A Look into the Toledo Artists' Club

By Dylan Sarieh

Here at The Scribe, we are always looking to find and promote the talent of Toledo. Although our entrance onto this path brings lots of its own excitement, it would be ill-mannered of us to not direct some of this recognition to those who had come before us.

Founded in 1943

Founded in 1943 by three leading members, the Toledo Artists' Club (TAC) was organized to further the development of both art and the locals who partake in it. For 81 years now has the club existed on this mission; an entire lifetime of effort.

Along these decades of service, TAC's community grew from the founding Maude Crabbs, Arthur MacLean, and Davis Martin, Jr. to a 16-strong leadership structure, currently presided over by Bren Clixby and Elaine Scarvelis, secondarily. Under these communal heads exists three tier of members, alongside partnerships with Metroparks Toledo, the Athena Arts Society, and the Toledo Botanical Garden.

Beyond this, TAC builds its associations through its subgroups and sponsors, in conjunction with a variety of classes, workshops, exhibitions, such as the upcoming Abstract or Impressionism Show.

Originally housing

Originally housing its members on Parkwood Ave., the local art club worked hard to expand and modernize into its current iteration, now found within the Artist Village of the Toledo Botanical Garden on 5403 Elmer Dr. Here they feature their own gallery and classroom.

Of the adult classes offered online, instruction in a variety of methods can be found, such as painting, needle felt work, or working with an instructor with a medium of your choice. These classes appear to run for anywhere from $25-45, with most encouraging beginner attendees.

For those who seek a closer relationship with TAC, various membership plans are offered. For only $50 per year, regular members gain the ability to attend weekly classes and two group events, present artwork in physical and digital settings, and vote, among other benefits.

Students have

Students have traditionally received scholarship support by Toledo Artists' Club, such as through their sponsorship of this through the University of Toledo.

TAC continues this generosity through their offer $10 per year student memberships, which enjoy close to same perks as regular members.

As part of the opportunity to present artwork, members have access to TAC's online Member Directory, where artwork, contact information, or personal websites can be shown.

Moving onto current events

Moving onto current events, the club's recent 2024 Portraits, People, and Pets Show has reached its conclusion. Judged by Laura Jajko, John Swihart's Dark Princess portrait won Best of Show.

Laura comments,

“This is simply a stunning and compelling portrait. The artist showed a mastery of the medium, artistry in the subject, and of the work, stood out among the rest. The detail in the drawing, range of tones from white to dark charcoal and use of light and shadow shows skill, passion and imagination.”

For the March to May period of 2024, the Abstract or Impressionism Virtual Show is planned. Submissions are open to all, with prizes ranging from $100 to $25, alongside the opportunity to market the piece.

Want Your Club to Be Featured?

If you want The Scribe to feature your art related club, let us know! As long as your club is located within the Greater Toledo area, and relates to the arts in some way, feel free to reach out: [email protected].

9 Notes to Know

Quotes and Tips to Write Better

• "The one thing that you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live as only you can." - Neil Gaiman

Writing Tip from A.M. Langston

"When you write, write. When you edit, edit. The two don't mix."

Do You Write Like This?

According to Cole Salao of TCK Publishing, Truman Capote (author of In Cold Blood) only wrote while laying down.

Smart or Irresponsible?

According to Cole Salao of TCK Publishing, Victor Hugo, author of The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, would lock himself in a room with just a paper and pen in an attempt to finish his late manuscripts.

• "Poets are all who love, who feel great truths, and tell them: and the truth of truths is love." - Philip James Bailey

Show, Don't Tell

Use descriptive language and vivid details to paint a picture for your readers rather than simply stating facts.

• "Any man who keeps working is not a failure. He may not be a great writer, but if he applies the old-fashioned virtues of hard, constant labor, he'll eventually make some kind of career for himself as writer." —Ray Bradbury

Go Outside:

Nature has long been a source of inspiration for writers. Spend time outdoors to gain inspiration while writing

• Embrace Emotion: Poetry is a powerful medium for expressing emotions. Tap into your feelings and allow them to guide your writing.

