painter that I liked seemed to be an encaustic painter. I really loved the medium, but it seemed so mysterious and difficult. I did not try the process until I took an encaustic class in Phoenix about six years ago. Then I knew this was the medium for me.

Working with encaustics allows me to add and scrape away layers of wax and oil as I paint. These layers then merge together, or form new images. My work does not follow the encaustic historic tradition, and I think of it as almost a sculptural way to paint. Those are the reasons that I love encaustic painting. It really gets me into the paint and helps me to build stories.

What and who are some of your influences?

That is the hardest question for me. My influences change everyday, but I would want to be stranded on a desert island with Bill Traylor, Saul Steinberg, Martín Ramírez, and Jean-Michel Basquiat. They have influenced me for many years, and I actually wrote a recent blog post about some current influences, if you care to read: http://jagmin.wordpress.com/2012/07/20/5-who-inspire-me/

I am also greatly influenced by comic books, Chinese scrolls, graffiti, outsider artists, Indian miniatures, and graphic artists. Basically, I can find inspiration all around.

What goes into giving a piece its title? Is the title important?

I title my pieces after the painting is complete, and I separate myself from the work for a little while. When I am ready to see the work again, I look and try to remember what the experience of painting was, and also think about the story I was trying to tell at the time. The experience for me is oftentimes quite different viewing the work again. I want to give the viewer a title as a jumping off point to interpret their own story.

The color series that I worked on earlier this year was very different, however. I just numbered them in order of the work. I wanted to see if the stories could work alone without titles, words, or symbols.

Where did the words your more recent work incorporates come from? (That is, why did you begin to use words?)

When I was a kid, I wanted to become an animator, and dreamt of working for Disney. I would draw stories in comic form for hours. I would make flip books, and also write comic strips for my family and myself. I always liked storytelling, and since I am not a very good writer, it made sense to tell stories with my art. So, words in my artwork made sense to enhance and move my storytelling along.

Your earlier work is more abstract and your work has progressively acquired more narrative (more words), has become more defined, and, I would even say, more concise. Are you aware of anything that has influenced this change?

For me, using words has a direct link to comic book storytelling, and I think that I started being more confident in understanding that connection, and am proud of my comic story telling. I absolutely get a kick out of words in comic strips that suggest sounds (onomatopoeia). You know…words like plink to suggest bad piano playing, or rain drops. I also like coined and slang words, both past and present.

For some reason, humans like to develop new words. It is especially a youthful expression to throw off an older generation. I love to mash up some words or expressions and play with them. A lot of the words in my work suggest a story, and oftentimes are puns and plays on words. Hopefully they are not obvious or suggest too much.

What do you think is art’s relationship with words?

That is a difficult question to answer, but there will always be artists who like to straddle the edge between writing words and art. Words can provoke, make you think, inspire, and offer public discourse. There are divergent artists like Ed Ruscha, Nam June Paik, and the art movement Fluxus, Japanese calligraphers, and René Magritte who enjoy commenting on society, question authority, or just like to make beautiful works of art.

Do you plan a composition or do they occur in a more spontaneous manner?

I start out with good intentions and do sketch some ideas that become the starting point for a painting. It is rare, however, when I stick to my sketch. As I work and start playing with the layers in wax, I may see something that interests me and compels me to keep that piece in the work. But generally the theme and the “big idea” stays put.

How long does it take you to complete a piece?

I actually work on a few pieces at once, so it is hard to know exactly how long each work takes. I get asked that question quite often, so I did try to track a couple of works, but it gave me the idea of filling out a time sheet for work, so I quickly abandoned that idea. But, I would have to say that on average, I might complete a medium sized work in a month’s time.

SR Pod/Vod Series: Poet Keith Ekiss

Each Tuesday we feature audio or video of an SR Contributor reading their work. Today we’re proud to feature a podcast by Keith Ekiss.

Keith Ekiss is a former Wallace Stegner Fellow and Jones Lecturer in Poetry at Stanford University and the past recipient of scholarships and residencies from the Bread Loaf and Squaw Valley Writers Conferences, Santa Fe Art Institute, Millay Colony for the Arts, and the Petrified Forest National Park.

You can read along with his poems in Issue 4 of Superstition Review.

To subscribe to our iTunes U channel, go to http://itunes.apple.com/us/itunes-u/superstition-review-online/id552593273

 

Past Intern Updates: Timothy Allen

Timothy Allen from Issues 3 and 4 gives us an update on his whereabouts.

After my time with Superstition Review, I graduated from ASU magna cum laude in 2010 and was accepted to ASU’s law school for the fall of that same year. During my first summer as a law student I was accepted to the Blackstone Fellowship – a prestigious program put on by the Alliance Defending Freedom to train young law students. As a part of that program I spent the summer in Alaska working for a law firm up there before I was successfully commissioned a Blackstone Fellow in the Fall of 2011. Now, in my third year of law school, I am desperately looking forward to graduation next spring, and working as a legal intern for an air ambulance company in North Scottsdale. I plan to work in healthcare law after graduation (if I can find work), but will not be limiting myself to Arizona employers – I also plan to look for work in Florida (Disney (of course)), Texas, and Washington state.

SR Pod/Vod Series: Poet Aaron Fagan

Each Tuesday we feature audio or video of an SR Contributor reading their work. Today we’re proud to feature a podcast by Aaron Fagan.

Aaron Fagan was born in Rochester, New York, in 1973 and was educated at Hampshire College and Syracuse University. He has lived in Chicago and New York City, serving as an Assistant Editor for Poetry Magazine and as a Copy & Research Editor for Scientific American respectively.

He is the author of two poetry collections: Garage (Salt Publishing, Cambridge, 2007) and Echo Train (Salt Publishing, London, 2010) and he has recited his work for the Harold Clurman Poetry Reading Series at The Stella Adler Studio of Acting. He lives in Victor, New York. Photo credit: Angela Strassheim.

Visit Aaron’s website at www.aaronfagan.com

You can read along with his poem in Issue 4 of Superstition Review.

To subscribe to our iTunes U channel, go to http://itunes.apple.com/us/itunes-u/superstition-review-online/id552593273

SRAWP: Spotted, B.J. Hollars & Michael Martone

Superstition Review editors were happy to catch up with B.J. Hollars, Fiction Issue 6, and Michael Martone, Interview Issue 4.

B.J.’s essay “Fifty Ways Of Looking At Tornadoes” is forthcoming in Quarterly West.

Michael’s new book is Four for a Quarter. It is separated into four sections, with each section further divided into four chapterettes. The book returns again and again to its originating number, making chaos comprehensible and mystery out of the most ordinary.