By Jenuine Poetess

There is an age-old stereotype that artists thrive in chaos…or maybe not thrive, but that artists exist in disorganized mayhem.  And admittedly, I have my fair share of disorderly conduct around my home and studio.  The good news is, that there are more and more creative solutions for implementing and maintaining order in one’s life.

If you’ve been feeling a bit out of sorts in your life, now is a perfect time to integrate some new habits, new creative outlets, and new methods for tracking your life.  Whether you would like more regular joy intervals in your week, or you need a way to track those art commissions coming up for spring, or you have writing goals you keep forgetting about, my hope is that by the end of this post you will have some practical tools for artfully organizing your days, weeks, and months.

Jars

Over the past few years there’s been a growing trend to find a jar, mug, bowl, box, journal, some kind of beloved receptacle, in which individuals, couples, or families place slips of paper on which they have written their gratitudes, joys, happinesses, made-it-happen victories, favorite memories, or whatever else you wish to collect!  Some people review them weekly, some monthly, and some annually as a New Year’s Eve tradition.   In my knowledge, author Elizabeth Gilbert was one of the pioneers of this kind of project but many others have modified, expanded, and customized the concept.  The fun part is you can get as creative as you like with the container, the papers, what you document, and how you revisit them!

(image source)

Art Journaling

Some people prefer to process their lives, thoughts, memories, and goals via journal.  Art journaling is a process that integrates a mixed media approach to the reflection/meditation process.  This site has a collection of techniques, prompts, and inspirations for visually documenting important moments in life.  As I move through my personal healing and growing process, grief is a big work I am moving through.  To cultivate balance, I decided to document moments of joy alongside my grieving.  Here is a sample from one of my art journals: a visual interpretation of a J.K. Rowling quote on grief, and a collection of joyful moments from that day: walking in the rain with my favorite umbrella (a stained glass lamp inspired design) and an artjam session with a good friend.

 

If you’re feeling at a loss for what to art journal about or where to begin, this blog post offers 10 ideas/prompts to get you started.  This example shows several mantras interspersed between daily reflections.  Whether you’re collecting poems, creative projects, your personal reflections, or notes from class or a meeting—using art to visually document your work can also help your mind remember and recall the content in ways different than text-only notes can offer.  This is especially useful for anyone who is a visual learner!

(image source)

Bullet Journaling

You may have heard the recent buzz about bullet journaling…it’s taken off like a shot 😉  In my research, I discovered that this system of organizing, recording, and tracking life was developed by Ryder Carroll, a designer from Brooklyn, NY.  The practice is meant to be tailored to suit each person’s creative outlets and personal needs.

Many bullet journals include monthly sections and ongoing sections.  In a monthly section one might find logs such as: habit tracker, food & water intake log, gratitude diary, task lists, brain storm pools, budgets & expenses, meal and grocery planning, and future planning.  Ongoing logs might include: movies/shows to watch, books to read, items out on loan, birthday & holiday calendar, savings tracker, workshops to take, hobbies to learn, garden planning, blog/social media post ideas, recipes to try, vent session/solution ideas, travel, experiences, quotes, art projects, and more!  There is no limit to what you can record and gather in your bullet journal but if you need some ideas to get you started, this list is a great beginning.

Administrative responsibilities are not always an artist’s favorite chores, but if there is a way to do it artfully, we just might be inspired to stick with it…and maximize our creative play time while we’re at it!  Check out these amazing examples:

 

Why make a regular list when you could create a visual index?!  Image source.

 

House projects and chore lists just got a whole lot more exciting!  Image source.

Daily tasks, notable quotes, and illustrated smoothie recipes reflect this bullet journalist’s dynamic days. Image source.

Some prefer clean lines and a minimalist approach to bullet journaling…the good news?  Anything goes!  Image source.

Maybe you want to remember which pens work best on which surface—make a bullet journal log for it.  Maybe you need to keep track of your inventory for the upcoming ComiCon or artist market—make a bullet journal log for it.  Maybe you want to collect data so that you can determine when are your busiest and your slowest times of year for custom art commissions—make a bullet journal log to track it.  Maybe you want to remember which brand of paint or pen or paper or ink or fabric is your favorite for which kind of project–*say it with me now* make a bullet journal log for it!

However you work best, use that method to organize your life.  Who says spreadsheets are the only way to keep track of data?  And the best thing about using creative process to take care of your life business?  You have a tangible place you can go back and look up items for reference, to compare productivity over the years, identify which months are most creatively productive and which are slower.  And the more we know ourselves, the more dynamic our art becomes!

What are your favorite tools for restoring, creating, and maintaining order in your life…with a splash of art?  Share with us in the comments!  We love to learn new things from our readers.  And if you have a skill you’d love to share with others, consider leading a workshop to spread the joy!

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Jenuine Poetess is an artist, visionary, and community organizer. In 2010, she founded In the Words of Womyn (ITWOW), an international, grass-roots, written and spoken-word arts project with chapters throughout Los Angeles, CA; Waco, TX; and Lebanon.  Jenuine is the founder of Waco Poets Society and co-founder of the Central Texas Artist Collective.    She writes, organizes, and creates rooted in the fierce conviction that holding intentional space, access, and opportunity for all people to foster their creative health is a matter of justice and is a vital asset to the sustainable thriving of communities.  She currently lives and poems in Central Texas where she enjoys finding new ways to disrupt the homeostasis of her city.  You can contact her at: j[email protected] .

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected]  for more information.

 

By Jenuine Poetess

Whatever your beliefs—political, spiritual, philosophical, existential—we can all agree that this particular moment in time holds a greater measure of darkness than many others.  If for no other reason than it being, very simply, the time of year when shadows stretch long across the bare landscapes and night lingers for extra Winter hours.  There are more days where the sun remains shrouded behind thick, grey, clouds.  The dazzling vibrance of Autumn is a memory and the shining hues of Spring are a fast-held hope.

We are in the in-between.  The middle book of the trilogy.  And often, the in-between is bleak.

Artists have long worked light motifs into their work at this time.  This is also a season when spirituality and creativity intersect; the tools and artifacts of our diverse spiritual practices are artworks in and of themselves.

But light, light is at the center of so many ceremonies and rituals—from lighting the menorah for Hanukkah, to lighting the Advent wreath, to lighting mosques for Milad un Nabi, to lighting the kinara for Kwanza, to lighting Solstice candles, to a multitude of traditions worldwide reminding us to foster hope, even on the darkest of nights.

We use so many kinds of art to honor, celebrate, and cultivate our identities during this season.  It is in the music we play, the vestments we don, the special culinary treats we conjure, the adornments we hang, the gifts we fashion (or have fashioned by others), the wrappings and trappings, the gatherings we curate, and the traditions we pass down to the next generation.

As I reflect on this particular season of Winter, of darkness, here and now in December 2016, I cannot help but also consider the matters of social justice demanding our attention, our action, our creative response—domestically and globally.  As a practitioner of the visual and spoken-word arts, I am constantly pondering the role of arts as well as my responsibility as an artist.  Chelsea Cristene, author at Role Reboot writes, “The beating heart of music, art, and literature knows that artists are morally obligated to expose human and societal truths, or else the death of our humanity is certain.” 

I am well aware that not everyone agrees with this outlook on the arts and their creators.  Even within the community of artists there are vastly differing notions around the purpose and motivation pushing our creativity ever onward.  Being who I am, however, I cannot separate the personal from the political or the political from the personal—it is all intertwined.  We can understand how an installation, or a spoken-word poem, or a journalist’s photo, or even a popular musical (*cough*HAMILTON*cough*) can be overt art-as-activism.  Yet, I boldly assert, that even the most aesthetically pleasing piece of art is a protest—against all that is ugly, chaotic, and dark in this world.  Poet and artist, Luis Javier Rodriguez has said that, “the first move from chaos isn’t order, it’s creativity.”

