from the editor

The Spark Issue

Artistic inspiration in Jacksonville is not difficult to find. We have amazing galleries, music venues, and open mic nights. But when I was talking with Alexis Cone, one of this issue’s profiled artists, she brought up a good point. She said that although our friendly town in a growing city (Jacksonville’s population is over 700,000 and climbing!) is accepting of local art, some of our local artists think in order to make an impact on artistic opinion they have to leave Jacksonville. Why would artists permanently leave an inspirational environment that they strived to create? Traveling the world for inspiration is obviously beneficial, but shouldn’t we all search for a spark of life that we can write home about, and then bring it back? I think art is all about passionately expressing one’s individuality. What better way to build your community than to communicate and share via art?

~sara

sara.conrad@skirt.com