Blog Action Day - Toni Morrison; A Writer's Influence

The theme for this year's Blog Action Day is The Power of We and because it embraces community, equality and freedom, I knew I wanted to focus on writing within a 'community' and this is something Shangwe is all about.  So it gives me great pleasure in celebrating and honouring Toni Morrison today.

Identify one writer whose work has been in some way influential to the development of my own creative writing process, it has to be Toni Morrison. Why? If there's one writer who I want to watch and learn from it's Toni Morrison. To start with I'm already hooked ever since I started reading her works some 17 years ago and I have collected all of her novels and have even delivered a Shangwe writing workshop in 2004 on Beloved her master-work thus far, published in 1987.

I need to state that Morrison was expected to excel, even though she had to contend with the racial prejudice that accompanied growing up in an educational system that ignored the contributions of non-whites. Morrison entered Howard University in Washington, D.C., changed her first name from Chloe to Toni, and began studying under strong African-American spokesmen, including poet Sterling Brown and philosopher and critic Alain Locke, a Rhodes scholar who edited The New Negro. She graduated with a B.A. in 1953 and completed a master's degree in English at Cornell two years later, with a concentration in the works of Virginia Woolf and William Faulkner.

The Bluest Eye is where I want to focus, it being her first published novel, and one that I've re-read over the last few weeks, with fresh eyes. The novel focuses on Pecola Breedlove, a lonely, young black girl living in Ohio in the late 1940s. Through Pecola, Morrison exposes the power and cruelty of white, middle-class American definitions of beauty. Pecola is driven mad by her consuming obsession for white skin and blonde hair – and not just blue eyes, but the bluest ones. A victim of popular white culture and its pervasive advertising, Pecola believes that people would value her more if she weren't black. If she were white, blonde, and very blue-eyed, she would be loved. Pecola is abused by almost everyone in the novel so I urge you to read the book for yourself as my focus here is with the way that Pecola, a little black girl in the 1940s, still resides in a few black girls and women around the globe now, in our modern 21^st century.

Moving on now as this blog post is meant to be a celebratory one! I have to say that Toni Morrison's works have not only educated and enlightened me, they have made a difference to my own creative writing choices. It is a subtle writing process that I'm talking about and when I reflect back on the compiling of Brown Eyes, my first anthology of black and mixed-race women's writing, it is here where Toni Morrison's influence lies. Of course I cannot say that it was only Morrison's influences that led me to taking the plunge into what was then an unknown business, i.e. putting a book together, etc. There were many influences that come to mind, many black female writers from Africa, the US, the Caribbean and the UK, whose works impressed upon my writing choices.

However, what made Morrison particularly influential was that her writing choices of works made no apology for an all-black cast, for exploring and exposing those taboo subjects of racial and sexual tensions within a historical context and from an African-American female perspective. Not only did this provide me, a Black-British/mixed-race woman living in London, with a wonderful literary landscape in which to delve - for Morrison's works have such depth, even a re-read is a 'new' experience - it gave me the authority, the guts to write exactly what I wanted, from a black female perspective with confidence and a vision that this is the work I am meant to do!

My third anthology Hair Power Skin Revolution through the genre of poetry and personal essays, explores and captures where black and mixed-race women are with their perspectives on hair and skin – and again we see similarities to Pecola Breedlove in that women are still coming to terms with and battling those Euro-centric perceptions of 'white' beauty, of straightened versus 'natural' hair, of why over the last 10 years, skin lightening creams are selling more now than ever before! There is obviously a huge difference now to the 1940's in that we do have the freedom to reject those wider notions of what 'beauty' is. I've long ago stopped buying those glossy women's magazines, since they aren't talking to, let alone representative, of me and many women I know.

Much good writing is multi-layered and complex. It is precisely this diversity and complexity, which makes literature rewarding and exhilarating. What I love and admire most about Morrison is that she is a spellbinding weaver of stories, which mix both the historical real and the magical, supernatural and the imaginative in people's lives. More importantly, as a key African-American female writer, Morrison has rewritten and revitalised a history, which largely ignored African-Americans and women in particular.