Consider the defiant resilience of love poems, love songs, love dances, love paintings, love sculptures, love confessions, in the face of so much fear, hate, and violence.  Some would argue, like the unknown author of this quote scrawled onto a wall (which, by the way, is art…is it not?), that, “art is our only salvation against the horror of existence.”

I have no intention of debating or disrespecting anyone’s political or spiritual beliefs with this musing reflection.  What weighs heavily on my heart and mind in this season is how we can continue to create, to speak, to dance, to compose, to sculpt, to photograph, to tell, to design, to weave, to make in such a way that perpetuates light and hope and love and truth.  THAT is my challenge to you, my exquisitely diverse community: How do we continue to thrive despite dire circumstances?  We create.  However big or small, the act of creating is an act of thriving, an act of loving, an act of believing.

We create community.  We create family.  We create joy.  We create life.  We create solutions.  We create remembrances.  We create solidarity.  We create meaning.  We create kindness.  We create love.  We create ourselves.

We become art.

For me, this is the most magnificent gift of the season: our ability to create even in the midst of loss, in the midst of doubt, in the midst of grief, in the midst of shadows.  There is indeed a certain magic in this creative resilience—by whatever name you choose to call that wonder.

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Jenuine Poetess is an artist, visionary, and community organizer. In 2010, she founded In the Words of Womyn (ITWOW), an international, grass-roots, written and spoken-word arts project with chapters throughout Los Angeles, CA; Waco, TX; and Lebanon.  Jenuine is the founder of Waco Poets Society and co-founder of the Central Texas Artist Collective.    She writes, organizes, and creates rooted in the fierce conviction that holding intentional space, access, and opportunity for all people to foster their creative health is a matter of justice and is a vital asset to the sustainable thriving of communities.  She currently lives and poems in Central Texas where she enjoys finding new ways to disrupt the homeostasis of her city.  You can contact her at: [email protected] .

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected]  for more information.

 

 

By Jenuine Poetess

Behold!  A season of the giving and receiving of gifts is upon many of us.  As we continue to bask in the afterglow of Waco’s creative coup earning the distinction of state designated Cultural Arts District, a perfect way to sustain the arts and those who make the arts, is to commit to buying local art when you make your seasonal gift purchases this year.  This blog will take you through some of the opportunities you have to support artists who are living, working, and creating in Waco and McLennan County.  I will also share with you several ways that you can give the gift of creative experience to those you cherish making both a memory and a piece of art to enjoy for many years to come!

Where to shop In Person

Mistletoe Market at the Downtown Waco Wonderland

• December 2-4, 2016 Heritage Square, Downtown Waco
• Artists vendors will be selling work throughout the weekend and on subsequent Saturdays in December
• Event also features Santa house, food vendors, and amusements
• Central Texas Artist Collective will have a booth featuring several artists including Jenuine Artworks, Christy Town, When Brothers Draw, and more! 

Waco Downtown Farmer’s Market – Artisan Market Days

• December 3, 10, and 17th
• In addition to the selection of organic produce and locally made pantry items, shop the offerings of local artists and craftspeople

 Art Center of Waco

• Has a gift shop open Tuesday – Saturday:  10am – 5pm stocked with original and fine art quality prints of local artists
• Or give the gift of art classes – offerings for children and adults year-round!

 Anthem Studios

• Located on the corner of Franklin and 6th street this gallery exhibits selections of a number of artists—a one-stop shop for anything from artwork, jewelry, leather goods, and more!
• Hours are Tuesday-Friday 1:30-5:30 & Saturday 10am-2pm

Where to shop Online

Mirth and Laughter – “Repurposed functional art items to enhance your space.”

• Artist Michelangelo Flores crafts unique artisan lamps from repurposed cigar boxes.  Perfect for any library, study, creative space, or cozy corner of your home or office.
• Lamps available in stock or by custom order
• Find on Facebook, Instagram, or Etsy
  

 Custom Portraits, by Shay MacMorran

• Want to remember your favorite person or beastie?  Artist Shay MacMorran offers original portraits for any gift occasion
• Order now for holiday gifting
• Contact Shay MacMorran for details and pricing: [email protected]

 
ClaytimeJester by Sherri – handmade polymer clay keepsakes

• Specializing in unique creations and custom orders
• Available items on Etsy or message directly on Facebook for special orders 

 

Yellow Chair Press

• Yellow Chair Press is an indie press which publishes full-length and chapbook poetry collections and is based in Waco
• Yellow Chair Press has a selection of titles available by local and national poets

 Christy Town – watercolor artist

• Will be selling art prints at the Mistletoe Market
• Check out her live art process online at TwitchTV/xatrioxic Tues-Thurs 10:30am-4:00pm CST

 

(Christy Town, artist.  Photo by: JenuineArtworks)

 Where to Create

Stanton Glass Studio

• Create your own mouth-blown hot glass ornament, $35 each
• Glassblowing events will run from every Friday and Saturday in November and December, up until the weekend before Christmas. You may schedule appointments from 8am – 12pm, and 1:30pm – 5pm.
• To reserve your spot, contact [email protected] or call us at (800) 619-4882 

(Photo: Stanton Studios) 

GypsyCanvas Creative Studio

• Open Tuesday – Saturdays, various hours no reservation needed!
• For a minimal studio & supply fee, paint a canvas of your own choosing or
• Bring your own item and use the studio’s paints and tools to hand craft your own creation
• Make it a special date, a family outing, or bonding time with those you love!

 Painting with a Twist – “Leave your stress at the door”

• Guided group painting sessions available; check website for schedule
• Holiday and everyday theme canvases available to paint
• Enjoy creative time to unwind and bring a bottle of your favorite wine!
• Make a memory with loved ones, create a canvas as a gift, or purchase a gift certificate to give the gift of creating to your favorite artist! 

Practically Pikasso

• Open studio for hand-painted pottery, mosaic, glass fusion, and more!
• No reservation required for parties fewer than 5, hours vary Sunday – Saturday
• Make a memory with loved ones, create a gift, or purchase a gift certificate to give the gift of creating to your favorite artist! 

Waco Calligraphy Guild

• Try your hand at embellished script or polish your calligraphy skills with a new flourish just in time to spruce up your seasonal correspondences
• Next Meeting: Saturday, November 12, 2016 10 a.m. to noon, St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Waco 

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Jenuine Poetess is an artist, visionary, and community organizer. In 2010, she founded In the Words of Womyn (ITWOW), an international, grass-roots, written and spoken-word arts project with chapters throughout Los Angeles, CA; Waco, TX; and Lebanon.  Jenuine is the founder of Waco Poets Society and co-founder of the Central Texas Artist Collective.    She writes, organizes, and creates rooted in the fierce conviction that holding intentional space, access, and opportunity for all people to foster their creative health is a matter of justice and is a vital asset to the sustainable thriving of communities.  She currently lives and poems in Central Texas where she enjoys finding new ways to disrupt the homeostasis of her city.  You can contact her at: [email protected] .

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected]  for more information.

 

By Jenuine Poetess

This past weekend I traveled back home to Los Angeles to celebrate the Quinceañera—15^th Anniversary—of Tia Chucha’s Centro Cultural.  I became involved with this centro in 2009 and within this community, my authentic, whole self was born and raised.  It was there I first called myself a poet, an artist, a community organizer.  It was there I learned how to use the arts as a tool for transformation—personally and throughout a city and beyond.  It was there I forged bonds with mentors who have become family.  It is there where I found home, and safe space to explore, discover, and become my genuine self.

