A Whisper in the Willows

Dandelions grow tall and spread their seeds upon the wind. Robins shed blue shells for breasts of red. A weeping willow's roots draw deep water as she sheds tears among her blossoms. American Fantastic is proud to present our 2018 Spring update.

Cherry blossoms (sakura) by Caleb Beechem

Caleb Beechem has captured three new images that unveil the infinite majesty of the natural world. Witness the power of symmetry, and see the exquisite detail in a pair of photos that form a reality split in twain. These images are a good reminder to stop and smell the roses, but be mindful of the thorns. To see even more of Caleb's photography, follow him on Instagram or visit his website.  

white tree red sun by Jack Scally

Jack Scally has crafted new worlds for us to peak into. Follow the roots as deep as they go. Visit Jack's gallery to see a psychedelic pattern weaved into thick coiled lines that are reminiscent of stained glass. You can also set sail in an illustration of boat cresting the waves beneath a stark cliff, one that brings to mind Hokusai's The Great Wave off Kanagawa.  If you'd like to see more of Jack's work, or even buy some, make sure to visit his website. Follow him on Facebook to keep up with his recent work. You might even be lucky enough to snag some free art. Jack is donating some of his works by placing them in random locations in and around Louisville, KY (and posting about it on Facebook). They're free to any passers-by lucky enough to find them. Keep your eyes peeled.

Red Room Abandoned by Mike Maes

Mike Maes returns with a few new photos that reveal the hidden beauty of things left behind. He's also captured an image of two stone butterflies fluttering near a statue (part of a cemetery monument), and a blonde, speckled duck with a strange tufted crest. Mike was featured in the April 4th, 2018 LEO Weekly with an article by Kevin Gibson. Check out the article to learn more about how Mike finds these abandon places, how he documents them and what brought him to see the world through an aperture. Follow Mike on Facebook and visit his website to see his even more of work.

Joshi Butts by Dordji

Dordji piledrives your consciousness with this incredible illustration of some gorgeous ladies of wrestling (but not those gorgeous ladies of wrestling). Jump off the top ropes and into Dordji's twisted imagination by checking out the rest of his gallery. You can also visit his tumblr and follow him on Facebook (if you can find him) to see even more of his work.

The sword of acad by The clawhorn

The Clawhorn has forged this blade in the fires of a thousand hells, and brought it gleaming into the mortal world. This detailed line work shows how the Sword of Acad was forged one mouse click at a time. Check out this gallery to see detailed close-ups of each part of this sword. Print them out and piece them together to create a massive coloring project, or to wield the sword yourself. 

hilt detail by the clawhorn

To learn more about the artists we admire, listen to the pilot episode of 50Talk2, an interview show hosted by John Beechem and produced by Maplex Monk (we let him on mic every once in a while too). In their debut episode, John speaks to Mickel Green and Mikayla Byrd from Green Byrd Comics about their comic book Black Angel. Then John and Maplex speak to Kavi Shakur about his return to Louisville and his newest song, Double Edged-Sword (it cuts both ways). Plug in your Earbuds of Entertainment +1 and press play to enjoy.

Black Angel by Mickel Green and Mikayla Byrd

American Fantastic welcomes the writer N.J. Florence. We've featured her blog What She Does, an excellent and relatively recent creative endeavor. To paraphrase N.J. Florence's own self-description, 'she lives in an old apartment building with her musician boyfriend, their two cats, and several houseplants. She's been writing since she could hold a pen, but never for an audience. This is the year she changed that'.

We welcome N.J. to our curious menagerie, and encourage readers to dig into her work. It's intelligent, self-reflective, and kind of weird sometimes--but only in the best ways. 

Photo by Aunt O

Selena McCracken has penned six new poems, The Storm, Clarksvillage, Trains of the Heart Land, FLINT, Can't Keep, and Check. Most of these poems involve the indignities and triumphs of people living in poverty and around the margins of society. Can't Keep is about metamorphosis, transformation and sisterhood. Selena is an Indiana native who now lives in Bloomington. She is a writer, student and activist. Follow her on Facebook to read her newest poems.

John Beechem has published a preview of his upcoming young adult (YA) fantasy novel, Valley of the Wind Riders. Read the first three chapters of this story about Petyr and Bianca, two Wind Riders, small, magical people who have bonded with birds and ride with them on their backs. During their initiation, a powerful artifact is stolen from their village. Together, they embark on a quest to recover this artifact and learn its truth. Along the way, they encounter tall giants, wicked wizards, terrifying monsters and all kinds of adventure. These chapters encompass the story's first arc.

Valley of the Wind Riders is influenced by fae (fairy) folklore and Studio Ghibli films, especially Princess Mononoke. It will be published in 2019, but follow John and American Fantastic on Facebook to keep up with its progress in real time.

royalty free art from erkerri

You can also read John's newest poem FATHERHOOD IS, a piece that needs no introduction aside from its title.

Thank you for visiting American Fantastic! To support us, like us Facebook, share us on social media and become a member on Patreon. Artists of any kind can submit original work to americanfantastic@gmail.com.

When reality becomes a burden, enjoy a sojourn into the fantastic...