A Nobel prize winner and major voice in Black writing, Morrison said she set out to write the novels which she wanted to read, but couldn't find – novels about the joys and pains of everyday life for African-American people, at different points in history. Morrison's work is energetic and lively; it is beautifully, lyrically and dramatically written, and engages the reader in compelling issues about equality, and racial and sexual politics. It is also immensely entertaining, tragic, ironic, amusing, and enriched with fascinating details of people's lives. Her stories are gripping, emotional, drawn from both a literary and an oral tradition; they appeal to a wide and international readership. Not an 'easy' read but Morrison always rewards the reader by way of her language devices and choices. It's well worth the 'work'.

That I get so much value as a writer/reader when I engage with Morrison's works is putting it mildly. Despite the thousands of miles that separate me from Morrison physically, I feel connected to her works on so many different and wider levels. I embrace the similarities and the differences and share my ideas and perspectives learned along the way.

So while I continue to keep an eye on Toni Morrison and her literature, I feel particularly safe, secure and free to continue exploring my own creative writing on issues of race, relationships, identity, gender and community, thereby airing my voice(s) and simultaneously discovering new insights into the art of creativity.

Links:
http://www.tonimorrisonsociety.org/
http://www.biography.com/people/toni-morrison-9415590

In Conversation with Paula David

Paula David has performed her poetry all over London, held rehearsed readings for three of her plays and is currently completing a teenage fantasy novel.  She loves to create and endeavours to continue.

I first met Paula David at one of my Shangwe Poetry events in the Poetry Cafe, Covent Garden, London, where Paula did an open mic spot. I soon realised how talented Paula was and so she was featured in a future Shange event. I particularly liked that Paula's creativity extended to singing and found out that Paula was far more comfortable singing lyrics than reciting poetry - that was then. Recently, Paula attended an Arvon Writing Retreat and so I was eager to find out more about how that went...

Nicole Moore (NM): How did your interest in singing and then writing start and what is your favourite writing genre?

Paula David (PD): I joined my first band at fifteen and sang in many bands for several years.

I’ve always written poetry and songs so when I began to gig less, because of motherhood, poetry naturally took over the song writing. Once my daughters were older I began to perform some of my poetry, it just seemed natural to me for there to be some singing included.

NM: Where do you see your artistic talents progressing, e.g. singing or performing poetry?

PD: I have written three plays, several short stories and I am now writing my second novel. I perform poetry and also gig as a singer. I enjoy it all and will continue to divide my time in this way until it no longer works/makes sense or is enjoyable.

NM: What influences your writing of songs and poems?

PD: Life, relationships, people I meet, my children, experiences.

NM: You studied an MA Creative & Professional Writing at Brunel, please share with us the academic and artistic experience.

PD: I found the research elements very enjoyable but putting essays together, I have to admit, was tedious. I learnt a huge amount about writing technique and my writing moved forward in leaps and bounds.

There was a module on writing in the community. I discovered wellbeing through creative writing, self discovery through writing, and the range of community projects possible. These types of creative writing were a revelation to me and I’m still exploring the possibilities and will be for some time.

NM: Paula, tell us about your experience as a Writer in Residence in Leytonstone East London?

PD: This was an amazing experience. I worked with a diverse group of local writers to produce an anthology of poems and stories on the theme of identity. There were three events attached to the project and the anthology was launched 9^th Sept. The experience has taught me so much and I’m now looking for funding to repeat the project.

NM: Earlier this year, you organised a writers' retreat - a long weekend in a quiet cottage - how did that project materialise?

PD: I have experienced two Arvon retreats which were inspiring, informative and very enjoyable. Both retreats gave me direction within my writing and helped me set new goals. Arvon retreats are very expensive and I wanted to repeat parts of the experience on a smaller budget. I gathered a group of five writers and we spent three days, doing writing exercises in the mornings, working on our own pieces, in the afternoon, and sharing our work after dinner. It was a great experience and I’m planning to repeat it in November 2012.

NM: What has been your moment of the year?

PD: I have had a great writing year. I’ve been published in three anthologies, experienced being writer in residence and started a new novel. I think I have more than one moment this year. Can I choose all three?

NM: Paula, please share any writing/singing tips?

PD: 

• Try to write something every day, no matter how short.
• The editing and shaping of your writing is the crucial stage, take your time.
• Try to occasionally approach your writing from different angles e.g use music to inspire, visit art exhibitions for ideas etc.
• Read widely

Links:

http://pauladavid.co.uk

On Becoming an Editor

“There's no way a person becomes an editor. One simply decides that one is, and sets about doing it.” (courtesy of www.crazyindustry.blogspot.co.uk)

Umm, if I'd known this when I set about seeking contributions for my first anthology Brown Eyes, I may have been heard screaming, that can't be right – but there's some truth in those words.

