Being Nosey: Q+A with Nicole D. Shivers

Roll Call:

What’s your name? Nicole Shivers

Where are you from? Born in the Bay Area, raised in Vegas!

What do you do?  So many things J but currently I’m a Museum Educator and Project Manager

Being Nosey:

Where does your interest in the arts come from? Which artist (whether visual, vocal, or performance) do you believe to be the most captivating or inspiring? 

Wow great questions.  I would have to give props to my parents who exposed us at an early age to Arts and Culture.  My sister and I went to concerts, plays, and performing arts at an early age.  My first recollection of an actual international performance was Ipi Tombi the South African musical at the Silver Bird Casino in Las Vegas in 1980.

Performance is both visual and vocal so its all inspiring to me.

 

What music have you been listening to recently?

I’ve been listening to a lot of Prince (yes I had Darling Nikki on my license plate when I was in high school).  And I keep playing the remix to All the Way Up.  Remy Ma yezzzzz!!

 

Do you think historical and cultural events influence the arts? Or do you think that art is the impetus behind historical and cultural movements.

You asked this question that obviously is a dissertation.  But lets make it plain, Art and Culture are modes of movement.  They’re not stagnant.  So with movement comes change.  Now we can go even further with change for whom?  But will leave this for the pontificators. I consider myself a conduit for application, a doer.  I can’t stand theory alone what’s the point.

 

Tell us a funny story from highschool.

Yes I attended Chaparral High School.  I tried out for cheerleading in 9^th grade.  Didn’t practice.  The routine was to the song Look out Weekend by Debbie Deb.  I just got out their and adlibbed.  Hilarious!!  No I didn’t make it but the cheerleading coach said I should join the drama club.  The shade of it all…hee hee!

What is your motto?

You know I had to look up the definition to make sure.  Allah is with the Believer!

 

Tell us about the premier of your documentary Arts of the Monsoon. What was it like travelling to Oman and Zanzibar after your research? Was it as you had expected it would be? 

We are excited to be presenting the public premiere on June 11. It appears we’ll have a full house.  I can’t wait to lead a Q&A and to receive feedback.  It’s necessary to hear from others when you have been so close to something.  First, the film is part of a larger project I produced called Connecting the Gems of the Indian Ocean:  From Oman to East Africa.  The project focuses on the cultural connections between Oman and East Africa’s Swahili Coast.

Both places are remarkably beautiful.  We shot the documentary in 19 days.  It was hard work.  We met incredible people and got to hear and witness wonderful stories.  You know I didn’t know what to expect.  I do remember saying before we left that I was going to go with the flow and be open to whatever came our way.  There were some testy times but for the most part it was all good.

 

What was the hardest part about filming Arts of the Monsoon? What was the most rewarding part?

The hardest part was waiting to film with the proper light and just the daily grind.  The most rewarding is that we achieved a beautiful noteworthy film that documents a connection between people and places that is not readily known.  And I loved filming on a down ship at dawn in Zanzibar.  Truly lovely!

You’re already an award winning producer, would you like to produce another film? What would it be about? 

OMG I would love to do another film.  But rather a documentary I would like to do a short narrative looking at growing up in Las Vegas in the 1980s.

 

What kind of performance art do you believe would best capture your life experiences? Would your life be portrayed as a Film Noire? Spanish Romance? Opera? Ballet? Or maybe something else entirely? Also who is the lead actor?

Hmm…it would be all of the above….they encompass dance, color, sound, pictures, love, suspense, words and fashion.  I don’t know the person who could play me.  She may still be waiting to be born.  She may be in South Central LA, Biloxi, Morocco, Puerto Rico,  around the corner, who knows….maybe I’ll meet her in a vision.

 

*Thanks for reading and make sure to stay tuned to Culture Out The Box, for more maddening things. Also follow us on twitter @CultureOTB and on instagram @CultureOTB.*

*Nicole can be reached for further questions and inquiries at shiversn@si.edu, and make sure to catch the screening of the documentary Arts of the Monsoon, this saturday June 11th, 2016 at the National Musuem of African Art @ 2pm.*

http://africa.si.edu/50years/oman/

 

 

Being Nosey: Q+A with Alanna Reeves

Roll Call:

What’s your name?

