Artist Spotlight | Xposyur
Photo by Mull Media
Can you tell us a little bit about your artistic journey? How did you first get interested in your medium?
I was first introduced to poetry around age 12 from my father. I did not know how much of an impact it would have on my life. At that time, he was incarcerated. I was only interested in playing drums and basketball. As life presented hardships and trials, I discovered a love for communication via the arts specifically spoken word and poetry.My communication and emotional intelligence skills were very low.Poetry has grown those skills for me. My walls were completely covered in oil pastels. The gift has both helped heal traumas and propel me into a life I only dreamed about. I had finally found something I was great at! I then decided to see how great I could be and it has been the best journey ever. And to think, there's more!
What do you hope to convey through your art? Is there a message or emotion that you try to communicate to your audience?
I hope to convey truth. Life isn't without its obstacles. A creative writing medium (journaling, poetry, short stories/essays) has the power to help you overcome those obstacles in a positive and non harmful manner. The message can be interpreted multiple ways. The one that sticks out the most to me is: you must become fluid, like the water we will walk by, to take authority over your life. Whether you want to go with the current or against it, the power to do so comes from oratory and written skill.
Can you walk us through your creative process? Do you have any particular routines or rituals that help you get into the mindset of creating?
A small process is embodying the piece I am working on. I listen to instrumental music or I ponder a thought for a day or so before I start writing. Once a topic is discovered, I research to understand all the ways people feel about it: positive or negative. Then I meditate and pray by bodies of water or on my roof. There is power in being still.You'll find your zone of genius when you are. Finally, I write. Poetry doesn't start when you pick up a pen, it starts long before that.
What impact do you hope your art has on the Akron community? How do you see your work contributing to the larger conversation around art and culture in the city?
My city makes me tender! Legit, makes me melt. It is my hope that the same passion is felt over decades. That the pain, truth courage, and change will never die. I hope one line, stanza, or couplet can help someone see they aren't alone and that there is a reason to press forward. For Xposyur, I am a first of many things and I pride myself on breaking barriers for the culture! Always getting in spaces where people say poetry doesn't belong! I see it being a National Xposyur Day on 4/16. I see people studying my work for research purposes and solutions, especially in History and Language Arts. Ultimately, I plan on opening a school near my retirement. This will heavily influence the fact that creative writing in Akron is unmatched!