I can't speak for other editors out there; my reality has to be different. Why? Because it wasn't until my publisher Jeremy Thompson (of Troubadour) sent me the Brown Eyes front cover proof, which stated my name in fairly large print followed by 'Editor'. At first, I was a bit taken aback having perceived myself as a writer first and foremost and an anthology creator at best (yeah, I was driving in fog!).

So I immediately got on the phone and called Jeremy for clarity – the conversation went something like this:

“Hi Jeremy, how are you?”

“Hi Nicole, I'm fine, you?”

“Yes, I'm good, look Jeremy, the book cover's great but it says I'm the Editor.”

“Well, you are the Editor, Nicole, as in you've commissioned the work and had overall responsibility along with the control of book design and so on and so forth.”

It didn't take longer than a few seconds for the penny to drop and for my somewhat slightly embarrassed self to say, “Of course Jeremy, I just hadn't quite seen it but, you’re right!”

Not wanting to continue driving in fog by this new revelatory discovery, I still needed more clarification (yeah I know!) so I browsed the Internet and lo and behold, I found this to be absolutely spot on. Jeremy was of course 100% correct and I felt reassured when I saw before me a list of an Editor's Role:

• Developing a clear vision for the book
• Appointing contributors and editing and approving their contributions
• Liaising with Publishers re: publishing and/or marketing contracts
• Deciding on book title, what text to use, book cover design, book size, number of copies printed and book leaflets, etc.
• Checking the book proofs and preparing the index
• Keeping the project on schedule and to length
• Assisting in the marketing of the book

Yet behind the scenes of the Editor Role, I have to add it helps a lot if you also love (or at least like a lot) language, words in any form, i.e. books, magazines, newspapers, blogs, etc. I've definitely got a passion and that's why I've often got my head in a book – yeah it helps if you read extensively. Funnily enough, in the 80's I used to teach typing at an Adult Education Institute and would spot an error a mile away, much to the dismay of my students. This in-built word radar approach helps a lot when you're proofreading.

My route to Editor-hood was through the freelance writer one, although that's not essential of course, but I'm glad that's how I stumbled into editing. There is definitely an art to editing, except you're much more business-like about it, ensuring there's an acceptable structure and that the end product is worthy of a space on the book shelves. Adopting a schizophrenic-like approach that embraces creativity and business can help, as you really need to wear both these hats simultaneously, but it's a different artistic process this editing lark, especially when editing creative works like poems and personal writing as was the case for me. Guidelines need to be followed, criteria developed and strongly adhered to particularly as two of my books were funded by the Arts Council England, and so you learn on the job. By my third book though, I had enough experience to confidently enjoy the whole artistic and business-like process as I knew so much more this time around.

I'd really like to hear from any Editors or would be Editors out there, so please do feel free to make a comment or ask me a question. I'll do my best to answer your queries!

For more on becoming an editor – check out:

http://crazyindustry.blogspot.co.uk/2005/03/becoming-editor.html

In Conversation with Adelaide Damoah

Adelaide Damoah is a British artist and writer of Ghanaian descent whose work combines African and Western influences while highlighting social issues. Adelaide's début exhibition entitled Black Brits, (2006) was featured on BBC News, Channel 5 News and other regional and local media outlets in the UK. Adelaide has had four solo shows to date in the UK including Supermodels, Black Lipstick, and a domestic violence exhibition for a registered charity, the National Centre for Domestic Violence. Adelaide is currently working on a series of Art Success interviews, which are published via a popular arts and culture magazine in the UK called Lime, her own blog and an art blog called Contemporary and Modern Art. Adelaide will be publishing 100 of her Art Success series interviews in a book in 2013.

Nicole Moore (NM): In your biography, at your website: http://www.damoaharts.com/ you state, 'I paint because I have always had an inherent need to express myself creatively.' Could you elaborate?

