Sylvia Escaping

Sylvia Escaping

Years ago I enrolled in a collage class through the Anthenaeum. The instructor told us our work for that semester needed to be text-based. I was really stumped, but then realized I was writing and had lots and lots of text to choose from. Searching through my drafts I pulled out a few of the most dramatic lines from a story I was working on about Sylvia, a 1960s San Francisco heiress. I looked through old postcards, vintage magazines and even found objects that correlated with her story.

Creating these art pieces was so much fun!

Leaving Engagement Party at the St. Francis

Leaving Engagement Party at the St. Francis

The materials became visual stimulants for me and helped deepen the details of my writing. Soon I was prompted to compose a scene where Anne, a present day artist, sees a photo of Sylvia in a vintage Life magazine wearing a coat that looked just like the one Anne had bought in a thrift shop. There was the connection between my two characters! This discovery inspired Anne to make collages as she followed her desire to find out the mystery of what happened to the young heiress.

Lucky Strike

Lucky Strike

Top of the Mark

Top of the Mark

Can't Marry

Can’t Marry

 

 

Does art ever inspire your writing or visa versa?