I founded In the Words of Womyn (ITWOW) in 2010 and the original writing circle continues at Tia Chucha’s today.  At the circle I attended on Friday evening, I met a young woman who had been coming to circle for two years since she was 16 years old.  She shared with me how much the space meant to her, that when she first attended, she was too shy to read her own work; that she didn’t really believe in herself; that she didn’t know how to use her own voice.  Now, she writes with bold bravery and shares aloud.  I witnessed her receive an award at the quinceañera for her completion of an internship program—a program she said she never would have had the courage to apply for had she not been a part of the ITWOW circle.

That evening I joined another poet and musician as co-features for the weekly open mic event at Tia Chucha’s.  I watched this artist thriving in her creative practices and thought about the years ago before she was empowered to speak her truths and indulge in her love of son jarocho music and dance.  We shared the stage together—her playing while I recited a poem—and we celebrated our journeys into becoming ourselves.

On Monday I lead a womyn’s writing circle in El Sereno, Las Lunas Locas which was founded by an alumna of ITWOW two years ago.  I see the abundant fruits of these creative labors yielding nourishing harvests year after year in this place I call home.

And I consider all we have planted and grown in Waco since I arrived in 2012.  I once made a family tree of all the programming, events, publications, and opportunities that have been born out of my experiences at Tia Chucha’s.  And while Sylmar, CA and Waco, Texas are 1400 miles apart, these two communities hold my heart, and are the locations of my creative investments.  I think about the ways community arts programming shaped, inspired, and prepared me to come to Waco and to do the work I have been doing—alongside so many other diligent community organizers.  I work with intention to create similar safe spaces for people to explore, create, and thrive into their exquisitely diverse identities.

In the four years I have been here collaborating with others we have celebrated the birth of programs like: Waco Poets Society, Heart of Texas ITWOW, Central Texas Artist Collective, Black Poets Society, and Yellow Chair Press.  We have grown the annual WCAF WordFest from a handful of events on one afternoon to a full-grown festival spanning three days.  I brought the 100Thousand Artists for Change event to Waco and for the first time this year Waco artists hosted 2 events in conjunction with this global project.  Inspired and encouraged by Waco’s involvement, artists in Lubbock, Texas began holding 100Thousand Artist for Change events and transformed their community using their event as a fund-raiser for a local charity.  This summer, inspired by the work of Waco Poets Society and Central Texas Artist Collective, Nicole Metts founded the Copperas Cove Writer’s Society.

I share all of this bounty not to shine the spotlight on myself and my colleagues, but to highlight the creative contagion that can occur when we are diligent to invest in fostering creative sustainability.  This is work that attends to the needs of all of us as humans to imagine, to explore, to wonder, and to make.  When we create, protect, and sustain safe spaces for this process, we invest into whole-person development, which further enriches our communities.

Supporting the arts at every level—from arts education in schools and colleges, to art galleries and spaces, to grassroots initiatives and programming—is an investment that will yield infinite returns.  We are building a creative legacy, one that has the capacity to stretch into countless generations next.  We are literally creating abundance.

I celebrate with joy and gratitude, the place from which I come and I look forward with hope and inspiration to continuing the art/work we are making in Waco.  These are indeed exciting times.  Inside the vast womb of art, we have such a capacity to heal, to nurture, to empower, and to thrive.  As we head into a season laden with the giving of gifts, I encourage and challenge you to not only shop locally, but to also support local artists—there will be a number of opportunities to purchase local artisan goods at the Waco Downtown Farmers Market, at Waco Wonderland, and at various other pop-up art stores.  Keep in touch and informed with Central Texas Artist Collective for all the details!

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Jenuine Poetess is an artist, visionary, and community organizer. In 2010, she founded In the Words of Womyn (ITWOW), an international, grass-roots, written and spoken-word arts project with chapters throughout Los Angeles, CA; Waco, TX; and Lebanon.  Jenuine is the founder of Waco Poets Society and co-founder of the Central Texas Artist Collective.    She writes, organizes, and creates rooted in the fierce conviction that holding intentional space, access, and opportunity for all people to foster their creative health is a matter of justice and is a vital asset to the sustainable thriving of communities.  She currently lives and poems in Central Texas where she enjoys finding new ways to disrupt the homeostasis of her city.  You can contact her at: j[email protected].

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

 

 

By Jenuine Poetess

I love a good play on words.  I love community arts and culture.  I also love a good celebration.  So without further ado…*drumroll please*

CONGRATULATIONS WACO ON RECEIVING A UNANIMOUS VOTE TO BE DESIGNATED AS STATE OF TEXAS CULTURAL DISTRICT!!!!  WOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO!

While I catch my breath you might be thinking, “Whooooo!  Yay!  But honestly, what does that even mean?”  Great question, I’m so glad you asked!  According to the Texas Commission on the Arts (TCA), our state arts agency, Texas has a cultural district program that, “can designate special zones [cultural districts] that harness the power of cultural resources to stimulate economic development and community revitalization. These districts can become focal points for generating businesses, attracting tourists, stimulating cultural development and fostering civic pride.”  TCA recognizes that, “A thriving creative sector is a powerful economic development asset. Cultural district development is one strategy that helps a community boost economies while realizing other cultural and civic benefits. The outcomes of cultural districts extend beyond the arts and benefit all members of a community.”

There are a number of ways this designation will help Waco as a community as well as provide support and needed platforms for artists who are living and creating in Waco to continue our work and cultivate sustainable livings as artists.  If I haven’t already made it clear, this is a HUGE win for Waco Arts and I am so proud to have joined so many others in the efforts to 1) create and sustain community-centered, inclusive, arts programming in our community and 2) be involved in the two-year Cultural District application process–directed by Fiona Bond of Creative Waco (You can read more about Fiona’s work with Creative Waco in an interview blog I wrote last year).  It takes a village my friends, and this is definitely a moment to savor and celebrate.  Oh, and did I mention that Waco ranked TOP in the state out of all the cities applying for Cultural District designation this year?  Yep.  We did.

In many ways, our work is just beginning…and certainly our work is continuing.

Last week many artists participated in #WorldArtDropDay in which we distributed art works all throughout the city leaving them—with FREE ART tags—for people to find and enjoy.  Participation in this global project was inspired by Central Texas Artist Collective and in preparation, CTAC hosted several open community #artjam sessions at local libraries where for several hours people of all ages and artists of all disciplines could gather and create in a collaborative space with others.  CTAC had a wonderful turnout of 15-20 artists join us over the two sessions and based on the requests and feedback from community, CTAC will likely host regular community art jam spaces so stay tuned for all the details there (on their website and at Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook @CenTexArtists).  CTAC continues to foster creativity with the ongoing #ArtAbandonment project and is gearing up for their community booth at the 2016 Waco Cultural Arts Fest.  The artists at the CTAC booth this year will be Christy Town; Carlos Arias; Rhiannon Rosenbaum; Angie Veracruz; Steve Veracruz; Jenuine Artworks; and When Brothers Draw.

Coming up this week, Waco celebrates the grand opening of the brand new Waco Hispanic Museum–a collection of arts and cultural artifacts honoring the rich Latinx history and community thriving in Waco today.  The kick-off begins this Friday September 16th from 2:30-5:30pm with programming for all ages.  On Saturday the festivities begin at 10am and go until 2:30pm.  Located at the South Waco Community Center at 2815 Speight, this event is FREE and donations are appreciated.  In addition to the museum exhibit, there will be performances, Gritos de Dolores, and a voter registration booth.  For more information contact: [email protected]; 254-548-9730.