Adelaide (AD): I was always a dreamy child. I would sit in my room and stare out of the window wistfully. I fantasised about strange creatures and other worldly things and I would do my best to draw them. I drew all over my note books and even my bedroom wall, much to my parents chagrin. In secondary school, I took GCSE art. It was then that I learned about the artist Frida Kahlo and how she expressed herself, her life experiences, emotions, dreams and fantasies, through her work. I became fascinated with her after seeing an exhibition of her work in London. This was in the 90's. One of our projects was called “Myself.” We were told to look at the work of Frida Kahlo and absorb how she expressed “herself” through her work. How she documented “herstory.” I ended up producing a painting of myself, a self-portrait. The face was smiling slightly, but her forehead was opened up and there was a crying eye inside. From that point on I was hooked! Expressing my teen angst in that way soothed my soul. After that, every relationship became punctuated with some piece of artwork; physical pain was expressed through my work. Emotional pain, joy, pleasure...everything I could express, I expressed in strange fantasy like drawings, from childhood, all the way through university and into my working life as an adult. It is the way I have always been and the way I always will be. It is just who I am.

NM: When did you start painting?

AD: I used acrylics and water colours from secondary school onwards as a hobby. I started to use oils in around 2000. I bought an oil painting instruction book and taught myself out of boredom and sheer pain during a time when I was not very well.

NM: What influences your art?

AD: Everything and nothing. I am someone who believes that art is a visual representation of the spirit of the times. Zeitgeist. Social issues, current events, the goings on in my own little world, my emotional state, a pretty or handsome face, love, sex, relationships, nature, a colour, a song, beauty other artists or simply just the need to create. It is difficult to explain... Other artists influence me a lot. Especially since I have been doing the Art Success interview series.

NM: In your video Adelaide Damoah the Painter, you say that 'art came from a point of pain'. Can you tell us a bit more about that?

AD: I kind of eluded to it earlier. In the year 2000, I was diagnosed with a debilitating chronic illness called endometriosis. It has since progressed and I now also have adenomyosis. The short version is that it is a painful condition which affects the womb of some women. I have had lots of medical procedures and hormone treatments. After my initial diagnosis, I was off sick for roughly five months. I had gotten used to using art as a crutch for emotional issues anyway. This was like a continuation. The illness freed me to an extent. It gave me more time to express myself in the way that I wanted to. In a way which took me to another place in my head and made me feel so much better about the rest of the world. That is what I meant by that statement. Essentially, my work took on a new life and I was able to take it more seriously because of the pain of my condition. If it were not for endo, I would not have been an artist.

NM: Your first exhibition was called Black Brits, what inspired you to choose this theme?

AD: In 2005, I met a business man who convinced me that I was ready to have an exhibition. At the time, I only had quite small scale works which were very personal to me. I have always had an interest in social issues and race is a subject which is particularly close to my heart. I knew that I wanted to make large works and I knew that I wanted the work to be reflective of something real. One night, after a heavy night with some of my best friends, we sat and talked. I had made a number of paintings for them already, so they knew my work and I had known them since I was a teen, so they knew me. We got to discussing race and how we felt as black British young people. We moved on to how certain iconic people were elevated beyond their race while us ordinary folk sometimes felt that it was an impenetrable barrier to a lot of things,not that that stopped us of course. We mulled over what Princess Diana would look like if she were born black and if she would ever have been a princess in the UK if she were. It is obvious what the answer is to that one...anyway, that is how the idea was born. A deep conversation between intoxicated friends!

NM: What made you choose the theme of Supermodels in your next Exhibition?

AD: I was really very interested in social issues and capturing the spirit of the times. The issue in 2006 which caught the imaginations of so many people around the world for some reason was the size zero debate. The whole thing was sparked off because a model by the name of Anna Carolina Reston died from anorexia-related complications. Apparently, many people were telling her that she needed to lose weight in order to make it as a model in the fashion industry. I am sure it was more complicated than that, but ultimately, she developed anorexia nervosa and it killed her. Discussions about how the media and fashion models impacted the mental health and self-esteem of young people were raging via all media outlets. It was a subject which could not be ignored and that got my creative juices flowing and Supermodels was born. After much discussion with close friends, especially my best friend, I started making the work.

NM: How difficult has it been to establish yourself as an artist in such a tough and competitive market?

AD: Firstly, I am no where near being established. I have been in the game for just six years. I have a long way to go and a lot to learn and I relish the challenge. Yes, it has been challenging to say the least. Apart from one, I have organised and funded all of my solo shows myself with the help of close friends and family who really believe in me. To get to this point, I have had knockbacks and issues, but that is what it is all about; the journey, enjoying the journey and attacking the challenges because that is what these things that others call obstacles are. They are little challenges. I would not use the word difficult. I would say to date, I have faced a number of challenges and I am still facing different challenges all the time. I get nervous, I get doubts, but deep down, there is a will and a stubborn drive that will not let me quit. This is it for me. This is my life. Art is my husband.

