by Celia Hughes
Clayton Bradshaw-Mittal is the Art Spark Texas April Artist of the Month!
They are a creative writer with an MFA from Texas State University and a PhD in creative writing from the University of Southern Mississippi. Earlier this month, Clayton and Celia met over Zoom to have a conversation about their journey as a creative writer, their experience as a university and community-based teacher, and their ongoing engagement with the publishing world. Sadly, Celia didn’t properly record the interview, so what we have here is a retelling of their story.
During the hour-long conversation – you know how friends can be when they get together after a long time – Clayton emphasized the importance of engaging in one’s writing practice through various habits and regular practices, the difficulty with balancing work and personal life, and their ongoing embrace of experimentation in writing.
Reintegration following deployment was a struggle at first. Working with fellow veterans at Art Spark helped them to develop creative relationships with other veteran artists, and their teacher assistant position at Texas State University allowed them to build their teaching pedagogy. On Memorial Day 2024, I interviewed Clayton on the Art Spark TX Radio Hour, where they shared a short story with us.
Listen to Love and Grief in the Belly of an Airplane leaving Bagdad by clicking.
Growing up in Texas had a significant influence on their early writing, and they are working on a story collection focused on being a working-class artist in the South. Their educational and professional pursuits have brought changes in seasons and landscape to their Texas perspective, and recently, they moved to a colder climate on the shores of Lake Erie. This new and different environment has inspired a shift in their writing which will also be a part of their in-progress story collection.
[Erie, PA during their first lake-effect winter snow storm]
As an Assistant Professor of English at Gannon University they have begun the task of rebuilding the creative writing program following the previous professor’s retirement. Reflecting on their journey from student to instructor, they recognize the importance of balancing openness to learning with the need to guide others, the challenge of accommodating diverse perspectives and experiences in their classes, and the importance of allowing students to explore their own voices and boundaries.
Exploring Writing Through Artistic Engagement
As a writing instructor, they emphasize the importance of experimentation and complicating traditional notions of writing. As a writer, they explore ways to engage with story ideas such as taking walks, visiting museums, and engaging in or over-hearing conversations in coffee shops. These are just a few of the different activities that writers use to feed and support their writing process. Their writing has also evolved (surprisingly) with their move to a colder climate, and by the youthful curiosity of their students.
Balancing Work and Personal Life
Clayton shared their practice of writing in a notebook every morning, with no stated purpose other than developing a daily habit. Recognizing the work important to maintaining a healthy work-life balance, they are constantly re-evaluating their boundaries while learning to say “no” more often. They practice self-care, including regular exercise, healthy eating, and techniques to manage stress between the daily dance of administrative work, teaching preparation and delivery, and personal writing projects.
I would hazard a guess that their faithful companion, Jake Barnes, River Dog, is the top stress reliever for Clayton. Jake has been by their side through many of their formative moves, and currently rules the hearth, home, and comfortable chairs as spring comes to the North Country!
[Jake Barnes, River Dog at the seaside].
Listen to the poem “The Day X Died” by clicking.
Finally, here are some of Clayton’s personal promises for 2025:
• Continue working on the story collection and novel for potential publication.
• Maintain their daily writing practice, including morning notebook writing and Saturday writing sessions.
• Adapt their workshop techniques to accommodate different audiences and time constraints.
• Update their website (www.writerclaytonbradshaw.com) with links to their recent publications!