ABOUT
What happens in our minds when we experience a piece of prose, art or music? How do our brains tell us a story? Is what we experience what the artist intended? And if it isn’t, how is it different? Is it better? Is it worse? Or is it just different? What happens when we take our response to what we’ve heard or read, and create something new from it?
These questions are at the heart of VERSE/VISUAL.
2023 marks the 5th year of VERSE/VISUAL! This project is a collaboration between Ipswich creatives, inspired by a series of visual essays done by the New York Times in 2017, that presents art and writings that result from the joining of creative forces. Artists and writers submit a recent piece of their work, which is then given to a creator of the opposite discipline. They, in turn, create a new work responding to it. Collaborator's identities are not revealed until the opening reception of the project, allowing for unfiltered responses.
We are so excited to share this year's VERSE/VISUAL with you.
Photo: Detail from an image by
Jill Bemis, 2021 V/V Photographer
The team behind
VERSE/VISUAL
Cynthia August is a commercial portrait photographer living and working in Ipswich, known for her ethereal portraits and abstracts. She writes, teaches and creates photography out of her studio in the Tyler Building. She is also President of the Ipswich Art Association, Chair of the Ipswich Cultural Council, and a member of the North Shore Creative Collective. She is a member of the Essex County Create Foundation's 2023 ChangeMaker's Cohort, a group dedicated to advancing the creative potential of Essex County.
The Ipswich Art Association is a newly formed 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the arts in Ipswich. Its purpose is to support, empower and advocate for all creative and performing arts and artists in Ipswich.