NM: How did it feel to see your art work merged with the article I wrote, Exploring Black Sexuality, published in Trespass Magazine in 2008?

AD: I was deeply flattered! Flattered because the piece itself was insightful and intriguing and much of what was written expressed my own thoughts and feelings about my own sexuality as a black woman. Specifically, as a black woman who was born and bred in the UK where confusing messages regarding my looks and hence my sexuality were sometimes sent and painfully received. I felt that my Black Lipstick paintings which illustrated the piece went well with it. Also, much like the article itself, Black Lipstick was about much more than its title.

NM: Adelaide, please share any tips for those aspiring painters out there?

AD:

• Learn. Every day, learn your craft. Practice every single day. Go to university if you can. Never ever stop learning.
• Understand that it will take time and sacrifice. Patience, diligence, tenacity. You must have all of these qualities in order to progress as an artist or as any kind of freelance or self-employed person. Know that the formula for success is 10,000 hours of practice, or 10 years before you will start to see some “success.” Art stars rarely get launched overnight or straight out of university. For most people, it takes serious work. You must have the passion for your art if you are to last. It must be like food for you otherwise you may as well get a nine-to-five job.
• Be prepared. There is no such thing as luck. 'Luck is where preparation meets opportunity'. That is one of my favourite sayings, alongside 'Procrastination is a thief of time!' So work all the time. Keep producing work and learning everything you can about the art world and the business of art.
• Be social. Network. This can mean going to art events if you can afford to. Socialise online. Social media is your friend. I have sold work and had well-attended exhibitions all because of social media. If not for social media, I would not be able to afford to pay for publicists and advertising to promote my shows.
• Be friends with other artists. No one understands what you are going through more than other artists! Having a support system of artist practitioners is so important for morale. In addition, hang around with artists who are better than you! Learn from them. Do not be threatened. Everyone has their own unique journey and you can always learn from the next person. By hanging around with those who are more skilled than you, unwittingly, you stretch yourself and challenge yourself to be better. Asking questions helps form relationships and most artists are happy to help or give advice when asked nicely. Aside from this, artists often recommend each other to their respective galleries and galleries listen to their artists.

Links:

Website: http://damoaharts.com/

Blog: http://damoaharts.com/

Fan page: https://www.facebook.com/AdelaideDamoahArtist

Lime Magazine:http://www.thisislime.net/about/Lime_Reporters

Contemporary and Modern Art Blog: http://contemporaryandmodernart.blogspot.co.uk

In Conversation with Nicola Greenwood

Nicola Greenwood has been writing poetry for as long as she can remember and her love of language is clearly evident in her poetic expressions. Since 2004, Nicola has been performing poetry at open-mic nights and book readings. She has been published in three Shangwe anthologies supporting monthly poetry nights as Resident Poet.  Nicola continues to explore poetry in new forms and in doing so is intent on providing a platform for other writers along the way.

It's seven years since I first met Nicola at the book launch of my first anthology Brown Eyes in September 2005. Nicola had thankfully contributed her poems to the book and was at the launch with family and friends.

To say we've been friends ever since is not quite accurate because Nicola has not only developed her writing in diverse and beautiful ways, she has supported Shangwe Creative Arts over the years by helping out with book readings along with more recently working in collaboration. So it is with great pleasure that I put the spotlight on Nicola:

Nicole Moore (NM): How did your interest in writing start?

Nicola: It was always there waiting to come out. I love words, I love language and I love to communicate through creativity. Poetry was a natural rhythm for me; it's my way to paint pictures in words.

NM: When did you start writing poetry?

Nicola: I've found bits and bobs of poetry scribbles from when I was 6 years old. I started in a very conscious way when I was 18 and have never looked back.

NM: How did it feel to see your work in print in my first anthology Brown Eyes?

Nicola: The silliest thing, I ended up on page 222 and with 2 being my lucky number I was ecstatic! I then shed a little tear of joy at the fact that my name was in print. Slowly it began to dawn on me that this was very special and I felt I had left a little bit of a legacy. Mostly, I felt absolutely honoured to be part of such a wonderful collection with so many amazing writers.

