Visions of Life

By Ivy Sundell

Five stories were selected from the best of a short story writing contest. The contest was to create a story inspired by the art in one of the Crow Woods Publishing art books featuring Chicago area artists: 'Chicago Art Scene,' 'Art Scene: Chicago 2000' and 'Living Artists.' The contest was judged by Tony Ardizzone, the award-winning author of 'The Whale Chaser' and 'The Evenings News.'

'Dress Up' by Ann Kammerer relates the tragic story of a cross-dresser trying to conform to what’s acceptable in society while preserving his identity;
'Family Portrait' by Joanne Freeman tells what happens when an older daughter goes home to see her Italian mother;
'Just Float' by PJ Minton is about a father finally coming to terms with the estrangement with his daughter;
in 'Sharing Daniel' by Douglas Macdonald, a female poet deals with his boyfriend’s affair in a small town in Vermont; and
'Transform' by Colby Vargas is a reflection on how bodybuilding changed a couple's physique but couldn’t save their marriage.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Crow Woods Publishing
• Release date: Nov 23, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310713675

Book preview

Visions

of Life

Art-inspired Short Stories

Edited by

Ivy Sundell

Crow Woods Publishing

Visions of Life Copyright © 2015 Ivy Sundell

Dress Up by Ann Kammerer. Copyright © 2015

Family Portrait by Joanne Freeman. Copyright © 2015

Just Float by PJ Minton. Copyright © 2015

Sharing Daniel by Douglas Macdonald. Copyright © 2015

Transform by Colby Vargas. Copyright © 2015

Smashwords Edition

All rights reserved

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission from the publisher.

Published by:

Crow Woods Publishing

Post Office Box 7049

Evanston, IL 60204

www crowwoodspublishing com

EDITOR’S NOTE

In observing readers perusing my art books, it becomes apparent that they hone in on different artists and different pieces of art. Sometimes it’s because they know the artist. But just as often it’s because they find something in the piece that strikes a chord with them. While not everybody can define what it is that draws them to the art, these are some authors who have created a short story around the work.

Some of the authors won prizes from the short story contest I ran in 2013, juried by the award-winning novelist, short story writer, editor and university professor, Tony Ardizzone. I will not bias your reading by telling you which story received the top prizes. Just like the art, you the reader can decide for yourself which stories resonate with you.

Equally interesting is what inspired each artist to create the selected piece of work. I have included a synopsis of the artists’ statements on the back section of this book to complete the picture.

I am indebted to the writers groups and the artists who supported this project from the moment I announced the short story writing contest. I also wish to thank my family for their advice and continued support.

Ivy

DRESS UP

Ann Kammerer

inspired by

Cross-dressing Draft Resister Who Chanted Hare Krishna for 7 Years

Pastel on Paper

Eric Semelroth

Cross-dressing Draft Resister Who Chanted Hare Krishna

The weird dreams made him start dressing up all over again. For years, Eldon had stopped wearing women’s clothing and lived a fairly regular life in a doublewide. His neighbors knew him as a friendly and courteous fellow who kept his lot tidy and waved when he walked to his job at the party store. He was clean and neat and wore a red shirt and either khakis or a pair of canvas painter pants with a macramé belt. Most of the time he felt happy, but no matter what he did, he couldn’t stop the dreams.

They haunt me, Eldon said as he talked of nightmares where his skirts got tighter and tighter or a halter-top was cinched around his neck. I’m scared to go to sleep.

Eldon drank beer and took Sominex but he still woke up in a panic. Kicking back the sheets, he fumbled in pitch-black as his chest heaved and sweat poured from his temples. In the darkness, he could feel the pinch of a bra or the tight elastic of bikini underwear. When he turned on the light, the tightness vanished as he saw himself dressed in loose sweatpants and a T-shirt. His ear lobes weren’t torn from flashy earrings and the flesh of his thighs didn’t poke through fishnets. He was awake and could go back to sleep now, so he clutched his pillow and exhaled.

I know it’s different, Eldon said. My parents pray for me, but it doesn’t help.

He smoothed a dry knobby hand over his freshly shaved legs and took a compact from a vinyl purse.

I’ve tried everything to stop dressing up, he said. But I just can’t.

Eldon picked a clump of mascara from his lashes and dabbed foundation over his pockmarked cheeks.

I guess that’s why I tried the Krishnas, Eldon said as he put on red lipstick. I thought they could enlighten me and teach me to be whole.

*

Eldon had joined the Hare Krishnas after a summer of smoking dope and landscaping and trying to avoid the draft. His life was dull and confused. When his parents caught him watching reruns of The Andy Griffith Show while wearing women’s clothes, they yelled at him and kicked him out of his basement room.

You’re too old to be living here anyway, they screamed at him. "Maybe if you got out in the world and got