“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language
And next year’s words await another voice.” -T.S. Eliot
At last we come to the end of another year. Much has come and gone within the length of this trek around our home star. Perhaps you have experienced personal loss or personal gain – likely a bit of both. We gather to celebrate a new year as a way to create a new beginning from an end. Our hopes hinge on the moment when night turns to day and year turns to year. What do you hope to accomplish in the coming 365?
Terise Slotkin lives and works in New York City where she has been living in Tribeca since the 1970s. In her early days in New York, along with her husband, she began an art magazine titled Spanner NYC while at the same time working on collaborative projects that circumvented traditional exhibition spaces. Today, Slotkin still creates art photography exhibiting in New York and beyond. Spanner NYC continues production to this day. Listen to the complete interview to hear more about her journey through the decades as a member of the downtown art scene.
Storme Webber is a two spirit – a term for an indigenous identity that has existed for over a thousand years. This term refers to an individual who possesses both the male and female spirits within them and those who identify as such have certain responsibilities within the community, particularly with those who are most vulnerable. Webber is a poet and interdisciplinary artist living and working in Seattle. In addition to several published works of poetry, Webber exibits art internationally and is the recipient of many awards for her work. To hear about the depth and complexity of her work – including live readings of some of her poetry that possesses a musicality that is simply inaccessible on the page – listen to the complete interview.
A Few Words to Keep in your Pocket:
May this be an auspicious new year filled with growth and change.
Interviews are available on iTunes as podcasts, and for Android please click here. All weekly essay pieces in a shareable format are here. The full archive of interviews here.
Books to Read
What are you reading? Add your titles to our reading list here. Storme Webber is reading A Woman is Talking to Death by Judy Grahn. Terise Slotkin says one of the most profound books she’s read is Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Sallinger.
Opportunities
Banff Center for Creative Arts is accepting submissions to their open call for spoken word and literary arts. In their own words: We welcome applications from artists working in any form of performative writing including poetry, storytelling, theatre, hip hop, dub, or interdisciplinary work. Please submit your most accomplished print, audio, and video support material; it does not need to relate to your project proposal. Applications from artists working in English, French, or other languages are welcome. Deadline for submissions is January 9.
Weekly Edited Grant and Residency Deadlines – review the list here.
GREAT SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE FROM OVER THERE!
AND THE WORLD AT LARGE.
Everlyn Nicodemus