NM: 'Writing for the page or the stage' – Does it matter?

Nicola: For me the rhythm of a poem is simply part of its expression; poetry is for consumption in whatever form this takes. What can be read in one's head can be voiced by one's lips. It's about an individual preference - it should only matter to that person.

NM: I know that you've been performing your poems over the years, did you find this hard at the beginning?

Nicola: I'm not sure I even remember how hard it was, there was a whole lot of gin and tonic involved for starters! I read my first poem as fast as I could, my legs wouldn't stop shaking and no matter how hard it was I knew this was the first of many readings. I had spent too long itching to get up. I was in a supportive environment and I tried not to guilt myself out about not being perfect first time; its about growth and development. You can only learn on the job with this and it really does get easier over time. I save the g&t's for the end of readings these days.

Nicole Moore & Nicola Greenwood
Poetry Cafe, Covent Garden - Book Reading Event

NM: Can you tell us something about the themes and the writing process of your poetry?

Nicola: Some people tell stories, some people take pictures, some people paint. I write for the same reasons that they create. It might be a situation that captures my attention, it might be an overwhelming emotion and sometimes its just a diary of my life. I start with a few words and then lose myself in getting everything I want to say down on paper, and its rhythm seems to finds its pace as I go but after that it might take 5 minutes to edit and more often it may take years. Sometimes I need to read aloud, sometimes I share with friends to get a bit of perspective. My themes range from love. pain, angst, farting and sometimes I just paint a picture of the place I’m in at that moment; the last poem I wrote was about being in London on a Sunday, because that was what I was doing!

NM: When you write, do you 'hear' your writing?

Nicola: Absolutely - I hear before I write, I sing and dance the words in my head before they hit the page. And then if I can read it the same way it sounded in my head (based on the words, grammar etc) then I know I've got it.

NM: Nicola, can you share any tips for those aspiring poets out there?

Nicola:

• Write always - a line here or there.
• Write even when you cannot write - I have many poems about not being able to think of anything  - shortly after things flow.
• Go back, go back, go back, you never know when that finishing touch will hit.  If you like to read your work, then others surely will.
• Think multi-dimensionally: words (double/triple meanings), rhythm as it sometimes evokes more than your words; you are stirring emotions and you have the power to take your readers there, so be aware of every dimension.
• Share and trust your original intention.

LA Experience!

Los Angeles (LA) is often billed as the “Creative Capital of the World”, due to the fact that one in every six of its residents works in a creative industry. So, it was with much excitement that I arrived in LA on Thanksgiving (24th November) and spent 10 days there checking out whether this fact was accurate. It is!

The performing arts play a major role in LA's cultural identity and I felt that almost immediately – well the 2nd night actually, when I went along with my friend Mekada Graham, to Santa Monica beach, a very cool place where we came across a few talented street performing artists. First up was Naia Kete http://www.naiakete.com/ who sang and played guitar with two other musicians – fabulous! Then something completely different in the name of street violin performed by Josh Vietti http://www.joshvietti.com/ who is on his way to becoming the world's premier Pop violinist. Josh brings the two worlds of classical music and pop together in an original manner that has not been done before. He crosses genres, ethnicities and age – brilliant!

Next it was the California African-American Museum (CAAM) http://www.caamuseum.org/ Walking through the doors at CAAM and into the galleries, the impact of history, beauty and discovery can take your breath away. It began with Women: Game Changers, the giant banners celebrating 70 women of colour and achievement, their names and greatness undervalued, lesser known and here celebrated. In the Gallery of Discovery, we honoured the nameless, faceless ones who made it possible for African Americans to grow in power and beauty. Miguel Covarrubias was enchanted by the sights, sounds and colours of African American people. He captured that throughout his career.

In Places of Validation, Art and Progression, history and art kept unfolding as we looked deeper into what the world was like for Black artists, collectors, galleries and other institutions between 1940-1980. Just walking through, standing, looking and soaking up history, ancestry, I was left with a great insight into just what these people had done. It felt triumphant.

A thoroughly wonderful historic experience was a visit to The Getty Villa, which is dedicated to the arts and cultures of ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruria and modeled after the Villa dei Papiri, a Roman country house in Herculaneum buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79. Because most of the Villa dei Papiri remains excavated, many of the Getty Villa's architectural details are based on elements drawn from other ancient Roman homes in the towns of Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Stabiae.

