Tag Archives: Writing

Nov 22 2012
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Creative Writing

The Porch Swing: Time and Space

Time and Space: Entry 1, by Samuel Bostick. A new project kicks off…

“Time and Space. This catalog is an expressive venture into time and space. This has been a theme heavy on my mind, especially making the transition from life in Atwater, CA to Brooklyn. Yes, a second is always a second, but nonetheless, a minute in Atwater is very different than a New York minute. It’s crazy! It seems the best way to put it in short is that TIME and SPACE are measures of presence. Even writing this now, I know it’s further and deeper than that. Hope you enjoy the ride…”

– Samuel

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons, Jim Natale.

 Time- 1) The measured or measureable period during which an action, process, or condition exists or continues. 2) A nonspatial continuum that is measured in term of events which succeed one another from past through present to future. 3) An appointed, fixed, or customary moment or hour for something to happen, begin or end. 4) An opportune or suitable moment. 5) The point or period where something occurs. 5) A historical period. 6) A division of geologic chronology. 7) Conditions at present or at some specified period. 8) The present time. 9) A period of apprenticeship. 10) A term of military service. 11) A military sentence. 12) A season. 13) Rate of speed—the grouping of the beats of music. 14) A moment, hour, day, or year as indicated by a clock or calendar. 15) Any of various systems of recognizing time. 16) One of s series of recurring instances or repeated actions. 17) Added or accumulated quantities or instances—equal fractional parts of which an indicated number equal a comparatively greater quantity. 18) Turn. 19) Finite as contrasted with infinite duration. 20) A person’s experience during a specified period or on a particular occasion. 21) The hours or days required to be occupied by one’s work. 22) An hourly pay rate—wages paid at discharge or resignation. 23) The playing time of a game. 24) A period during which something is used or available for use.

Time and Space: Entry 1

Break

Sun falling, night risen. Alarms sleeping, thoughts take flight from rationality and tradition.

What is this warp? This awful purple birthed of orange and greenwise scorched…

How has this happened? The hands of time loosed and a slack in rhyme formerly divine in accuracy.

Hypocrisy!!

Two cups not one please, purple and pink turn up the drink and begin to sink..sink…sink. Fall back into clouds the slowmotion potion; How intoxicating a means to turn up curiosity of daydreams.

The transforming of blues clues to pink phink, ah yes this is the pulling of the plug on that funk. Watch it swirl into colors never seen nor to be seen again… notice how the green pours into the blue and the blue into the brown and the brown into the yellow and the yellow into the red and the red into the blue and the blue into the grey and the grey into the pink and the pink into the drain. There they all fade to black like a dream of bringing yesterday back that is until they spill out of the cracks and drip into our food, artificial colors and cosmetically modified appeal, no worries jus eat up and enjoy the meal.

Passing by with no remorse

Temporal warp, seconds crushed by the force of moments impatiently pushing their way into the scene

Routines Distort, the day to day no longer holding resort to those simple Sunday feelings, remember that easy tune—how it cooled and soothed the soul, sweet moments that had time tied up and held captive in the basement, not worried about rushing here nor there, jus sitting around loving life and breathing in calm, exhaling despair. The Easy.

The magic of turkey day, somehow there is always space for more! And More and MORE. Feeeeed meeeee. Wait, let me regain my composure; mother taught me manners and poppa told me to keep my cool, still and so I jus wanna dive into those mashed potatoes and gravy like a fool. Not jus any fool, rather the fool who cant swim jumpin in to the deep end of a pool. Hell yea, today is the day where impossible is not a word as far as this table and its contents are concerned…ruthless with the fork and knife, imma dig on this plate with the spirit and ardor of a miner who jus uncovered a rock of gold, except even more loose. Whenever I get up I may have to roll to the other room. Question: who in their right mind decided that the cowboys and redskins needed to play every thanksgiving from past till infinity, im not tryna see this mess, im too full for this bull…DESSERT thas the answer! Over sweet potato pie I don’t give a Brooklyn-bound-thugged-out-rats-ass that the sorry cowboys are getting smashed right now. Speaking of smashed…wheres the liq at? We gotta party tonight! Grab the disco ball and lets get it in, aint no mountain high, aint no valley low aint no river wide enough to keep me from getting to that apple pie, ooo AND we got ice cream! Yo this is KILLER, shamoo on this cats!! You goin HAM, thas cool, Im goin WHALE yea thas right im freewilly stupid on this grub!!!

Ugh, its time for a break now…why the #%#$ is this game still on hahah. Lemme text that cutie wit the round booty… *yawn, nah imma jus take a naa-zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Damn I was out homie, what **** is it now? Anyway, where that FOOD at!!!

Somehow the colors of Autumn make the flavors of all this food a bit more epic. Gotta love it.

Bzzzzz: Samuel, this is your conscious. What about that guy who has no home, or the one that is always whining his blues up the block, callin out for a dollar or a dream. Today is a celebration still that shit don’t stop.

Shhhh… be sure to keep this convo on the low, we don’t want to disrupt the flow of things…I mean it iSs Thanks giving. Now say your prays and carry on. Have you yet to learn questions of concern only cause confusion??

Shes fasting?? Im eating (thas not gone change today).

Its always more complex than it should be. DAMN HOMIE, why you wanna kill my VIBE!!!?!?! Damn your right tho mr. conscious, I gotta be thankful for the fact I can stuff my face while others hardly even have a place to lay there head or a leg to chew on or a day off. Sometimes I get ahead of myself…

Thas the past though,

nonetheless present in the implications…Cowboys vs the Redskins, classic rivalry—ironic?

…not really

Don’t dwell,

Tell that to the souls without eyes wandering through hell.

