By: Nina Peci –
Talent, inspiration, beauty – all these traits needed to be an amazing artist…or are they? Southeast’s literary magazine From the Depths is looking for one thing and one thing only, creativity. From athletic photos to paintings and poetry, they want it all.
From the Depths is accepting submissions that can be dropped off in D113 or emailed to sponsor Amanda Krivda. The literary magazine tries to showcase all types of creative student work. “I think having this platform available for all students in all grades, whether they considered themselves artists or not, is vital,” said Krivda.
This year the staff is really trying to encourage all types of artists to submit. Right now they mostly have been showcasing short fiction, poetry, photography, drawings, and paintings but creativity is in every corner of the school not just the art department.
They’re seeking new work like clothing designs, digital art, wood work, even culinary sculptures, in the staff’s eyes it’s all art. “I encourage kids to be unafraid,” said Krivda, “to be vulnerable with their creative efforts and energies, and to see what could be made of it.”
If you’re a writer or an artist, getting published is a great way to break into the scene. Submitting your work for publication is a big risk, but it’s an easy way to see how the school will react to your work and whether or not it’s ready, plus who doesn’t want to be able to call themselves a published artist? If you’re still nervous, you can submit your work anonymously and if you get published your name will not be printed but your work will.
It’s also important to keep in mind that when pieces are being chosen for publication everything is completely anonymous until decisions are final, that way there is no bias and if you don’t make it no one will know.
From the Depths loves to push the boundaries of art that takes risks and shows authenticity. Last year the magazine ran into a censorship problem with two extraordinary pieces of work and they were determined to give that work the space it deserves. In the place of those two pieces of work they left a message that read, “Due to censorship, this piece, and the one on page 17, have been removed from the magazine. However, we, as a staff, have made a decision not to replace these creative pieces of student work. This page remains blank to maintain a space for all censored pieces that have been removed from this magazine and future magazines in final review.”
Krivda recalled that moment with pride and said, “Art is edgy, and it should be, and it’s pushy, and it makes people uncomfortable, and that’s a really good thing. Being uncomfortable is when we learn things. We learn how to grapple, we learn how to accept, we learn how to think critically, and I think that’s a strength of the literary magazine, to allow for all types of art, not just for art that makes us comfortable or keeps us comfortable. Last year we had two pieces that broke out of that ‘keeping us comfortable’ area, and although I understood why we weren’t able to print it, I was really proud of the work that the staff did.”
It was a big step to make a stand for authentic creativity over manipulated creativity, they honor student work by accepting it as it and not trying to turn it into something that it’s not. To the artists that like to take risks, don’t worry, they’ll make space for you too.