Over 1,200 works of art from the J. Paul Getty Museum's permanent collection of Greek, Roman and Etruscan antiquities are on view at the Getty Villa. The galleries, organised by theme, include Gods and Goddesses, Dionysos and the Theatre and Stories of the Trojan War, among others. I particularly enjoyed the gardens; the Outer Peristyle, Inner Peristyle, Herb Garden, and East Garden, which are planted with species from the Mediterranean region.

On 29th November, my friend Mekada had arranged for me to do a talk at the California State University Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) http://www.csudh.edu/  where she is an Associate Professor. I shared a summary of my freelance work in the field of literary arts over the last 15 years, which included studying, writing, editing, community development/activist work, guest appearances on mainstream radio, book productions and readings, hosting monthly Shangwe Poetry events at the Poetry Café and much more.

CSUDH is located in a 346-acre campus and educates the most ethnically and racially-diverse student body in the US. Hispanic people comprise 40% of the student body, and African-American people 31%. White people represent 18% while 6% are Asian or Pacific Islander people and 0.6% are American Indian. CSUDH serves one of the poorest areas of LA County.

One totally unexpected and pleasant surprise was discovering that one of my favourite icons of the 70s was appearing at Hammer Museum http://www.hammer.ucla.edu/ on 1st December – what a great start to the month! The legendary Angela Davis and author Robin Levi participated in Hammer Conversations debating recent work, which has focused on incarceration and the criminalisation of communities that are most affected by poverty and racial discrimination. Angela Davis' most recent books are Abolition Democracy:Beyond Prisons, Torture, and Empire and Are Prisons Obsolete? A book signing followed the conversation, where I made several attempts to take some pictures.

Then it was a quick look at Now Dig This! Art and Black Los Angeles 1960-1980, a comprehensive exhibition, which examines the vital legacy of the city's African American visual artists, who – through their work and their connections with other artists from a variety of ethnic backgrounds – made up an important part of the creative community. Including 140 works by 35 artists, many of whom are not well known to the public, Now Dig This! expands the art historical record, placing the work of these African American practitioners within the context of the movements, trends, and ideas that fuelled the arts in Los Angeles during this period. Many of these artists also responded to the civil rights and Black Power movement, and their work reflects the changing sense of what constituted African American identity and American culture.

Photos in ascending order:
Naia Kete;
Naia Kete and her band;
Josh Vietti;
Nicole Moore at California African American Museum;
Nicole Moore at the Getty Villa;
Angela Davis at her book signing at Hammer Museum.

EGA School Visit

On 30th November, as part of research for my new collection of poems and personal essays, I visited my old secondary school, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Language School for Girls http://www.egaschool.co.uk/ formerly called Starcross.

I was given the opportunity of a 50-minute session with Year 9 students, aged 13, during their English lesson, courtesy of English teacher, Teresa Osubonsu. I began by discussing my school life experiences with the students, particularly the stark difference in opportunities that I was challenged with when I moved, at the age of 13, to Wellingborough, Northamptonshire. I went on to discuss my past and current writing projects.

The visit was a great experience with lots of student participation. One bright spark asked me whether I would be paying a visit to do research on the secondary school I attended in Wellingborough, so as to compare both schools, which I had thought about but was hesitant, wondering what it would achieve. However, I now think it would be of interest just to have a fair and up-to-date perspective on both schools.

To show my appreciation for this opportunity, I donated a copy of my recent anthology Hair Power Skin Revolution to EGA's school library.

BBC Radio 4 - Woman's Hour

The Politics of Black Hair

On 30th August, BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour broadcast a programme presented by Jane Garvey, which was devoted to the history, politics and colour of hair. The programme explored how hair has been used to indicate status, power and politics throughout the ages and across cultures.

I was pleased to participate in such a discussion along with music journalist Jacqueline Springer. We covered the politics of weaves, wigs and relaxers and I emphasised how I wear my hair natural, i.e. unprocessed and would advocate natural hair over the lengths that a lot of black women will go to achieve longer, smoother straighter 'good hair', using relaxers, weaves (which I tried once in the seventies and lasted only 3 days as I couldn't bear it).

I thoroughly enjoyed taking part in such a lively debate on hair and of course have to give thanks to the producer Dianne McGregor who spent quality time carrying out research by talking to me before the show and to Jane Garvey who I thought presented the show in a creative and innovative way.

