Last weekend been a busy and exciting weekend, and I couldn’t be more proud of myself. I showed art in two different juried shows, with one new piece at the AOY Art Center locally, and three more of my chlorophyll print collages in the Elysian Poetry and Art Exhibit at the Eclipse Center for Creative Community in Lansdale, which also accepted one of my poems.
They invited me to be a part of a poetry reading during the opening, which I felt called to say yes to even though it scared me half to death. It wasn’t until I read the fine print a few days before that I realized wasn’t only being asked to share the poem they accepted into the show, but had a whole five minutes to share whatever I wanted. I chose three recent poems that were shared here first in various forms. Here are the notes I read from.
POEMS for Elysian Poetry Reading 4/13/2024 This poem opens my book Garden Magic: Explorations in Chlorophyll Printing: LIGHT SENSITIVE don’t overthink this! we’re going back to basics to wonder simple cause and effect leaves have chlorophyll the sensitive ones? they overreact to survive their cells bleach when blasted by rays but protected areas they stay green tada just like a farmer’s tan after a long day working in the sun (ok, maybe the opposite, but you get the point) what we decide to do with this knowledge that’s where the fun starts this magic is pre-photographic pre-historic a curiosity as old as sunlight and shadows but you cannot FIX these leaves you slow their eventual decay with UV glass waxes and sprays reduce oxidation hermetically seal them from the elements and air even “preserve” them in baths of herbicide and layers of epoxy as “natural" as formaldehyde and still only ever dare to bring them out in a dim room preserved in your very own candlelight album of treasures and curiosities as ephemeral as we are (STOP) (remember to breathe) Dangerous Pockets OCT 13, 2023 I wrote this poem in response to reading “Dangerous Coats” by Sharon Owens and conversations with close friends. The line “leaflets to spread sedition” is a direct quote from Owens. You roll your eyes at me because I say pockets are sexist and in all honesty you never gave it much thought but I’m sewing pockets into everything pockets to hold close the things I need and also love the things that remind me of joy tiny moments and touches mementos that add up to a life No one decided for you it was more important to show off the curve of your hip or breast than for that flap of fabric to have any real utility No one worried about the secrets hidden within your jacket pockets or the folds of your skirt A large bag holds the clutter of a jumbled mind I mean we call a homeless woman bag lady if misfortune has forced her to carry all her treasures but it can also win you the showcase On Let’s Make A Deal and that’s the purview of hoarders of invisible housewives and crones the mentally unstable the forgotten want to be noticed? taken seriously? she whispers carry a tiny bag for your lipstick and a credit card and sew those pockets shut only sleek lines and perfection win this race leave something to the imagination but not too much The smart ones they have pockets big enough for bear spray and wonder and “leaflets to spread sedition” they know how vulnerable we are and refuse to be afraid even though it’s not the bears that most scare them when alone in the woods I treasure a dress designed with hidden pockets as much a happy home for my fidgeting fingers as a receptacle of oddities the shiny bits that catch my attention the glimmers that leave something behind I can hold in my hand and tuck away Or a new favorite bits of nature and curiosities handed over by excited hands at the end of a school day saying mom mom I found these for you this one is a pyramid do you love it? yes bud I love it! So I’m sewing pockets into everything now dangerous pockets full of love and revolution (STOP) Last but not least, I wanted to share the poem included in this show. It’s called Ready or Not (another 6 weeks). As a little context, my son was born 6 weeks early. READY OR NOT (another 6 weeks) 10/27/2023 (but I'm not ready yet) ready or not mommy ready or not this past 6 weeks has been a blossoming an exploration of three years that i'd spun like a delicate web around myself finally shared unravelled by the process questions and tribulations stories groans and giggles eager to understand to play to slow down let the leaves process let nature intervene however she will and learning bit by bit trying everything the more they tried the more they failed but things also began to work and the idea of working slowly shifted i think it will always feel like magic monotyping if you will in collaboration with the sun and a leaf how much simpler can things get really? adding bits and pieces we picked up along the way and set out in the sun no editions here and let that pesky "archival" word slip into and out of your brain for a little while ask yourself how much it even matters except that you long to share how lovely that image turned out and there's something so luscious about the crisp white bevel of an 8 ply mat even if its occupant will fade away into the dust eventually won't we all? ready or not i leapt and the next steps appeared
When I finished reading I looked into the front row right into my son’s eyes, as he smiled from ear to ear and clapped for me with the rest of the audience. When asked the next day how Mommy did his answer was “very great” which almost made me cry right there at the breakfast table.
It felt vulnerable and powerful and like something I’m going to have to keep doing. I laughed, I cried, I had conversations with people of all different ages and interests about the poems and art, and geeked out over so much mutual love of art and photography and poetry and hope, and even sold a few books in their gift shop.
Then Sunday while gallery sitting at AOY I talked for hours about art and culture and my process, and sold another book, this time to Marcus Gago, the artist whose colorful and charming reduction linocut got first place in the AOY show, and who just happened to be gallery sitting with me that afternoon.
I’m embracing a my inner extrovert I guess, but it feels like something’s shifting, so I’m going with it. I can’t wait to see what happens next!!
Thanks for being here 💚
Wonderful poetry! Please keep sharing 💜 Wishing you continued artistic success
Whoohoo!!!💪💪💪🎉🎉🎉💃💃💃💖💖💖