‘Lit and Wit’ inspires artistic expression at Boxcar Books

The hardwood floorboards of Boxcar Books were adorned May 22 with acoustic guitars, iambic pentameters and cups of sangria at the premiere event for fiore magazine and The Robin: “Lit and Wit.”

A blank white tapestry facing the front door read “What Inspires Your Creativity?” and rested against the backdrop of Boxcar’s walls, painted pastel blue and trimmed with rose red.

For Dawn Shanks, founder and editor of the bi-monthly fiore magazine, her creativity is inspired by literature and Oscar Wilde.

“‘Fiore’ is Italian for flower,” she said. “But me and some friends came up with the idea to start a magazine that focused more on the community. How many community lit mags do you really see? Not many.”

Shanks said the idea to start an event in support of fiore blossomed from her collaboration with IDS staff member Georgia Perry, founder and editor of The Robin, a satirical newspaper.

“We thought it would be cool to combine the ideas of local artists and promote the work featured in both publications,” Shanks said. “And to host an event at Boxcar is really cool because it’s a lot more intimate than other public spaces.”

Shanks smiled as more people walked through the door. It appeared as though she and Perry were expecting a much smaller crowd, as the five wooden chairs available were quickly filled. The floor became the next best option, on which people stood and sat for mingling.

Next to the appetizers was a glass jar, rapidly filling up with cash donations.
The attention turned to the emcee as he introduced a series of local artists and jokingly said, “Now let’s get to the talented people.”

Bloomington writer Lee Chapman shared two poems, one called “Force” about his “conflict with a hardware guy as a software guy at a computer company.” Chapman lovingly referred to his poem “Butter Pecan,” which was about coupons and ice cream, as his “indictment of corporate America.”

After one poem about “Updating the Profile” on Facebook and a short story about an undiagnosed sociopath named “Daiquiri Hateful,” audience member and senior Elizabeth Cockrell decided to contribute.

“I wasn’t sure if I could just jump in or not,” she said, before reading her poem about the personification of regret.

Cockrell said she got an e-mail an hour prior to the start of the event and decided to go on a whim.

A performance by members of Awkward Silence and Full Frontal Comedy troupes followed. During one game, they asked the audience the favorite tragic qualities of their favorite dead poets.

“Alcoholism!” someone shouted.

Recent graduate Jonah Malarsky played original acoustic tunes such as “Sole” and “Let’s Get Happy” throughout the poetry readings, and he hung out after the show.

He’s been playing for about six years.

“I’ve never been to the new Boxcar location,” he said. “It’s just great to be involved in community and local art.”

Junior Samantha Smith stood staring at the “What Inspires Your Creativity?” wall as it filled up with things like “A.D.D.,” “My sister in a wheelchair” and “10,000 BC is good enough for me” scrawled hastily by departing patrons.

She drew a window on the wall, with the words “This View” enclosed in the lower window pane.

“This was so much better than the high school angst poetry we all used to write,” Smith said. “And even that is less gross to me now, because now I can appreciate the possibility of anyone being an artist.”