Thanks must also go to Norma Treasure-Garwood, a contributor to my anthology Hair Power Skin Revolution, who informed me about the forthcoming Woman's Hour programme.

To listen to the podcast which will be listed under 30th August, please visit:

www.bbc.co.uk/womanshour

Photo courtesy of BBC Radio 4:

L-R Fashion Historian Caroline Cox, Vidal Sassoon's Hair Colour Director Edward Darley, Presenter Jane Garvey (seated), me and music journalist Jacqueline Springer.

White-Washing of Black Books

In PRIDE Magazine, September 2009, I was outraged when I read an article, 'Judging a Book by its Cover' by Cynthia Lawrence. The novel LIAR, by Australian novelist Justine Larbalestier, is about a young African-American girl. The author was astonished to see a white face on the book cover, instead of the protagonist Micah, who has short, "nappy" hair.

This saga became the subject of a blazing race row with Bloomsbury Children's Books, the book's US publishers. After alot of fuss made from critics, bloggers and internet commentators, who blasted the evident "white-washing", Bloomsbury was forced to change the cover. However, the revised cover depicts a mixed-race girl with curly hair as opposed to the character of the black girl with nappy hair.

It seems that publishers still deem it as not financially viable to market book covers using black people, and many black books do not receive the same vigorous marketing. Although I was aware of the widely held assumption that white readers won't buy the book with a black face on the cover, I really thought the US of all places wasn't in this same ignorant league.

PRIDE magazine asks 'Have you ever come across a book cover that appeared to be "white-washed"? If so, they would like to hear from you. Email your comments to: info@pridemagazine.com

Rasta in the White House

Ziggy Marley, Rita Marley and family visit the Obamas...

When I first set eyes upon the above photos, I just smiled - it was such a lovely image and I knew that this image could never have existed during the Bush years. Only in Obama's time...

I think the images speak for so many of us and it makes me realise how important it is to see ourselves in different and unique settings that are usually not accessible by us as African-Caribbeans.

Shangwe Poetry Event - Feedback

I received this email yesterday, and thought it needed sharing:

Dear Nicole Moore,

I am writing to thank you for organising the poetry night Shangwe. I attended on the last Thursday of August and I am pleased to say I got my money's worth. I was doing an extended project at college on poems based on the views of young black people living in Britain and whether they viewed themselves as British.

The poetry night helped a lot as although I had the views I did not have the poems. The event showcased to me what poetry is, a way of expression, and that is why I wanted to write poetry. The poetry night also exposed me to poems about identity, which is what I was looking for, in particular Akuba's The Awakening of Elmina and the first poem performed by Devon "the Split" Jones.

I am pleased to say that I have completed my own poems and project as a whole. Also I wanted to add that I noticed you in my local paper discussing our hair and black history month. If time permits I may be contributing my own story as well.

Regards,

Caroline Sabiiti.

Caroline also sent me a couple of poems, which I will be posting in the future.

Exploring Black Sexuality

Today I received a copy of Trespass Magazine, NOIR edition, October/November 2008, which published a five page feature I wrote called, ‘Exploring Black Sexuality’. This is the sixth issue of Trespass and final one for this year. In this NOIR issue, the magazine includes features, poetry, art, short stories and an interview.

My feature discusses Black British women’s sexuality using personal perspectives and drawing reference to those contributions within my anthology Sexual Attraction Revealed: a selection of creative expressions by black and mixed-race women (2007). I was particularly pleased to see my feature published with images from Adelaide Damoah, best known for her 2006 exhibition Black Brits. http://www.damoaharts.com/

It always feels good to see your work in print and I must admit that I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience, from sounding out my ideas with the magazine’s editor, Sara-Mae Tuson, whose editing expertise was extremely helpful and enlightening, to discussing my ideas with my writing colleagues.

For more information about Trespass Magazine visit:

http://www.trespassmagazine.co.uk/

TRESPASS 'NOIR' LAUNCH!
Trespass magazine is launching its 6 and final issue of the year at the marvellous Cross Kings. With poets, performance artists and a bit of musical madness as well - you'll not want to miss it.

Date: Wednesday 5th November

Time: 7.30pm
Venue: The Cross Kings, 126 York Way
London, N1 OAX
Entry fee: £3
Contact: Sara-Mae admin@trespassmagazine.co.uk