(Metamporphosis 8 by Terri Windling*)

“Myth must be kept alive.
The people who can keep it alive are the artists of one kind or another.
The function of the artist is the mythologization of the environment
and the world.”
~ Joseph Campbell

The Endicott Studio was conceived in the heart and mind of Terri Windling and began life housed in a real, physical place. It has since morphed into something that I admire more than I can readily describe: it is a caring, compassionate and passionate community.

Early inspiration for my site came from the endless variety of fun garnered from daily visits to Neil Gaiman’s journal. Like the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon game, I can trace so much of what I like and what I treasure over the last decade back to Neil Gaiman. One of the most influential of them is The Endicott Studio. My goal here is not to give a blow by blow account of how Endicott Studio came into being. That can be found here, and it is a fascinating read. What I want to do is give a brief overview of Endicott Studio’s inception and then launch into what I personally love about this community and how it influences me.

(Faery Nest by Oliver Hunter)

Endicott Studio began its life in 1987 when Terri Windling formed a working studio in Boston on, surprise, surprise: Endicott Street. Though it existed in physical form for several years, Terri’s move to England, and later return to the U.S., necessitated that the studio grow beyond the bounds of a physical location.

Keeping the Endicott name after the organization moved away from Endicott Street was a way of staying connected to the ideals of its early years “when insisting on the relevance of mythic art was still an uphill battle compared to its broader acceptance today. In an odd bit of serendipity, we’ve since learned that Boston’s Endicott Street was named after John Endicott, the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony” and that he came from the same small village in southwest England where Terri [used to live]. Stranger still, her 400-year-old cottage there was once owned by the Endicott Family.

Where once Endicott was a space that brought together a group of individuals limited by their proximity or ability to travel to Boston, now Endicott Studio is an international, “interdisciplinary organization dedicated to mythic arts: historic and contemporary arts rooted in folklore, myth, and fairy tales.”

(Standing Naked by Virginia Lee)

Today a myriad of mythic authors, writers, scholars, and performers are a part of The Endicott Studio. And because of the inclusive nature of the internet, people like you and I can be a beneficiary of, as well as a part of, that inspirational community.

Terri Windling inspires me. What she created, and directs along with Mydori Snyder, is a haven for the celebration of the creative spirit and the life-altering effects of literature, art, music, etc. The Endicott Circle and Endicott Contributors are a who’s who for fantasy geeks:

Neil Gaiman, Alan Lee, Charles de Lint, Virginia Lee, Charles Vess, Jane Yolen, Theodora Goss, Kelly Link, Kinuko Y. Craft, Ellen Kushner, Brian and Wendy Froud…the list goes on and on.

It is little wonder that I equate the discovery of Endicott Studio to that of one in a desert coming upon a true oasis: it is a place of refuge, a place of refreshment, a place of retreat. Literature, art, and music are indeed food for the soul and Endicott Studio is a place where one can belly up to the bar and just dig in. You cannot help but come away satisfied.

(The Far Shore by Jeanie Tomanek)

Endicott Studio, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways:

1. Your mission:

We believe that the world’s great store of mythology, folklore, folk arts, and fairy tales is a vital part of our pan-cultural heritage. For generations, artists have drawn upon mythic and folkloric symbolism to make contemporary art, addressing the issues of their time. Our mission is to honor mythic artists of the past, support mythic artists working today, and to carry this tradition into the future.

I am the first to admit that I don’t believe that every story written, or every piece of art made, is done to tell some grander tale…to convey some deeper meaning. Some things are just fluff, just for fun. Those too serve a purpose. I am also the first to admit that as much as I love some things that are very fluff and very one-dimensional, it is the stories with substance, the art that takes me to some special place, and the music that evokes a deep bond that has the most impact on my life and stays with me the longest. Endicott Studio embraces that kind of art and literature and the people involved in the studio have a passion for the marriage of life and art that calls to me so deeply.

They approach their creativity with a sense of responsiblity, a sense of the awesome power of creative expression. One of Terri Windling’s first projects through the studio was The Armless Maiden project, an adult collection of literary stories from various authors addressing the subject of child abuse. I see that kind of courage in everything that Endicott Studio strives to achieve.

(The Faery Godmother by Brian Froud)

2. The Journal of Mythic Arts:

Once per season Terri Windling, Mydori Snyder, and a handful of talented authors and artists produce the Journal of Mythic Arts. It is a treasure trove of story, art, essay and poetry on a given theme. The beautiful thing about it? This wealth of knowledge is free of charge! You don’t even have to look for it, you can sign up here and you’ll get a reminder in your email!

Archives of previous Journals can be found here.

(Art by Alan Lee, click pic for larger version)

3. Your recommended reading lists:

Endicott Studio is a repository for ideas for some of the most wonderful fiction and nonfiction you’ll ever read. Many of the wonderful children’s and young adult books that I have read and reviewed over the life of this blog came from the recommended reading lists on the Endicott Studio site. Present are archived recommendations from 1997 up through the inception of the Endicott Blog (soon to be discussed) in the areas of adult fiction, young adult fiction, children’s picture books, poetry, art, nonfiction and folklore.