On Sunday September 25th from 4-8pm the Waco Hippodrome and Waco Poets Society presents Peace on the Patio a community open mic as part of the global project, 100Thousand Artists for Change.  This year marks the fifth year Waco Poets Society has organized this event for our community.  We are so grateful to our generous sponsoring venue, Waco Hippodrome for opening their patio to us for this event.  Beginning at 4pm Ninth Limb Yoga, LLC will be providing Yoga Fore Change Project yoga session ($5 suggested donation) until 5pm at which point the open mic, featuring singer/song writer, Katie Stewart, will begin.  This year’s theme is Peace, Justice, Sustainability, and Love–so bring your songs, poems, stories, spoken-word pieces; bring your family, your friends, your neighbors, and co-workers.  Purchase some delicious food and specialty drinks as a way of saying thank you and supporting a local business who gives back so faithfully to our community!  Contact: [email protected].

The 2016 WCAF, taking place in Indian Spring Park and the Waco Convention Center September 30th-October 2nd, looks to be a delightful array of music, visual art, dance and performance, poetry and writing, African film, and science for all ages.  In addition to performances and interactive exhibits, art stations, and experiments, the festival draws a tasty selection of food vendors, vibrant artisan vendors, and authors from across Texas and beyond.  (For complete schedules and full details on each festival please visit the links above).

This week a new exhibit opens at the Art Center of Waco and will be available for viewing now through October 22nd.  While I Breathe, I Hope is a collection of abstract paintings by Caroline Lewis.  Also at the Art Center are a number of classes open to community participants and weekly Cookies and Coloring sessions on Friday afternoons.  Plan ahead and mark your calendars for the annual Fall Festival and Pumpkin Art Auction on October 29th—the theme for this year is Superheroes!

This post marks the two-year anniversary of me writing this monthly Arts and Culture blog, in honor of milestone, I’m starting a new hashtag…but more than a hashtag, I want to propel movement that has already been stirring in our community.  Are you ready?  Are you curious?  Remember when I told you I love a good play on words?  Well, here we go: #ArtLocallyWaco.  🙂  It seemed a completely natural conclusion especially when so many of us art (as a very active verb) locally, here in Waco.

If I’ve learned anything over the past 4+ years I have been creating and organizing arts programming in Central Texas, it is that showing up to the page, the canvas, the camera lens, the stage, the microphone, the textiles, the music, the wall, the materials—whatever they may be, the community is the single most important practice to have as an artist.  Sure raw talent and honed skills are valuable.  But what is vital for a thriving, creatively sustainable community, is at the very core so simple: it is we, showing up.

Sometimes that means to exhibit or perform, sometimes that means to set up and break down, sometimes that means lending a window or a wall as exhibit space, sometimes that means opening up your business as a performance or event venue, sometimes that means liking and sharing events on social media, sometimes that means our bodies physically showing up to be present, sometimes that means donating dollars to help financially sustain these powerfully effective community grassroots efforts doing remarkable good throughout our community, sometimes it is investing in local artists and writers buying their creations and books, sometimes it is advocating at city council or at the capitol or at the school board to ensure that funding and policy continues to make room for and protect the arts.  What I love about community-centered arts and cultural programming is that there is room for every person of every age, every skill-level, every talent, every strength, every expression, every style, every medium.

So I put this challenge out to you—how will you #ArtLocallyWaco this month and beyond?  Post in a comment, send us an email: [email protected], or tag us in your own social media post about how you will get or stay involved in the arts in Waco.  I’m proud of what we are creating here in Waco, it is an ever-evolving, community collaboration and such a magnificent work of art!

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Jenuine Poetess is an artist, visionary, and community organizer. In 2010, she founded In the Words of Womyn (ITWOW), an international, grass-roots, written and spoken-word arts project with chapters throughout Los Angeles, CA; Waco, TX; and Lebanon.  Jenuine is the founder of Waco Poets Society and co-founder of the Central Texas Artist Collective.    She writes, organizes, and creates rooted in the fierce conviction that holding intentional space, access, and opportunity for all people to foster their creative health is a matter of justice and is a vital asset to the sustainable thriving of communities.  She currently lives and poems in Central Texas where she enjoys finding new ways to disrupt the homeostasis of her city.  You can contact her at: j[email protected].

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

By Jenuine Poetess

we wrote about freedom
him and i
next to each other on
cold metal chairs
attached to tables
affixed to the floor
[if it doesn’t move, it can’t be a weapon] 

we wrote about freedom
him on the inside
me on the free 

he wrote about life
beyond his four walls
beyond a judge and jury
beyond a CO and a watchful eye
always watching
always waiting
for him to mess up 

i wrote about life
beyond cognitive confinement
a liberation of consciousness
the incarceration of ignorance
sentences served by the masses
for life
without the possibility of parole 

we listened to each other
talk about freedom
him with one eye out the window
following a bird’s flight
high above the curling razor wire
me with two eyes on him
a boy becoming a man
finding the keys
to set himself
free

I wrote this poem one evening after returning from the Therapeutic Creative Writing circle I lead at a Texas Juvenile Justice Department correctional facility.  I started facilitating the InsideOUTLOUD circle in April 2016, but the conception and dream began long before—over a decade ago—and before that, the first inklings of such a program began to formulate in my mind over twenty-five years ago when I was an adolescent.

My initial rudimentary ideas started to take shape during my season of life in Los Angeles.  I was working as a mental health clinician providing therapy to teens throughout LA county in schools, community centers, and probation offices.  I often incorporated creative process into therapy sessions and saw the value of integrating various expressions into the healing process.

During this time, I was also cultivating my own craft of poetry and spoken-word arts as I engaged in the thriving poetry open mic community in East LA, Downtown LA, and Sylmar, CA.  As I became a part of different community art spaces, I saw the correlation between expressive arts and healing process unfold.  The two are undeniably and inextricably entwined.  I met one of my mentors, Luis J. Rodriguez—who is now a life-long dear friend and creative collaborator—and we talked about his experiences as a former gang member and how poetry and visual arts saved his life—literally—and lit the way for him to make a life outside the barrio.  He writes of his experiences in his two memoirs, Always Running and It Calls You Back, but beyond those books over coffee with him and Trini at their kitchen table, or over pupusas at a local cocina, we talked about the need for safe spaces of expression for youth who are inside the justice system.

I also read True Notebooks: A Writer’s Year at Juvenile Hall by Mark Salzman in which he documents his experiences of working with the InsideOut Writers program in the LA County Juvenile Justice System.  Reading his reflections and excerpts of the kids’ writings was an affirming validation of everything I had been dream-scheming over the years.  My love for the written and spoken-word arts coupled with my clinical background became the nexus for my Therapeutic Creative Writing program.

I currently facilitate this program at the Klaras Center for Families and at a Central Texas TJJD facility on a weekly basis.  We engage in creative writing—any genre, any style—off a prompt picked out of a list or bag by each of the youth.  Sometimes we do specific creative writing activities such as metaphor poems, or writing challenges such as determining a set of words that everyone has to incorporate into their story, poem, lyrics, or reflection.  There are very few rules save one most important rule: we never dis our own or others’ work.  After we write, each person is encouraged to share/read aloud their piece—myself included!  There is never a requirement to share, always an open invitation.  Part of the process is learning how to listen to each other, how to give constructive feedback—both in content and form, and how to receive the affirmations of others.

he spoke about death
dark shadows shrouding his face
red
red
 red everywhere
 blood dripping from the noose he drew around his own neck
 the word “mistake” tattooed across his self-portrait
 over and over and over again 
questions written
deafening
 around his face 
haunting him
“do i matter?”
“does my momma love me”
“who would miss me”
i choke back my tears
i am not there to cry 
he doesn’t need my sorrow
i thank him for entrusting me with his truth
i tell him what his words mean to me 
i tell him how glad i am he joins us every week
i thank him for what he teaches me
a smile breaks out across his face 
radiant
i feel it in my marrow
“I taught you something, Ms.?” he asks
“Always.” i affirm
we take turns drawing layers of a mandala 
a collaboration 
a connection 

The therapeutic element is indirectly woven into every aspect of the circle—the relationships, the process, the content.  Directly, I created over 70 intentionally directed prompts which address various aspects of life, development, feelings, and experiences to prompt reflection.  I engage conversation with these Brave Young Voices about the content that comes up in their writing, we talk about what it is like to struggle through anger, grief, injustice, family and community violence, the choices they’ve made, and the choices that lay before them.  I talk about how the practice of writing and creative expression in and of itself is a healthy coping skill.  As they write, youth learn how to find language to articulate what it is that is swirling inside them so eventually, instead of fists or f-bombs, they can use poetry, stories, and journal entries to express themselves.  We also talk about how the page can be a mirror that helps us to know ourselves more deeply and truly, and how when we know ourselves authentically, we can be more firmly grounded in the path we choose for ourselves, unmoved by peer pressure and outside influences.

