“The stars move still, time runs, the clock will strike, the devil will come, and Faustus must be damned.” -Christopher Marlowe
All things come to pass. In as much as we think we control what happens in our lives, most things, if they are to happen, simply will. Ours is the choice between fighting against this ever-moving tide or allowing it to sweep us along without resistance. That is not to say we should not do things to ensure we keep our heads above water – on the contrary, there are many ways in which we can influence the course of things. But in the end, we must accept and endeavor to embrace our fates.
Craig Santos Perez spoke to us from Hawaii where he lives on the island of Oahu. For the balance of a year, he has been sheltering in place along with his family as the pandemic continues. A writer, poet, and English professor, the circumstances have proven stressful both professionally and personally. During this time, Perez had a book of eco-poetry, titled Habitat Threshold, published and has been participating in virtual readings and publicity events. In the classroom, Perez teaches his students eco-poetry, a genre that speaks to the challenges we face as organisms on a troubled planet. To hear more about this, including how the pandemic fits neatly into the genre, listen to the complete interview.
Sutthirat Supaparinya lives and works in Chang Mai, Thailand. She reports that the pandemic began quite slowly in Thailand but by late spring things had become more difficult. Through the summer it slowed again, but as in many other parts of the world, as winter approached things became worse and now the nation finds itself in partial lockdown. Supaparinya has seen many of her upcoming projects either postponed or moved online. Some have changed entirely. As the pandemic lingers on, the artist has been invited to join various online collaborative projects. Supaparinya finds this time personally challenging in many ways. She recently lost her father who was in ICU where she was unable to visit him before he passed away from COVID. In her grief, she finds it difficult to continue her work at pace. Adding to her grief, the political situation in Thailand is a challenge. To hear more from Sutthirat Supaparinya, listen to the complete interview.
Few Words to Keep in your Pocket:
Don’t fight it.
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. Habitat Threshold by Craig Santos Perez is available through Omnidawn Publishing. Imitations by Zadie Smith is a collection of six essays about the early days of the pandemic in NYC and comes recommended by Praxis user Nancy Hart.
Deadlines
New Hampshire State Council on the Arts Artist Entrepreneurial Grants, in their own words, “recognize the importance of the creative workforce to New Hampshire’s economy.” These grants are designed to help nurture artists’ skills, business acumen, careers, and more. The aim is to help artists reach the widest possible audience and create the highest quality work. For more information and to apply, visit the website. Deadline for applications is February 5.
Brainard Carey is an author, artist and educator. He is the director of Praxis Center for Aesthetics. He has written six books for artists; Making it in the Art World, New Markets for Artists, The Art World Demystified, Fund Your Dreams Like a Creative Genius, Sell Online Like a Creative Genius, and Succeed with Social Media Like a Creative Genius.