All 4 One & One 4 All
Do know know that fuzzy feeling, when you’re buzzing with excitement? Well, that’s how I felt when Edition 4 was published yesterday evening!
Each edition brings so much talent from around the world and with so much inspiration too and this edition is no exception. It’s been a difficult edition to manage due to my father being taken seriously ill and with me starting an MA in Creative Writing a month ago. So the challenge has been great but it’s such a rewarding process to go through that it’s all worth it. I launched SJ back in January this year with no understanding of what it takes to create an arts magazine - I did it to make a difference in the world, come what may. The struggle is overpowered by the joy of selecting such wonderful creative work and learning about each contributor - their stores.
E4 is a Halloween edition and, unintentionally, the magazine has topics of life and death running through it - a happy accident, so to speak. Many of us have a fascination with myth and Halloween is one mechanism for questioning life but also celebrating it, not to mention the way we are fascinated with monsters and the supernatural.
There are things that we should all be scared of, though - climate change and wildlife decline. These are very real horrors that have been unfolding for decades but they seem much more immediate currently, with COP26 2021 bringing world leading to the UK to discuss Climate Change and the science ringing alarm bells for a global strategy. The implications, should governments not take direct action, and soon, is an impending catastrophe that will bring mass death to the human population and wildlife.
There are also many news stories that are alarming, where equality and diversity are being suppressed, people attacked for their beliefs, immigrants being shunned by force, war, misinformation causing violence and division.
Among all of the negativity, there are people making a difference and we must celebrate them. Individuals, giving up their time to bring about positive change. Groups are protesting peacefully to force issues into the public spotlight.
We must also value the importance that art has in the world, its capacity to inspire us, calm us, challenge us, connect us. Going wider than that, creative expression is a wonderful and transformative process for enjoyment, healing and personal growth.
SJ came about as my person desire to bring inspiration to others, whilst doing good through donating a percentage of profits to charity. Using my skills is design, with my many years of creative freelancing, my love of the arts and my sense of urgency to encourage others to make their differences count with positive action. For, me, doing something that I enjoy is no longer good enough - it must have a wider positive impact.
All of the wonderful contributors in E4 are doing just this - making a positive difference through their talents.
A core principle of each edition is to celebrate the arts and creative expression and the people who create it. Be sure to show your thanks to the contributors and support them how you can. Even if that is just a thank you, that can be enough to make someone smile!
Post by Jason Conway - Founder and EIC of Steel Jackdaw Magazine.
To buy Steel Jackdaw Magazine, visit www.steeljackdaw.com and choose an edition to enjoy. Part of your payment will go to support the magazines two charity partners and will make a positive difference.