At the end of a recent circle at TJJD, one of the boys said to me, “Ms.!  It’s the strangest thing I don’t really get it, I feel so much better after writing.  I was all mad before you came.  But now, it’s like all calm in here.”  He pointed to his chest and gave me a nod of approval, “You alright, Ms., you alright.”

I choked back my gratitude tears as I smiled and told him that is exactly why I come do writing circle with them.

They might make more mistakes.  They might return to the lives they lead that got them caught up in the streets.  They might struggle through the justice system into adulthood.  Poetry might not change the world.  But for a moment, every Thursday afternoon, they are free on the page.  They have hope.  They see a shining reflection of who they are and who they could be.  For a moment, there is someone who shows up in loving kindness and holds safe space for their healing through creative expression.  And to me, that is everything worth anything.

(Poems, InsideOUTLOUD, and Brave Young Voices, are original content of Jenuine Poetess © 2016).

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Jenuine Poetess is an artist, visionary, and community organizer. In 2010, she founded In the Words of Womyn (ITWOW), an international, grass-roots, written and spoken-word arts project with chapters throughout Los Angeles, CA; Waco, TX; and Lebanon.  Jenuine is the founder of Waco Poets Society and co-founder of the Central Texas Artist Collective.    She writes, organizes, and creates rooted in the fierce conviction that holding intentional space, access, and opportunity for all people to foster their creative health is a matter of justice and is a vital asset to the sustainable thriving of communities.  She currently lives and poems in Central Texas where she enjoys finding new ways to disrupt the homeostasis of her city.  You can contact her at: j[email protected].

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

By Jenuine Poetess

In 2015 Central Texas Artist Collective (CTAC) brought the community together with an exhibit centered around Birds imagery and themes.  Over 45 artists across diverse mediums entered, some for the first time ever.  This year, CTAC is once again bringing a fresh, dynamic, and collaborative art exhibit to Waco.  Ekphrasis! is a creative adventure pairing visual artists and writers together—selected at random to collaborate—creating art and poetry to be displayed in shop windows along Austin Avenue in Downtown Waco.

Not only are over 50 artists and writers involved in this thrilling project, but over 15 businesses will host artwork and their accompanying poems for the first two weeks of August.  On First Friday, community will have a chance to tour the exhibit and place their votes for Best in Show; Most Inspiring; and Waco/Downtown Spirit awards.  On Saturday August 6^th, there will be a reading of all the Ekphrasis poems, live music, a tour of the exhibit, and an awards ceremony.

As far as we know, this kind of endeavor has never been attempted in the history of Waco—bringing so many facets of our city together for the purpose of art, expression, and building community!

I recently had an opportunity to have a virtual dialogue with three of the participants, poet Nicole Metts of Central Texas; fiber artist, Dana Helms of Oklahoma; and poet/spoken-word artist, Audrey Hamlin of Central Texas.  They shared with me a bit about how they came to be involved with this exhibit and their experience being paired with another creator and working as a team to submit their work.

Jenuine Poetess: What inspired you to join this creative adventure?

Nicole Metts: I was inspired by your art/writing combination because I love them both. I have used this technique to give my work much more depth at school.

Dana Helms: I have my great grandmother, Gongie (gone-ghee), to thank for my love of the tactile art in my life. She introduced me to so many artistic abilities when I was young; crochet, painting porcelain, gold leaf, and much much more. She would get frustrated I’m sure but would never let that stop her from teaching me.

Audrey Hamlin: I wanted to expand my horizons as a poet, and Ekphrasis seemed like the perfect way to do it. I find that when I write alone, my writing is inevitably limited to my personal experiences, surroundings, and perceptions.

JP: What are some initial thoughts you had about the process–of a collaborative exhibit, of being randomly partnered with another artist/writer, of creating new work with a new person?

NM: I was the lucky one! My poem came first and Dana Helms (my artist partner) has been showing me her work on a beautiful tapestry as it is coming together. I feel truly blessed to have such an amazing artist turn my poem into a visual piece.

DH: I was a performer at an event in Waco a while back and met some of the nicest artists. They were inviting and interesting. At the time, my husband and I were thinking of moving to Waco. They extended an invitation to me and the whole concept of Ekphrasis was too interesting to pass up.

AH: Honestly, I was initially intimidated by the process of the exhibit. I struggle to consider myself someone worthy of collaborating with, so it was a strange concept to sign up to work with an actual artist when I didn’t consider myself one. However, I decided it would be an act of self-love and courage to do so.

JP: Will you share a bit about your process so far – meeting/connecting with your partner, coming up with an idea, how you conceptualized your respective pieces, etc…?

NM: Besides Dana talking with me about her progress on the tapestry, we have also been coming up with a flyer to define Ekphrasis together. It has been a truly joyful and inspiring experience.

DH: My process so far has been totally amazing! I agreed to be part of the show and was paired with Nicole Metts. Next I received her poem and was immediately inundated with ideas in both the Fiber and animation world. Nicole shared some of her likes (i.e. Colors, and steampunk) and I went from there with emailing a sketch then an in progress image. She has been very encouraging and supportive. I am hoping to collaborate more with her on an animation film short to submit to film festivals and multi-media shows in museums.

AH: Christy Town and I met at Tea2Go (as all Waco artists do) a couple weeks ago. We started by discussing our respective work. Christy told me that she was an abstract artist, which excited me because I have always been moved more by abstract art. After seeing some examples of her art and talking about my poetry, we started talking about reoccurring images in my poetry (phoenixes, stained glass windows). From there, we decided that we would continue with the themes of some of my past poetry about interpersonal violence and play with the images of phoenixes and stained glass as images of renewal. Since then, we have been playing with various ideas in both art and poetry. I have developed a near-final draft of the poem that steals some lines and concepts from old poetry, while also exploring some new ideas from Christy’s inspiration. I am currently in the process of playing with some formatting. As I am accustomed to sharing my poetry typically through spoken word, I am excited to find a way to present this piece visually rather than orally.

JP: How has this project challenged you—pushed you beyond the bounds of your routine creative process?

NM: The flyer has been a challenge. It was difficult to come up with a truly unique perspective; but I love a challenge and am thankful for the experience.

DH: I am usually a face to face kind of person. I like to get a sense of who the writer is and where they come from. So this has completely thrown me outside of my comfort zone. Which is a very good thing for anyone to do frequently! I feel very mentally expanded right now. It’s very riveting!!!

AH: This project has challenged me by allowing me for the first time to acknowledge myself in a significant way as a writer and poet. It has also challenged me in the way that collaboration always does: it is an adventure to see something as dear to me as my writing through the eyes of another artist who I respect.

JP: How has/is this project shaped/shaping you as an artist/writer?

NM: This project has helped me grow and build skills as a writer and has also introduced me to some amazing inspiring people.

JP: What value does this kind of project /exhibit have for artists & for our city? 

NM: Waco and the arts community should be truly proud of this project. This partnership between artist and writer will bring its audience a truly unique and memorable experience. 

