poetry films, art, & artivism

Yesterday, as I played with the film editing software and finished the book trailer for the new book, I realized how much I enjoyed it--almost a more motion-oriented collage, so I will definitely be creating more--if not trailers, then little poem videos involving public domain films, that are really fun to cut up and splice. I even made a sort of preliminary home for them on Youtube, so watch for those. I also plan on making some exclusive content for Paper Boat subscribers over the next few months. (so join in on the fun here...it's free and I promise to only bother your inbox once a month)  With a little video experience I am a little closer to my dream of one day animating paper collages, so here's hoping.

During quarantine and its aftermath (however temporary or permanent that may be), visual work has been what has suffered most. Perhaps because, maybe even more than writing, creating it seems comparatively frivolous in the world.  Or maybe just that what I seem to create is frivolous in the world.  While writing was spurred on by the capitalist concerns of The Shining project and now the timely concerns of bloom, less so the collages and landscape/botanical paintings that usually fill my arsenal. While I did manage that batch of watercolor landscapes, as well some acrylics for my kitchen, the only thing that seemed at all related to the world outside was my silly crypto posters.  

There were of course, other art-related things happening, mostly for the library--mounting electronic exhibits, building the propaganda workshop, designing a couple promos and posters. I am excited about our Fall 2020 focus--ARTIVISM 2020, which is just beginning to get some momentum with blog posts on BLM art & resource guides. Still, my own visual pursuits feels stalled and need a reboot, which maybe exactly what my exploits in book trailer making has provided me. I love the juxtaposition of the moving image with the poem.  Lets hope it sustains.