Written Artistry: A Collaborative Exhibition

Markus Wobisch (Artist) and Kenneth Robbins (Writer)

Written Artistry is a collaborative exhibit that brings together the written works of regional writers with the visual creativity of regional two dimensional artists. Eleven local writers were given two weeks to compose a new, original piece no longer than five hundred words in length. Those works were then turned over to their partner who was challenged to create a visual, two-dimensional rendering, no larger than 20x20 inches, in the same amount of time. The result is a show that beautifully blends the written word with visual representation in a multitude of colors, shapes, textures and styles.

The inspiration for this collaborative show came from two of our own local creators and friends: April Doughty and Bonnie Ferguson. April commissioned Bonnie earlier this year to create a visual representation of a poem she wrote as a gift to her now husband. Both artists have come back to participate in the show as partners with other artists.

It’s inspiring to see such a unique group of creatives come together to make something so inspiring. This show is a testament to the diverse community that is North Louisiana, from the varying subject matter of the stories to the wide array of materials used for the visuals. Even the individuals themselves, with their diverse cultures and backgrounds, bring a richness to this new experimental kind of art show.

Participating writers for Written Artistry include Christiane Drieling, April Doughty, Tom Faber, Devin Jennings, Khalilah Kersey, Mary Ann Van Osdell, Jesica Ray, Kenneth Robbins, Christopher Seaman, Athena Scott, and Emma Stone. Participating two-dimensional visual artists are Meredith Anderson, James Cobb, Gaelin Craighead, Bonnie Ferguson, Inique Harris, Mary-Evelyn King, Morgan McCullin, Ayah Tamimi, Callan Thornton, Keagan Vaughan, and Markus Wobisch. We want to thank each and every one of these amazing creators for lending their talents and imagination to this project. All of them together made this dream a reality.

Written Artistry is a collaboration between the North Central Louisiana Arts Council and the Ross Lynn Charitable Foundation.