DH: Putting writers and visual artists together will allow for a more inclusive community. To open a dialogue between word smiths and visuals is to grow a collaborative that will do the unimaginable. I would have never thought of this piece or the animation without reading Nicole’s work

AH: I think this exhibit will open the eyes of locals and visitors to the amazing community of artists in the Waco area. Waco is, like any city, often defined by a handful of people and events that don’t capture the entirety of its diversity. I think it is so easy for all of us to see Waco and think of Baylor or Fixer Upper, both of which just scratch the very surface of what Waco is. Waco is a sum of all of its parts, and that includes the artistic expression that it inspires.

JP: What would you like Waco to know about this exhibit and /or arts & community in general? 

NM: This type of project truly brings people together with a common bond to bring culture to Waco and is an ingenuous event that should not be missed.

AH: I would like Waco to recognize the beauty that comes from a group of people coming together to bring their respective talents together to make art. In a world full of so much hate and violence, I think collaborations like this, artistic or not, are exactly what community is about. I hope that this exhibit inspires the people of Waco to collaborate with one another. Something truly magical happens when diverse groups of people get together and share their stories, their talents, and their unique perspectives. This exhibit is just one manifestation of that.

JP: Would you do something like this again?

NM: I would absolutely do something like this again and I have enjoyed every moment of it! I also hope Dana Helm and I will be doing other projects together in the future.

DH: I would definitely love to do something like this again!! I’m IN!!!  I am bringing some of my husband’s colleagues with me to the show. They can’t stop talking about it with him at work. It’s a great idea!!

AH: Absolutely!

Get Involved:

• First Friday :: August 5, 2016 :: Stroll along Austin Avenue and cast your votes for :

o   BEST IN SHOW

o   MOST INSPIRING

o   WACO/DOWNTOWN SPIRIT

• Ekphrasis Reception & Awards Ceremony :: Saturday August 6, 2016 :: 5:30pm @ Hippodrome outdoor patio :: Live Music, Ekphrastic reading; Awards; and more!
• Waco Poets Society Open Mic :: Thursday July 21 6-8pm at Tea2Go Waco-Baylor featuring singer/songwriter Braden Guess
• Creative Waco Summer Camp Listing

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Jenuine Poetess is an artist, visionary, and community organizer. In 2010, she founded In the Words of Womyn (ITWOW), an international, grass-roots, written and spoken-word arts project with chapters throughout Los Angeles, CA; Waco, TX; and Lebanon.  Jenuine is the founder of Waco Poets Society and co-founder of the Central Texas Artist Collective.    She writes, organizes, and creates rooted in the fierce conviction that holding intentional space, access, and opportunity for all people to foster their creative health is a matter of justice and is a vital asset to the sustainable thriving of communities.  She currently lives and poems in Central Texas where she enjoys finding new ways to disrupt the homeostasis of her city.  You can contact her at: j[email protected].

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

 

 

 

 

 

 

by Jenuine Poetess

In May, Central Texas Artist Collective co-founder, Angie Veracruz challenged Waco artists to engage in a global project called Art Abandonment. The idea for participating was born after a conversation Angie had with a new Waco transplant, artist Christy Town, who first introduced the idea to CTAC.  What a thrilling chain of creative events!

Art Abandonment was founded by artist Michael deMeng in 2012.  What began as a small project among a circle of friends has since grown into an international movement of creating and giving away art.  It’s a movement motivated by beauty, generosity, and the very best of our nature as humans.  The idea is simple: create art, leave it for someone to find.  The goal is anonymous acts of kindness through art.  While the artists are encouraged to sign their work and post art drops on a Facebook group page—with over 28,000 members—the intention is to secretly leave work and quietly intersect every day with bursts of freely gifted art.  There are some basic templates of notes that many of us use to let the finder know this is a free gift they may take and enjoy, leave for someone else, or pass along to someone in need.

After Angie shared with the CTAC community, I set about to create some of my first pieces.  The idea of leaving secret art surprises all over Waco is right up my ally.  I found it thrilling to work with small canvases—starting at 3” and 4” square—there is something so very freeing about working with a small space.  There’s no pressure to fill up so much canvas!  I’m still quite amateur in the visual arts department, but abandoning art is not focused on the caliber of art but rather the act of giving away our creations for the joy of others!  The items pictured here are some abstract watercolors I did, about 4×4” each.  I found that as I began creating work to abandon, I wanted to make more and more!  It has become one of my new favorite things to do and I give myself at least one day a month dedicated to making art to abandon.  There is a kind of meditative practice that goes with letting go creations and not knowing the outcome of who received it, what they think of it, how they responded, or what they did with it.

There is an option for finders to email their discovery and they are periodically posted on the Facebook group.  More often than not, the corresponding stories are poignant accounts of people in a moment of pain, stress, or challenge who encounter the art and receive much needed hope, encouragement, and kindness.  It is a wonder to imagine the impact a small creation can have in the life of another person.

A few weeks after Waco artists took to this project, Angie Veracruz found one such abandoned piece, by photographer and illustrator, Michelangelo Flores.  Every artist has their own style of abandoning artwork, just as they do creating it.  Flores opted to hide his work and offer clues geocache-style to its whereabouts.  Looks like it was a successful route to take!   Veracruz opted not to leave any clues as to the location of the work she has abandoned in Waco.  I have left clues on my Facebook page and Twitter, but they are pretty broad and would lead to an adventure should anyone undertake to search the city for art!

I love the community feel of this project.  Anyone can abandon any hand-made item.  There are textile and yarn arts abandoned; some artists create stone or leaf designs they leave on beaches and forest paths; other artists create for a cause to raise awareness for a specific issue.  The Peyton Heart Project raises awareness for suicide and bullying by abandoning crocheted hearts as love notes for anyone in need of a reminder that who they are in the world matter­­s.  Art in every kind of medium has been abandoned—some for the sheer aesthetic, some with a heartfelt message.  I recently abandoned some affirmation rocks painted with acrylic paint and as a result, became connected with the Love is Action Movement at Word Rocks.  I shared the Art Abandonment project with my colleague, Salley Schmid, a therapist who integrates art process into her work with clients and once a month we have a creative jam session to make pieces to abandon.

As a collective of artists, we hope that Art Abandonment will take root in Waco as more artists create and gift their work to the world.  I find a deep satisfaction in the practice and plan to continue.  If you wish to learn more or participate, check out the website.  If you need a daily dose of what is truly good and kind and noble in the world, join the Facebook group and soak up the wonder!  The group page will also give ideas of what people abandon and affirm that anyone can create something to share with others!

Get Involved:

In addition to starting your own Art Abandonment practice, there are a number of other ways you can get involved with arts in Waco this month!

• Creative Waco has compiled an extensive list of summer art camp opportunities for kiddos of all ages.  Click here to learn more.
• Thursday June 9^th: CTAC will be holding an information meeting Thursday June 9^th 5:30pm at GWAMA to discuss their upcoming Ekphrasis Word & Image Collaborative Exhibit and call for submissions!  More details about the exhibit and call can be found here.
• Thursdays in June: This Thursday continues the Writer’s Garett FREE creative writing workshop for Veterans—using writing as a means for exploring and expressing personal narratives of hope and healing.  More information online here.
• Thursday June 9^th: 5:30-8:30pm Art Center of Waco hosts an opening reception for the MCC Visual Arts Student Exhibit.  More details here.
• Saturday June 11^th: Jenuine Poetess will be facilitating a FREE creative writing workshop: I am/I am not :: writing/righting/riting our stories at the InterWaco & Equality Texas PRIDE day at West Waco Library from 3-5pm in the large conference room. More details online here.
• Saturday June 11^th: Waco Poets Society host queer Filipino-American poet, Kai Coggin who will be visiting us from Arkansas to feature at open mic.  7pm at Rufi’s Cocina.  FREE and open to all creative expression including rap, poetry, music, spoken-word, freestyle, story-telling, hip-hop and more!
• Thursday June 16^th: Singer/Songwriter Braden Guess features at Waco Poets Society open mic at Tea2Go at 7pm.  FREE and open to all creative expression including rap, poetry, music, spoken-word, freestyle, story-telling, hip-hop and more!
• Saturday June 18^th: The Writer’s Garett in partnership with the Texas Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment of the Arts presents a FREE panel discussion on Writing as a Healing Practice with authors: Ruth Pennebaker, Leila Levinson, Jack Woodville London, and Jenuine Poetess.  1-2:30pm at the West Waco Library more details here.