Alanna Reeves

Where are you from?

I was born in Washington, D.C. and split my time between there and Kensington, Maryland.

What do you do?

Currently, I’m working at an art store, a museum, and with an art consultant in addition to trying to maintain my own studio practice. I recently finished my undergraduate education at the Rhode Island School of Design and after moving back I wanted to immerse myself in D.C. arts. Having all these different jobs really helps me keep on top of things that are happening.

Being Nosey:

What medium do you do your work best in? Is there a medium that you aspire to work in?

In the past couple years I’ve been experimenting with printmaking practices, photography and embroidery. I’ve been using the three fairly equally and combining them where I can. What ties them all together is my use of fabric which I use to print on, embellish with thread, and can transform into a sculptural object. Fabric simply allows for a lot experimentation and as someone that prefers object versus image making I feel that even when I’m printing an image, it immediately becomes something that can be interacted with.

I’m hoping to learn silkscreen processes soon. I’m interested in creating more large scale works and I’ve always been interested in pattern making. Silkscreen would help in achieving both.

Tell us about your heritage, is there any part of it that inspires the art that you do?

My heritage, my family and our collective origins are the basis for my work. My father’s parents were born in Jamaica and Costa Rica and are of African descent while my mother’s parents were born in the U.S. and are of Scots-Irish and Norwegian descent. Growing up, none of the cultures were really represented to me in any significant way but I was always aware of them, wanted to know more about them and incorporate familial traditions into our day to day lives. As I’ve gotten older I’ve collected more information, both through academic research and oral history, and all combine into themes and ideas that I represent in my work.

At present I’m concerned with those who regard themselves as ones of a displaced identity and how they idealize their homelands for better or for worse. I’m also in the process of conducting a project in which I ask my father to create an image of his choosing which I then carve into linoleum, print onto fabric, and embroider over. It’s a collaboration that I feel acts as evidence for ways in which his own worldview has influenced mine. It’s interesting to see ways in which he creates images that are either to satisfy himself or are meant to be entertaining for me and vice versa.

If you could be anywhere else on the planet where would you be and why?

If I could be anywhere else, I would like to be in Jamaica. I’ve been to the country before but have not been able to explore it much beyond its beaches. For me, Jamaica is that idealized homeland. I am trying to spend this year creating work that operates in reaction to how I view the country as an outsider and I’m hoping to return so that I can then spend time learning more about my family and to see how experiencing the place for myself has its influences on the work that I make.

What are your top three most played songs at the moment?

Top three songs most played are Babylon by SZA, untitled 02 | 06.23.2014 by Kendrick Lamar, and Hold Up by Beyonce.

Do you have a favorite artistic movement? Favorite work of literature? How do they influence the work that you do?

I don’t have a favorite art movement in particular, but literature has a significant influence on my work. Right now, an important read for me is Emily Raboteau’s Searching for Zion. Within this work the author travels to several different countries, all connected with the African Diaspora, and all proclaimed realms of Zion for the immigrants who have found themselves there. Yet each place has its disappointments and failings that Raboteau never expects to address.

I’m also very tied to work by Marlon James as well as Gabriel Garcia Marquez. James does a wonderful job at both revealing tragic realities in Jamaica yet at the same time is able to break down the stigmas and stereotypes of the country’s inhabitants. Garcia Marquez, in his own subtle way, in the midst of magic and tragic love stories, enlightens readers to the cultural misunderstandings that occur between the European, African, and indigenous characters that reside within South America.

Which animal do find yourself the most similar to? Why?

Perhaps a morning dove. They’re calm, tend towards companionship, but can be flighty.

What is your mantra (motto)?

Whatever struggles you’re facing, think of all that you’ve overcome, and remember you can persevere.

*Make sure to follow Alanna on instagram at alanna_reeves_art and check out her website: alanna-reeves.com, also make sure to stay tuned to Culture Out The Box for your daily dose of arts, culture and maddening things*

xoxo,

Coco & Phatz

*Embroidery by Alanna Reeves*

Being Nosey: Q+A with Kesia Alexandra

Roll Call:

What’s Your Name? Kesia Alexandra

Where Are You From? Northeast, DC

What do you do? Write, thrift, temp, hustle, live!