An Interview with A.M. Langston

By Jeffrey Darah

Can you tell us about your latest book?

experimental to the point of being rough, scrappy, or having "jagged edges". That last part is something I take a lot of pride in, but also something I re-visit every time I begin a new work. Can I get away with something being more stream-of-thought, or does a work call for additional artistic scrutiny and refinement? That's a foundational dichotomy underlying my style.

What inspired you to write it?

My latest release, "Dark Side of My Ribs", is mostly a lyric collection. I've been a musician as long as I've been writing and wanted to do a lyric book for quite a while. In my head as I wrote these lyrics, I listened to an imaginary band playing music in the styles of Morphine, Radiohead, Flying Lotus, and a few others. Mark Sandman of Morphine was a fantastic surreal lyricist in a way I don't think the world sees often. He's been a big inspiration to me here, as well as my less musical works.

How would you describe your writing style?

I'd summarize my writing style as dark, somewhat goofy,

Can you walk us through your typical writing process? Do you have any rituals or habits when writing?

I write on a computer with internet disabled, my phone turned off. I'll listen to instrumental music, but otherwise I like to remain distraction free.

It takes me a few minutes to get into a groove, so I'll read an outline, a previous chapter, or poetry from another writer's paperback. These days I don't drink while writing. The drunken writer thing is overplayed, and I don't aim to be a Bukowski clone. Last, I tend to pause once an hour or so to take inventory of my mental state and creative flow. Until a draft is done, though, I never use a break to edit, or rework story elements. That's on of my hard rules.

Are there any authors or books that have particularly influenced your writing?

I've been following Morgan Parker since "There Are More Beautiful Things Than Beyonce". That's something I carry around the house when my nose isn't to the grindstone. Steinbeck's "East of Eden" is the pinnacle of novels in my mind. In my dreams, I write something of that

Alex Langston, author of several novels. (amlangston.com)

magnitude some day. How do you develop your characters? Are they inspired by real people or entirely fictional?

I imagine everything someone writes is inspired by real people in some way. I don't think you can write a True story, as in an accurate portrayal of the human condition, without tapping reality. That said, I am very deliberate in creating characters as removed from "real" people as possible. At the end of the day, I create characters I believe the story needs. They sort of spiral out from what the story needs, then who the main characters need to support or challenge them, and so on. My personal mission is to not over-think this aspect of writing. It's not uncommon to see writing communities online trapped in character and world building.

Continues on page 7

One of Langston's several published books: This Close to Sitting Ducks

Brian Lowe on Mental Health

By Jeffrey Darah

This artwork is from local Toledo artist, Brian Lowe. Brian Lowe is an Army veteran and Wellness/Recovery coach living in Toledo, Ohio. Brian has shared his autobiography and one of his best works with us at The Scribe. He attributes his knowledge of art to a combination of collaborative studies and activities with peers and mentors. Along with independent studies focusing on graphite and mixed media, Brian has exhibited his works locally to help raise awareness for mental health and addiction recovery. His use of surrealism in creating these works helps the audience to engage their unconscious minds as a way of viewing art. By perceiving the content in this way, exploring Brian Lowe’s art results in dreamlike, bizarre, and often metaphoric imagery.

Brian also works with the National Alliance on Mental Illness as an art expression group facilitator. He and his team use art to help patients with their journey to recovery. Brian shares his thoughts and inspiration for this piece: Have you ever viewed a piece of art and asked; “What was the artist thinking when they created this?” If so, then please let me introduce you to the titled image.

I created “Venomous - Dare to Face Your Inner Demons!” with several concept ideas bouncing around in my brain until I finally settled upon one. I was working on a series of pictures dealing with the macabre and asked confidants for ideas. Our focus today is, what was I thinking when I created this? The answer is simple. I simply asked myself, ‘What scares people more than seeing a picture of a devil or demon? The best answer I could come up with was: “Someone who is struggling with their own inner demon!” As you look at the portrait you will see many things. A snake coming from a woman’s open mouth, this is the portrayal of the inner demon. Her eyes are tearful and

Venomous - Dare to Face Your Inner Demons - Brian Lowe

fixed upon the demon, but he is not looking at her. Why? She is well aware of her inner demon as he has presented himself before on many occasions.

