Touch Magic, Pass It On...

Bonus points to anyone who can tell me within five seconds of looking at this whose room it is...

Well, I started Domythic Bliss last Friday, and I am absolutely thrilled by the response thus far. It is clear to me from the response to the accompanying Facebook group, and the number of you who have started following the blog here, that I am definitely not alone in having felt like there was a hole the exact size of what I love and prefer in the world of interior decoration. An especially big thank you goes out to Theodora Goss (whose innovative and wonderful new book, The Thorn and the Blossom, was just released today) for her wonderful post about the new blog. In it, she says, "The things you have should be magical. They should create a space that enchants. I think that’s what is missing from most decorating books. There’s loveliness, but no magic." And I very nearly stood up and cheered with agreement.

Those of us who are passionate about the Mythic Arts...about walking the borders between, and going beyond the Fields We Know...have experienced, to one degree or another, how the internet has brought us closer together; both with each other and with the founders and creators of the movement. A true community has sprung up among all of us who share the same passions. When an author or artist creates a new work, it is no longer entirely a matter of stepping into the roles of performer and audience. There is an exchange of ideas, a blending of inspiration. Artists and authors like Brian Froud, Terri Windling, Charles de Lint, Theodora Goss, Catherynne Valente, Neil Gaiman, create new works and are inspiring a new generation of creative minds. Now, Lisa Stock creates and directs a play inspired by a Neil Gaiman story (as well as her own original pieces). Musician S.J. Tucker writes songs based on the writings of Cat Valente. Musicians Faun produce a new album with integral art by Brian Froud. There is a whole web of interconnected inspiration.

The whole genre of Interstitial Arts from which the Mythic Arts sprang began to give a sort of a name for the artists and creative minds who didn't fit a genre label. So despite the fact that I (and apparently others) have been so frustrated by the lack of a real resource...whether print or web...for this desire we feel to base one's decoration on storytelling and fable, I am in a way thankful for that fact. This has awarded us the opportunity to together create something new, to be inspired by each other, which is exactly what the style is all about: creativity and expression.

I asked today on the Facebook list for ideas for future blog posts you might want to see here, and several people mentioned DIY and other inspirations. Absolutely, the plan is to include such posts. But I also hope to include posts trying to help all of us to get into the mindset of original creation as well. The Mythic Arts thrive on the interconnectedness of artists and creators inspiring work in each other. This is just as equally true in letting it inspire the way we live and the beauty with which we surround ourselves.