It was 1970. Abstract-Expressionism had dominated American and world art for almost three decades. For thousands of years before that, art had been pictures on walls and sculptures on pedestals meant to be admired for their beauty. Revolutionary new approaches to art during the 1960s changed all that. Alec Clayton’s graduate thesis with the academic … Read more
People ask me what my books are about. I’ll be damned if I can give a clear and definitive answer. I’ve written a book of art criticism, As If Art Matters: Modern and Post Modern Art – Reviews and Commentary. That one’s easy. The subtitle tells what it’s about. There are essays such as “The … Read more
The city of Tumwater, Washington held a book event called “Author’s Afternoon” on Sunday, Oct. 20 with a dozen writers tabling, talking, reading and selling and autographing books Mud Flat Press authors Alec Clayton and Christian Carvajal (not pictured) were among the authors. Click the title to see the photo.
Mud Flat Press is proud to announce the latest book by Ricker Winsor, Everything in its Season, a photo-essay book about living in Lyme, New Hampshire from 1970 to 1985 — a book of beautiful black and white photos and honest observations, plus poetry from the likes of ee cummings, Robert Frost and more. From … Read more
I don’t know who first used the term Grit Lit, but I like to think it was Barry Hannah, a great grit-lit novelist and short story writer who used the term in reference to Larry Brown, another great novelist and short story writer. Both Hannah and Brown lived in Oxford, Mississippi, and both died young. … Read more
from Ricker Winsor’s book Pakuwon City Muslims fast during Ramadan. For a month between sun up and sun down, no water, no food. Caddies pass out on the golf course or quit after nine holes. Some don’t fast and pretend to do so. Some fast quietly. Some swoon dramatically. For the ruling class this … Read more
It’s a good question: Why in the world would a white boy from Mississippi presume to write about race. I’ve been pondering it a lot. Especially after the Academy Awards and the many comments swirling around comparisons between Spike Lee’s Black Klansman and Best Picture winner Green Book, which reminded everyone of when Lee’s Do … Read more
We all have self-doubt, creative people probably more so than anyone. I’ve considered myself an artist of one sort or another since before I was old enough to go to school and my mother set up an easel for me next to hers and I made my first oil painting. I majored in art in … Read more
In my new novel, This Is Me, Debbi, David, I try to walk the line—hopefully with some success—between formulaic writing and being original and honest. It is formulaic in that it is a quest story and a road story, original in the uniqueness of the characters, and honest in that all the characters are flawed … Read more
Olympia, Washington author Alec Clayton, author of The Backside of Nowhere and the “Freedom Trilogy,” kicks off his latest novel, This Is Me, Debbi, David, with a series of readings and book talks with actor Amanda Kemp. Amanda Kemp In addition to her second year with Animal Fire Theatre’s Shakespeare in the Park, Amanda has … Read more