In addition to those recommendations, there are specific recommended reading lists, located here, in the areas of: mythic fiction, fairy tales, traditional fantasy, contemporary fantasy, fantasy for younger readers, short fiction, and nonfiction favorites. Many of these lists contain “101 fine books from 101 fine authors”. Suffice it to say, you could stick with the Endicott lists and have books to read for a long, long time.

And, though I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: you simply have to read some of the outstanding essays on this site! The Reading Room contains essays on fairy tales, myth, folklore, and mythic journeys that will knock your socks off! You’ll come away with an education that is quite painless, I promise you. If you want to get deeper into the guts of some of your favorite old fairy tales, want to know more about folklore, etc, this is the place to go.

(Faery sketch by Ian McCaig)

4. Your blog:

The Endicott Studio Blog is the logical extension of the online Studio site given the prevalence of blogging among the masses today. It is a wonderful place to visit each and every day, multiple times a day. There are book reviews galore, Friday Favorite-type artistic offerings, and any number of other fascinating posts about creative endeavors that fit into the realm of mythic fiction. And the great thing about the site is that you have the opportunity to share your thoughts alongside people that you revere…for example Charles Vess recently posted in the same comments section on a post regarding the Stardust film that I had. For a geek like me, that is nirvana.

The Endicott Studio staff does a marvelous job with this blog, again cultivating a sense of community whose importance, I believe, cannot be overstated. It is a sense of community that I try to emulate with the Stainless Steel Droppings reading challenges, etc.

(La Traviata by John Jude Palencar)

5. Your giving nature:

The Endicott Studio not only provides inspirational, creative, spiritual support in the realm of mythic arts, but it provides tangible support to children in need. The Endicott Studio supports various children’s charities. And this is where you, too can help.

I want to take the Once Upon a Time Challenge a bit farther beyond the realm of normal reading challenges. Reading challenges, at least the ones I’ve participated in, are giving in nature anyway. We give each other support and encouragement, comraderie, and a whole mess of new books to add to our lists of books to devour. Those are benefits that cannot be given a dollar value. They are priceless.

And how else can you give during a reading challenge? There is one way that benefits both you and children at risk: buying books!

That’s not so hard, is it? If you, like me, frequent Amazon.com on a regular basis, you can do so in a way that benefits the charities supported by Endicott Studio. Simply use this link when you shop.

It won’t cost you any more money, but a portion of the cost will be returned to Endicott Studio for distribution to the children’s charities they support. More information on this program can be found here.

If you are going to buy from Amazon anyway, please consider going this route. Your, and my, reading addiction can actually be of benefit to someone else (besides the bookstore, publisher, and author, of course).

(Enchanted Tree by Ruth Sanderson)

Conclusion:

The Endicott Studio is everything that is great about the internet. Here you have a group of talented authors, artists, publishers, editors, performers, etc. that are at the creative epicenter of the literature and art that we are all currently embracing. They are folks that many of us would consider it a great honor to meet, if only to say personally how much we appreciate their work. And Terri Windling, Midori Snyder, et.al. have brought this divergent group of people together to form an amazing artistic community. The logistics of this alone are staggering to me. I know how much work I put into blogging and it doesn’t even touch the work it must take to keep Endicott Studio moving forward. Wow, that really gives me inspiration! And all their many and varied projects are all centered around one simple thing: promoting the very best of mythic art. This is a very special group of people and I am thrilled to be able to have a chance to enjoy their work through the two Endicott Studio sites.

Thank you so much Terri and Midori for all the wonderful work you do. I’m thrilled to be promoting your excellent site and I look forward to so much more Endicott Studio goodness.
_______________________

As I mentioned in Tuesday’s post, the second giveaway for the Once Upon a Time Challenge is underway.

When I decided to throw my hat in the reading challenge ring I determined that I wanted to do it in such a way that it brought people together. My discovery of reading challenges came when I stumbled upon the world of book blogs and my own efforts in this area are born out of my great love and admiration for this community. And so, to further the spirit of community I am challenging you to the following:

Between now (or actually last Tuesday) and next Wednesday, April 25th at 11:59 p.m. you need to visit each blog on the Once Upon a Challenge Review site links list and leave an insightful comment on one of the posts therein. Translate “insightful” as anything better than, “Hey dude, I was here!”. Once you’ve accomplished this task, leave a comment back here (or email me at cvincent68@comcast.net) telling me you’ve done so. Your completion of this task is on the honor system, but don’t tempt Fate, she can be unkind if scorned. I understand that there may be one site that does not accept comments. That is okay, it isn’t a loophole in the contest, believe me. Just move on.

And now for the prizes! I will draw a name out of the list of those who complete this challenge and they will win their color and size choice of the Terri Windling t-shirt:

and a choice of one of the following signed Terri Windling prints:

Click here for available print pictures

plus a Stainless Steel Droppings Envelope o’ Goodies!

Get to visiting, gang! And don’t forget to spend some quality time at the Endicott Studio sites!

“Art is a wicked thing. It is what we are.”
~Georgia O’keeffe

*Artworks featured in this post were random images chosen from the many Endicott Studio contributors. To see a complete list visit the Endicott Studio Blog and view the right hand sidebar.