Painted Prose Challenge Winners

My oh my. Or, rather, we oh we were stunned by the quality of this Challenge's submissions. It's always difficult to pick a winner but this Challenge was exceedingly difficult. Us being us, we wanted to think (out loud) upon why this Challenge in particular bred some incredible prose. What we think may have happened is that an old adage came to life...

Good art breeds good art.

We asked you to pick a piece of visual art and base a story upon it. Some Creators chose their own visuals, others chose paintings as famous as the Mona Lisa. Many chose works in between, paintings we couldn't believe we'd never seen, visuals that immediately changed us as soon as we saw them. Regardless of what you chose, it was clear from the pristine quality of your stories that you were inspired by a great piece of art which elevated your art, your writing.

What we're saying is, we believe that being surrounded by strong visuals and writing and films and sculpture and photography and music is just as important as putting the work in to be great at your chosen medium. You are what you consume. So what would happen if you spent more time in museums, reading great stories, dissecting your favorite music? Your own art would grow deeper. This Challenge is the proof. Truly, these were exceptional results.

Here are the winners of the Painted Prose Challenge and spotlight on one of the Runners-Up. You can check out the full list of winners HERE.

$500 Grand Prize Winner

Naomi Gold for Thru the Eyes of Ruby

It’s my third day of kindergarten at William Frantz.

But alas, one story stood above the rest. Thru the Eyes of Ruby is deceptively complex, tightly woven, perfectly delivered, and all through the voice of a kindergartner. Start with the title, the misspelled Thru. This voice continues throughout the story, this happy, almost quivering voice that we may believe is unaware but of course Ruby isn't unaware. She knows exactly what is happening. She's smart, smart enough to place into William Frantz Elementary.

It's very difficult to write in a child's voice. It often comes off as silly or gooey. But this voice was clear and strong, brave, subtle. And quick. Both in her wit and her delivery. A 3 minute read. That's all this story needed. Brevity is next to godliness. Ruby was speaking to us from this painting, we really felt that way. We've read it a dozen times and there's still more to discover.

We are humbled to have this story on Vocal. It stands among the best we have seen. A hearty congratulations, Naomi Gold!

$250 Second Place Winner

Stephen A. Roddewig for The Rocks

Also difficult to do in literature is create a scene of chaos in which the reader is not lost. Chaos breeds confusion, the last thing we want a reader to feel, but Roddewig did a very fine job of keeping the story's composure just as Captain Wouyt kept his. This was an epic tale told in 6 minutes. Again, brevity, sharp writing, a keen awareness of where everything (3 boats, a dog, crewmen, waves, rocks, sky) is at all times. Spinning plates everywhere and they all stayed spinning, pirouetting to a graceful conclusion, a terribly sad but inevitable conclusion.

That last moment of hope when he sees the Haarlem is going to be fine. That is what stood out to us most from this story. That shows Roddewig's understanding of good writing. Humans always hold on hope regardless of how resigned they are to their fate. That is just what it is to be human. Humanity, heart, action, three surefire ingredients to a winning story. Congratulations, Stephen A. Roddewig!

Honorable Mention

Carly Bush for Prouts Neck

The upper-right corner of the crescent-shaped bay scythed inward, and it was there, on that anonymous corner of heaven, that we spent every summer of my childhood.

As we read Prouts Neck, we felt that the static, beautiful painting at the story's top was a moving picture for the story. In other words, Bush has created a cinematic world from just one visual frame. Family pain among a beatific setting is nothing new, but it is perfectly true. Vacation homes are escapes but we can't ever really escape, can we? If anything, isn't everything heightened when we go somewhere with family? Yes, we create our most cherished memories in these places but that's why it hurts so much when we grow older and the pain of life enters these places. We think them untouchable, immovable in time, but they are just wood and windows, views and water. We impose whatever we are feeling upon them. Prouts Neck was a miniature novel and we loved it. Well done, Carly Bush!

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