 

Being Nosey:

Cultural movements are rarely exclusive to one form of media or composition. For example, impressionist art inspired music and literature. Are there any visual artists or musicians who inspire you writing?

-I’ve been a big fan of 80’s pop/New Jack Swing since I was really young. Prince, The Mary Jane Girls, Vanity, and a bunch of the female rap groups from that era are really inspirational to me.

I’ve long been inspired by Mariah Carey. She’s my favorite singer and a lot of people are surprised by that. I think it’s because when most people think of her they think of the 18 top singles or the diva or whatever the case but she’s a brilliant writer and story teller. Her early albums had a lot of inspiring songs to me like “Make it Happen” which I listened and still listen to repeatedly. In terms of story telling, “The Roof” is a super underrated song that never got it’s due, I guess because of issues with her label at the time. She’s had ups and downs in the industry and has had public “breakdowns” and I think that’s what I appreciate most about her.

My second favorite artist right now is Jhene Aiko. Another great story-teller. To me, music is not always about having the “best”, church choir voice. Lyrics are really important to me and she’s someone who does it well. Also, Lorde is good with words.

Are you most creative during the day or at night? What do you do to combat writers block?

-I try to be creative all day long because the way my life works right now I’m usually trying to fit it in between work, my relationship, family and relaxation time. I didn’t have a cell phone for about 6 months and I didn’t realize how much that effected my creativity. It’s nice to have the convenience of making a quick voice note or something, even if I never go back to most of them. It keeps creativity flowing.

What are your top 3 most played songs at the moment?

-Top three songs:

Washpoppin- Cardi B

Foreva- Cardi B

Bitches and Hoes- Jhene Aiko

Pet Peeves?

– Pet Peeves: I’ve always been a super honest person, I just say what’s on my mind. I ask a question and I take people at face value that the answer they give back is how they truly feel. So I guess it’s becoming increasingly irritating to me that more times than not, that’s not actually how people respond to things. It makes me want to distance myself from people which is unfortunate because, generally speaking, i love people.

Which of your own inspirational quotes is your favorite? Are there any inspirational quotes by other writers that get you through your toughest days?

-Quotes: Of my own, probably “don’t worry about what people think of you. More times than not, people aren’t thinking about you.” It’s a good reminder for myself, because being a beginning independent author, one of the biggest issues I had was putting my work out there. I was worried about what people might think. Now, I’ve realized, especially from my own reaction to other writer’s work, that whether or not we consider something “good” or “bad” has more to do with ourselves as readers than the person who wrote it. I don’t really think before I post any more. Someone will relate to what I have to say or they won’t. Either way, I’ll still be writing.

 

One inspiring quote I like is by Lao Tzu, actually one of the few things that stands out to me from college reading:

“If you are depressed you are living in the past. If you are anxious you are living in the future. If you are at peace you are living in the present.”

It’s such a good quote because honestly, what’s truer than that? It gets to the core of a lot of my problems, which is worrying.

Picture this, you’re hosting a brunch and get to fill your table with 4 characters from history or literature, who’s in attendance?

-Okay, this brunch question is amazing. Two from literature: Winter Santiaga of “The Coldest Winter Ever” and Savannah of “Waiting to Exhale”. Winter’s voice has influenced several of my characters and Savannah is just a great friend. Two from history: Maya Angelou and Claudette Colvin.

I love Maya Angelou’s story. I love that she was a stripper. I love that she couldn’t be put in a box. The freedom she achieved for herself, largely through her writing, is what I hope all women will be able to achieve in their life. Claudette Colvin because I feel she got the short end of the stick because of respectability politics. Her story deserves to be heard. Claudette Colvin was the first person to resist moving on a bus but because she was a sixteen year old pregnant girl, Rosa Parks became the face of that part of the movement instead.

*For more of Kesia Alexandra visit her website http://www.kesialexandra.com/, Instagram Kesia_Alexandra, Twitter @Kesialexandra and make sure you follow #KesiaWrites, and make sure to keep following COTB for your daily dose of culture and madness*

xoxo,

Coco & Phatz