However, at this time, as he is coming out to torture her once again, he stops! Did you notice his eye is not on her and that his fangs are bared and ready to bite? The reason for this is he is looking at you, as if to say, “Back off! She’s mine!” We do not see people, as this image presents, every day.

However, we do see people struggling with their inner demons, and it is not as easy to as shown here.

We thank Brian for his submission, and urge you to try and assist those who may be struggling with their inner demons.

Notable Event Calendar

March 2nd

Crafternoon

• Young Children's Crafting, 2:00-2:30PM, Oregon Library

March 5th

Helping your K-3 Reader

• Adults' Support for helping K-3 Readers, 1:00-2:00PM, Online with the Toledo Library

Collage Clash

• Teens' Collage Creation, 4:00-5:00PM, Kent Library

March 6th

Colorful Chalk Art

• Kid and Teens' Chalk Art, 4:30-5:30PM, Kent Library

A Mountain of Marbles

• Kids' Marble Glass Blowing, 4:00-5:30PM, West Toledo Library

March 9th

Sketch Party

• Teens' Painting and Sketching, 3:00-5:00PM, Maumee Library

A Mountain of Marbles

• Kids' Marble Glass Blowing, 2:00-3:30PM, Heatherdowns Library

March 11th

Stampers Art

• Kids' Ink Stamp Art, 3:00-4:00PM at the Mott Library

Shaving Cream Art

• Young Kids' Shaving Cream Art, 5:30-6:30PM at the Oregon Library

March 12th

Shamrock Shenanigans

• Kids' Leprechaun Art, 4:00-5:00PM, King Road Library

Spring Painting with Acrylics

• Adults' Acrylic Painting, 6:00-8:00PM, Locke Library

March 14th

Education Night

• Adults' Photo Art Education. 7:00-9:00PM, Online with Photo Arts Club of Toledo

March 18th

Rainbow Watercolor

• Kids' Watercolor Art, 4:00-5:00PM, King Road Library

Learn About Bees

• Adults' Beeswax Candle-making, 6:00-7:00PM, Lagrange Library

March 19th

Make Your Own Chocolate Dipped Caramels

• Teens' Dipped Chocolate-Making, 4:30-5:30PM, Sylvania Library

March 20th

Pink is Everywhere

• Kids' Watercolor Art, 4:00-5:00PM, King Road Library

Wacky Bird Art

• Kids' Bird Art, 4:00-5:00PM, Kent Library

March 21st

Create Now

• Adult Art Project, 5:15-7:15PM, Main Toledo Library

Early Literacy Parent Training

• Young Kids and Adults' Literary Practice

March 29th

Knitting and Crocheting Group

• Adults' Knit/Crochet, 2:00PM-4:00PM Reynolds Corners Library

An Interview with A.M. Langston

Continued from page 4 not making progress elsewhere.

What do you hope

readers take away from your books?

There are themes specific to my individual works, but my overarching goal is to inspire emotion through experiencing thoughts that grew out of another mind. Especially with poetry, I feel it should be approached in the same way you look at a Rothko, a bonsai tree, or listen to jazz. I hate to be cliche, but "it's about the journey, not the destination" may be applicable here.

Have you ever

experienced writer's block? If so, how do you deal with it?

Over time, I've set up a few guard rails to prevent writer's block. First, I start a project by outlining until there's no room for question when I'm actually writing. Second, I prepare for each writing session

by reviewing the outline and what I wrote in my last session. Third, if I do find myself stuck, I move on. This is partially why I write poetry and novels. If I can't start work on a different chapter, I can change lanes and write a poem. Last, I accept that patience and time are equally important to writing in the overall process. If all else fails and I'm unable to 'just write', there's a world out there to soak in until I find inspiration again.

Can you share any

insights into your future writing projects?

One upcoming work that I'm excited about is a contemporary sci- fi story, which is new ground for me. In that book, micro-satellites in a fleet like what we see mega-corporations launching today, mysteriously drop out of orbit. As the devices burn up on re- entry, they turn out to be gene modification weapons. Mass populations are suddenly inflicted with extreme genetic disorders like brittle bone disease. The story follows a retired government satellite expert as he's called upon to prevent further disaster.