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Jenuine Poetess is an artist, visionary, and community organizer. In 2010, she founded In the Words of Womyn (ITWOW), an international, grass-roots, written and spoken-word arts project with chapters throughout Los Angeles, CA; Waco, TX; and Lebanon.  Jenuine is the founder of Waco Poets Society and co-founder of the Central Texas Artist Collective.    She writes, organizes, and creates rooted in the fierce conviction that holding intentional space, access, and opportunity for all people to foster their creative health is a matter of justice and is a vital asset to the sustainable thriving of communities.  She currently lives and poems in Central Texas where she enjoys finding new ways to disrupt the homeostasis of her city.  You can contact her at: j[email protected].

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

 

 

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By Jenuine Poetess

 I have the immense joy of working with a professional colleague who is not only a gifted mental health clinician, but also a talented artist—across a number of disciplines.  As I joined Enrichment Training and Counseling Solutions we moved into a new suite of offices–a space which has afforded the creation of a therapeutic art studio.  In this month’s Arts & Culture Blog,  I share with you an interview I did with Salley Schmid, LMFT about her use of art in session with clients.

Jenuine Poetess: Please share a bit about yourself generally—as an artist, as a therapist, as a person with various roles/identities.

Salley Schmid:  I am a child of God, daughter, sister, wife, mother, friend, therapist, student, trainer, business owner, and artist.  I guess since I have done three triathlon events, I can say I am a triathlete as well.  But that one is hard for me to believe.  That would fill a whole different article though so I will leave it at that.  I love being outdoors, music, long meaningful conversations, learning, drawing, painting, kayaking, cycling, swimming, the beach the mountains and living life out loud.  I once was silenced, but no more.

I have not had formal training as an artist.  I grew up around constant expressions of creativity from my mother and my three older sisters.  My oldest sister studied art formally.  One of my greatest lessons in life came from a high school art teacher.  Ironically, one of my most painful moments came from the same place.  The great lesson was after making a mistake on a watercolor painting.  I was painting a face.  I dropped a huge blob of red paint in the middle of the face.  I asked my instructor for new paper so that I could start over.  She refused to let me start over.  She said I had to work with it and make it work with the painting.  I ended up painting only part of the face and making it look like someone behind a door peeking through the window.  I was pretty mad at my teacher for not letting me start over, but in the end this painting was much better, much more interesting.  It now had mystery and intrigue and became one of my favorite paintings.  The painful experience came from somehow walking away from that class believing that I had no talent based on a single letter on a report card.  I let go of art for a long time after that.  And I really missed that part of me.  To this day, I struggle to make the statement that I am an artist.  Never the less; I AM AN ARTIST.

My first degree is a BS in Therapeutic Recreation.  Yes, that is a real degree.  I love the work I did in that degree.  I think it has made me much better as a therapist now because I am not afraid to tap into experiential ways of processing and wrestling with life’s challenges.  That’s why and how I began to takes risks with incorporating art and other creative expressive outlets into the therapeutic process.  Art has helped many of my clients tap into deep emotions that words could not connect with or give a voice to.

JP:  How did you first connect with art?  What about art as an expression drew you in?

SS:  I remember sewing by hand what my mother called yoyo’s while sitting on the ping pong table in the basement, my mother at the sewing machine and the TV filled with soap operas, often Dark Shadows.  That’s my earliest creative memory.  From then on, I was creating whenever I could.  I created in the kitchen, I would spend hours on the floor sketching.  I loved to decorate my room and come up with creative ways to paint an accent wall, which my mother thankfully indulged.  I can’t remember my life without art.  Art has always tapped into my soul and given life to emotion when words failed.  Art has helped me find, recognize and express emotions that I had hidden from myself.  Art has brought healing to me.  I often see the world in paint strokes, colors and shadows.  I catch myself staring at things, people, nature . . . sketching always in my mind, studying the lines, the light and the shadows.

JP:  How did you come to integrate creative process with your therapeutic process?

SS:  Perhaps first through the use of art in my own healing process after a difficult emotionally abusive marriage, followed by a volatile divorce.  I painted my way through and out of the pain.  I found that I loved different mediums for different emotions.  Distressing emotions were best expressed in textured thick acrylic, where I preferred watercolor for hope and free spirited forward movement in my healing journey.  Oddly, my first divorce painting is acrylic but became an expression of hope contrary to my plan when I began the painting.  It’s an abstract expression of what feels like painful brokenness but is actually the pathway to the light and hope and living vibrantly.

I was convinced when I began private practice that art was to be a part of how I worked with people, but I was afraid to introduce it initially.  Gradually one person at a time, one step at a time, I began to incorporate art.  One of my first clients was a big burly man who was at a loss for words.  I handed him a pencil and a sketch pad and told him to put the pencil to the paper and see what came out.  It was profound and his insights were pivotal.  Each time I introduce art to the therapeutic process I am affirmed in this work and the therapeutic relevance and power of visual creative expression.

JP:  What do you see as the value of incorporating art into the therapy journey?

SS:  Because art has a way of giving a voice to experiences that occurred before the age of language and because the soul is more emotion than cognitive thought, art is the best matched medium for many to connect healing to pain.

JP:  What are some of the most significant moments/experiences you’ve had with art?

SS:  The experiences I shared earlier from high school for sure.  My “divorce” paintings as I call them were significant both in the power of expression, clarity and healing as well as reclaiming a lost part of my soul.  Those were very healing and the first time I let myself express myself through art in more years than I can count.  The artist in me was one thing stomped out by the emotionally abusive relationship.  I think because I became so numb and empty.  Now, giving others an emotionally safe place, space and opportunity to find healing through art, brings me joy and affirmation.  I personally feel most full after sessions where a client gave expression, gained insight or found a path toward healing through art in therapy.  Additionally, I find I do my most emotionally honest work and healing through art.  My head swims with ideas.

JP:  What are your favorite mediums to play with?

SS:  Stained glass is actually one of my favorite mediums.  However, I have not done stained glass since my daughters were born 18 years ago.  The mood of what I am painting makes a big difference in what medium I like.  If I had to pick, I would say water color.

JP:  Would you share about a project you are working on or plan to work on in the future?

SS:  I have recently begun working on creating jewelry with therapeutic and inspirational meaning.  I am stamping words into metal, framing the metal with solder, and adding elements that capture mood, and meaning.   I hope to master this in a way that I can then engage my clients in creating their own pieces with what I call anchor words.  So for example, an anchor word for me is PEACE.  I use this word by saying in times of distress “what would I be doing differently right now if I were acting from a place of peace”.  The jewelry is a beautiful reminder to use the anchor word.

I have a list of ideas that is constantly growing.  Images come to me in sessions from what client say sometimes.  When that happens I jot down a quick note.  Sometimes it becomes an assignment for the client, it inspires a page in the art journal I hope to publish.  Sometimes it becomes a piece that I create and give to the client.

JP:  What is something you wish more people knew about with regards to art and the therapeutic process?

SS:  The therapist does not always have to know the meaning in the client’s work.  We do not have to put words to every single thing.  Words matter, meaning is important.  As long as the art touches the client’s soul, has meaning for them, inspires them, creates a needed shift for them, it is worth doing.  It is a wise investment of self, both the self of the therapist and the self of the client.

