MarzipanWiki Has Launched!
MarzipanWiki Landing Page
I finally launched version 1.0 of the MarzipanWiki! Currently featuring lore for the first 6 characters. This is a significant triumph for me, as I have been procrastinating for longer than I care to admit. Why? It’s….complicated 😅
I started “world building” for Marzipan at least a decade ago, when I released the first, and only, issue of a comic book, which told Marzipan’s origin story. I then realized that comic book creation was not for me (too much work, and frankly, above my skill level 😭 ) and switched my focus to creating visual art in the form of paintings, drawings and digital images. These works of course had lore and backstory, which existed only in my head (and maybe a brief Instagram caption.) As I wove tangled stories, created new characters, and imagined the world that they inhabit, I asked myself many times whether or not to share this with others. Would it enhance people’s understanding of and engagement with the art, or should the art just stand on its own? Would it constrain me to be tied down to a single narrative? Add in some hand-wringing about being perceived as too “commercial” or “mainstream,” and less “serious", when I part of me craved acceptance from the “fine art” world, and you have a recipe for endless self-doubt and procrastination.
So I asked myself, why do I do this world-building, this storytelling, this character creating, in the first place? I came to realize that it’s an integral part of my artistic process, and therefore an integral part of the work. It is what inspires me to create the visuals, what keeps me engaged, and what adds meaning. Yes, the paintings and images should be able to stand on their own, but I believe the experience can be deepened if the viewers have the chance to learn those stories as well, if they wish to. And if those stories change? Well, that’s part of the work, too. The stories and characters will evolve and change, and that’s OK. Good, even.
Stay tuned for places, organizations, and info about Spaced Out (a tv show based on Marzipan’s life.) To hold myself accountable, I hereby declare that v1.1 will be released on July 1st!