How do you balance

creativity with the demands of publishing and marketing?

This kind of balance relies on awareness of personal creative limits. I know if I am going to hit it hard for a month and a half writing a novel, I'm going to need a break afterwards. That's when I plan to send a draft to my editor, develop concept art, and ramp up other business functions. Staggering parallel work streams in difference phases of that cycle helps. If inspiration is boiling over, I can comfortably take a break from ad campaign

development to write poetry while my novel is being edited. This is part of the planning guard rail I mentioned regarding writer's block.

Are there any

particular moments or scenes in your books that hold special significance for you?

This is a pretty big spoiler, but in a later act of my first novel, "Falderal", the main character is suddenly killed. I'm proud of that book and it holds a special place in my heart, but I would be lying if I didn't say my more recent works feel more mature to me. That scene, though, was a special sort of improvisational moment that I tend to squash most of the time. Despite how I grow creatively over my career, that's a decision I treasure.

What advice would

you give to aspiring writers?

Somewhere out there is a lecture given by the South Park creators where they talk about good writing. It boils down

to how a good story isn't "this happens, then this happens, and so on", a good story is "this happens so this happens, but this happens." Great advice. I also recommend becoming familiar with Kurt Vonnegut's tips on how to write a good story. My personal advice: just get the SFD done. When you write, write. When you edit, edit. The two don't mix.

You run your own

book publishing business called Jamesway Hut, right? Can you tell us about it?

Jamesway Hut is currently in it's infancy phase. I'm ecstatic to take on a project that broadens the scope of my writing career.

Plus, my story is rooted in self- publishing, which can be terribly daunting. The goal with JH is to support talent I would categorize as on the cusp of mainstream. I want to alleviate artists from business logistics, but also the expectation of conformity that big publishing houses demand. We'll be next accepting submissions in early 2025.

We thank Alex for his time, and answering our interview!

Be sure to check out his website: amlangston.com for more news and upcoming information about his books. If you want to reach Alex, please use the contact form on his website.

Want to be Featured Next?

We are looking for more authors of all skill levels. If you have successfully published a book, you could be the next featured author! If you would like to be featured next, shoot us an email: [email protected].

Ohio Photography Contest

Announcing our first photography contest! This contest is open to all photographers, of all skill levels. The theme of the photography contest is Spring in Ohio. The rules are very simple:

• Photo must be taken within Ohio, and proof must be provided.
• You must have taken the submitted photo, not anyone else for you.
• Entry is open until March 25th, 2024 at 12:00 AM midnight.
• The submitted photo must be related to Spring in some way. Be creative!

The winner of this contest will have their photo showcased in The Scribe, along with honorable mentions for those who came very close. The winner will also have a choice to include contact info or a website if they so choose.

To submit a photo to this contest, contact us first at [email protected], and we will send you instructions for formally submitting your photo for this contest. Good luck!

Photo of the Month

Image taken by Cathy Holewinski in the Toledo Botanical Garden

A Huge Thanks to *The Courier!*

The Courier newspaper located in Findlay, Ohio is very generously printing this newspaper that you are reading now! We want to extend our deepest thanks to their excellent and responsive team. We would like to give a special shout out to Rob Jenney and Greg Little for sharing some of their impressive and extensive knowledge. Be sure to grab a copy of The Courier to support them.

Donate to Support *The Scribe*

The Scribe is funded entirely by volunteer efforts and donations. We are a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and can accept any donations. To donate, all you need to do is head over to our website: https://apollo-press.com/donate.html and click the Donate button. Or you can use the QR code listed below instead, for faster access. We thank you for your support!

We Want You!

Get involved with The Scribe! Having your work showcased in this newspaper is easy! Submission is completely free, and there are no costs involved. Read below to see what categories are open for submission.

Open Categories for submission:

• Any artwork (physical or digital)
• Poetry, any kind
• Photography anywhere in Ohio
• Short stories (up to 250 words)
• and more!

If you are ready to submit your work, just send an email with your content attached to our submissions email. [email protected]