Letter from the Editors

We believe that life is meaningful, and beautiful art plays an important role in directing us toward meaning. This is not to say that art creates meaning out of nothing; rather, art can make meaning more evident by highlighting the parts of reality that would perhaps remain unseen. 

The cover image of Issue 3 | Winter 2022 reflects this theme of the unseen becoming seen. The photo, captured by Makenzie Winter, depicts a dresser with a single hand outstretched toward an ornate crystal knob. However, the dresser is not what’s revealed in the photo. The drawer is hidden so deeply in the shadows that it is undetectable to the eye. Instead, the viewer is presented with the image of a hand awaiting the descent of a shimmering sphere. The fragments of reality presented to the viewer create a wondrous illusion. As a publication, Vermilion hopes to evoke a similar sense of wonder in its audience.

Since launching Vermilion, we, as editors-in-chief, are enormously grateful for the support that our publication has received in its first year. Each issue, we are amazed by the quality of submissions we receive—and likewise amazed by the readers the magazine has attracted from all over the world. 

We continually realize our reality is meaningful, and we only find meaning by accepting reality with humility. In this Advent season, we are preparing to receive the Son of God, the living icon of God’s love. So, we hope that this issue will help inspire you to embrace the real with open arms, but, at the very least, we trust that it will prove a peaceful respite from the noise of the world. 

Matthew Sawtelle & Jessica Wyeth

Co-Editors-in-Chief

Winter 2022