JP:  What do you love about Waco?

SS:  When I first arrived in Waco, I thought, “Oh my gosh, where have I landed?”  In short order, however, I learned to love the community.  The small town feel, the entrepreneurial spirit, the friends, the ample opportunities to be involved in activities of all kinds from athletics, to art to food, to music, the list goes on.  I can’t see myself living anywhere else now.  I think we have such a gift in Cameron Park, Woodway Park, downtown.  I love to kayak and cycle, we have so many places and opportunities to engage in outdoor activity here.  We are a generous community too.  I see so much giving going on.  We are a community that creates opportunity, growth, and we are learning to embrace diversity.  I love my Wacotown!

JP:  What would you like to see more of in/around Waco?

SS:  More art of course.  I am super excited about the efforts being made to recognize Waco as a cultural arts hub.  I am about to launch my children into adulthood.  Scary, but also brings opportunities to get involved in things that I held back from in order to be home more.  I would love to see more draw to our community from surrounding areas and even out of state around the arts.  Opportunities to see art as it’s created, to buy local art, to hear local art – music and spoken.  I would love to see Waco on the map as a place for great food, music, art and opportunities to have a great day, great evening, great weekend, both indoors and outdoors.

JP:  Anything else on your heart to share?

SS:  I hope this inspires people to get involved in Waco, put some color on paper, engage in expressing themselves, and both invest in and indulge in the opportunities that abound here.

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*All photos are of Salley Schmid’s original artwork, shared with permission for this blog.  Please do not copy or use without permission of the artist.

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Jenuine Poetess is an artist, visionary, and community organizer. In 2010, she founded In the Words of Womyn (ITWOW), an international, grass-roots, written and spoken-word arts project with chapters throughout Los Angeles, CA; Waco, TX; and Lebanon.  Jenuine is the founder of Waco Poets Society and co-founder of the Central Texas Artist Collective.    She writes, organizes, and creates rooted in the fierce conviction that holding intentional space, access, and opportunity for all people to foster their creative health is a matter of justice and is a vital asset to the sustainable thriving of communities.  She currently lives and poems in Central Texas where she enjoys finding new ways to disrupt the homeostasis of her city.  You can contact her at: j[email protected].

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

 

 

by Jenuine Poetess

There’s no denying that Spring is an inspiring season in Central Texas. Having grown up in the north where Spring was such an emotional event—hope, finally! after so much cold, ice, snow, and darkness—I never really put much stock in the changing of seasons in places like Texas. That is, until I lived here and experienced the sheer delight and joy of a riot of color as bluebonnets, Indian paint brushes, and primroses splash their vibrant adornments across the landscape.

So as robins with their plumb red bellies and beloved wildflowers are the harbingers of a Central Texas Spring, so too a calendar chock full of dynamic events is the artists’ first bloom of a new season!

To kick off, the Heart of Texas Comic Con returns this weekend March 11-13^th with artist vendors & live art-making on site, cosplay, food vendors, special guest appearances, and more there is something for comic lovers of every age!  And be sure to stop by the Central Texas Artist Collective (CTAC) to say “hi!” to some of your favorite artists and community organizers living and creating in Waco!

Also coming up this and next week are a number of Waco Poets Society (WPS) events including Nuestra Voz open mic on Saturday March 12^th at 7:15pm at Rufi’s Cocina (which you may have seen in the most recent Waco Today!). Open mic is open to all creative expressions—poetry, story-telling, spoken-word, music, reflections, and more! On Tuesday March 15^th, WPS is partnering with other artists to present Unsilent :: Survivor Stories, an evening of poetry & spoken word at 9:15pm at the Hippodrome on Austin Avenue in downtown Waco. This event is free and open to the public. There will be an opportunity to make a donation which will go to support the efforts of the Advocacy Center of Waco and the Family Abuse Center. In gratitude of the generosity of the Hippodrome donating their space for the event, attendees are encouraged to purchase concession items as a way to support our local business and make sustainable such partnerships between venue and programming! This event will have limited open mic spaces so please arrive at 9:15pm if you are interested in signing up to share 1 piece (2 minutes maximum).

If you have things to share and were not able to get on the list at Unsilent, the next WPS open mic will be Thursday March 17^th at Tea2Go Waco-Baylor on S. 7^th street with sign-ups opening at 7:15pm.   Again, this venue is open to music, poetry, story-telling, spoken-word, reflections, and more!

This Saturday March 12^th also marks the deadline for all art submissions for the annual Art on Elm neighborhood arts festival in East Waco Saturday April 9^th from 10am-5pm. With live music, artist vendors, juried art exhibit, art activities, live art-making, food trucks and vendors this event is FREE and open to the public of all ages. Bring your friends, your family, your neighbors, and your funds to support local artists and enjoy the thriving creative culture Waco is growing!  If you are an emerging artists looking to take the next step into exhibiting and selling your artwork, have a conversation with Angie or Steve Veracruz of CTAC; they will support you through the process and provide you with all the details and tools you need to soar!  (Be sure to ask them about Paper Shoes the next time you see them!)

If you’re looking for some music to enrich your palette, consider taking in a concert with the Waco Symphony Orchestra. On Saturday, March 19^th, they will feature 16-year-old violin prodigy Fiona Shea who will join the WSO to perform Mendelssohn’s Concerto for Violin & Orchestra and the Waco Symphony Youth Orchestra–celebrating their 25th Anniversary. Tickets are available for purchase here.

Live theater may be more your style and if so, check out the Waco Civic Theater’s Spring production of The Great Gatsby…make a swanky evening of it and dress up in your own best attire. To stay up-to-date on the season or to learn about how you can audition for their next show, please visit WCT’s site here.

Maybe you’re more interested in kicking back in a casual setting with some good food and drinks and a great band. If so, check out the Spring line-up on stage at The Backyard and Common Grounds.  Throughout this Spring, the Waco Hippodrome also has some live music offerings, as well as free film screenings–from the silly to the serious, and other performances to engage audiences of all ages.

To get you ready for all the excitement of Art on Elm, head out to Waco’s Downtown Heritage Square for the 2^nd Annual Food Truck Showdown on Saturday April 2^nd. Tickets and full schedule of all the delicious offerings and events are available here. Gates open at 10am and be sure to bring your appetite! There will of course be a food truck showdown/competition, live music, artist vendors, concert, and sunset screening outdoor movie! What a generous portion of goodies to savor!

And while you’re digesting this buffet of soul-nourishing and taste-bud pleasing offerings Waco is dishing up, mark your calendars for the Rootstock Texas Wine Festival on Saturday April 23^rd put on by the Valley Mills Vineyards at Indian Spring Park. This event will include tastings from 14 Central Texas wineries to be followed by a special VIP dinner featuring the culinary artworks of Milo Biscuit Company! To purchase tickets for the day or festival and VIP dinner please visit here.

So whether you are an artist, a patron, an admirer, or one who simply enjoys delicious sights, sounds, and savors there is something to inspire everyone. Let us know how you’ll be enjoying the arts in Waco this Spring!

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Jenuine Poetess is an artist, visionary, and community organizer. In 2010, she founded In the Words of Womyn (ITWOW), an international, grass-roots, written and spoken-word arts project with chapters throughout Los Angeles, CA; Waco, TX; and Lebanon.  Jenuine is the founder of Waco Poets Society and co-founder of the Central Texas Artist Collective.    She writes, organizes, and creates rooted in the fierce conviction that holding intentional space, access, and opportunity for all people to foster their creative health is a matter of justice and is a vital asset to the sustainable thriving of communities.  She currently lives and poems in Central Texas where she enjoys finding new ways to disrupt the homeostasis of her city.  You can contact her at: j[email protected].

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.