How does a clock answer the question of eternity?

Linear motion,

A two dimensional function streaming through a world that operates on X-Y-Z coordination.

Variably something is missing.

 Chronologic,

sounds like something that belongs stuffed and rolled up into a tight J an smoked away

This that caiforni-cripto-chrologic-bubonic-tonic cuh,

Retro-

Active.

Grade.

Virus.

Retcon, for short.

 Contradictive motion—counter to the primary (a sure cause for commotion).

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, for long.

The Rare is running low

Its bout that **** to re-up.

“we owe the invention of bourbon to the earliest explorers”[[1]], well in THAT case, thanks!

Mom teaches there is a time and place for everything

As for space, thas a whole lot of nothing. An accumulation of area, a holding perimeter of vacancy. Its almost how valuable nothingness can be in a city where everything is appropriated to accrue revenue.

FLASH:

back to reality, the dream is far gone, like yesterday.

Back to work.

Sigh—I wonder if I’ll ever really understand.

…all in due time…all in due time.

…To be continued…

[1] Theirry Bénitah, The Secrets of Whiskey (Flemmarion S.A. 1999) p. 17

Samuel Bostick

@THEREALSHANTS

the LIFESTYLE’s role is to create collective space for active Reflection and Response through the arts. This space is built around dialogue, expression, collaboration, and artistic (ex)change involving international craftspeople and their realities. The Porch Swing series opens up a Reflection and Response residency where we feature a Collective member’s ongoing project through weekly installations.

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Nov 14 2012
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Creative Writing

The Porch Swing: Time and Space

Whas up y’all,

I’m still in the Lab on this one, cookin’ up the proper swing. I feel the most responsible decision is pushing the release of the second installation back to next week, Time and Space, “Break”  will drop the 21rst of November. Thas right before Thanksgiving so let’s see what we can shake up. Thank you all for keeping up with the project and for keepin’ me on my toes. I’m not gone leave y’all empty handed though, I got a lil jig for y’all to groove on. Enjoy.

Live from the Workbench,

Samuel Bostick

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons, Jim Natale.

 Flowers make the world go round, Frowns turned to smiles

Blues take flight leaving behind a tune called delight

She has a great natural look, still she absolutely Shines ‘round flowers….something about ‘er

Jus some thoughts from a young romantic…

May spirits be up or down, the air is bound to change when flowers and plants are ‘round

To those who disagree: you may be moved neither today nor tomorrow, Still one day the power of floral beauty will strike either adding joy to a festivity or knock the edge off a heavy gloom. Receive your blessing.

Fluorescence of purple pedals on grey day, electronic shining under grey skies, standing proud—radiance profound, royalty in elegance and gown.

Field notes from a country kid…

The life, the growth, the way they smile and perk up, how they ask for water,

The freshness of air, the softness of petals, they feel, we feel each other

A relationship unique, breaths in cycle, refresh

Life arrangement we connect…intimacy, appreciation, beauty, respect.

Kiss a rose.

Scribbles off a green thumb…

Give a flower, show some Love.

Grow a plant, may it bloom—rejoice the power of botany, cooperative living.

Samuel Bostick

@THEREALSHANTS

the LIFESTYLE’s role is to create collective space for active Reflection and Response through the arts. This space is built around dialogue, expression, collaboration, and artistic (ex)change involving international craftspeople and their realities. The Porch Swing series opens up a Reflection and Response residency where we feature a Collective member’s ongoing project through weekly installations.

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Nov 09 2012
3 Comments
Creative Writing

Feature: Michele Jules

This week’s Reflection and Response featured artist is Brooklyn-based writer, educator, academic, and social entrepreneur Michele Jules. With a focus on youth empowerment, Michele utilizes dialogue grounded in historical truths to build toward the future. We’re excited to have her voice participate in the ongoing global conversation on Reflection and Response. Check out her interview and an excerpt from her writing below!

Reflection: Is being able to take in and respect all aspects of art, word and music…

– Michele Jules

Leading off with some basics, where are you from? And where are you at?

MJ: Originally from California, Westside! My dad was a Marine… but was raised in Brooklyn, NY. Both, my parents families are live in Brooklyn. Im a New Yorker at Heart!!

I’ve grown here, failed and succeeded here. I still reside in Brooklyn, but I believe my time here in this city is ending, its time to start another chapter in a new setting, set a new foundation. My family will always be here, New York City is my home.

What does Reflection and Response mean to you?

MJ: Reflection: Is being able to take in and respect all aspects of art, word and music seeing life through others’ eyes. If you can’t relate, you can in some way understand the emotion or point the person is trying to project.

Whether you agree or not, and how it makes you feel and think, your overall reaction is Response.

How does your work fit in with that definition?

MJ: I’m writing my first book, Yay!! I’m all about empowerment of youth, focusing my attention right now on young black women of all ages from their teens to late 20’s and maybe even older.

I see the world through a bigger picture, I’m not the only one on this planet, and I’m at point in my life where I’ve realized, I have to leave something behind and help in projecting better reflections, for the black youth in this world.

And I need help, so I’m sending out a global S.O.S. to black youth, women and men, all over the world. Its a basic interpretation of “If you don’t know where you came from, you’ll never know where your going”, aspect.
I love working with young kids they have so much energy and love for life and laughter. Its important to let them be themselves but be disciplined in teaching them realities of life, their world and the importance of education overall, starting with who they are and where they come from, with no holds barred honesty. That’s the first start to success and the best love story, which starts with yourself.
Young black children have got to see not just their world, but the whole world as a playground. There’s just so many morsels of beauty and genius to take in on this planet.
I’m in total love of this world, my history and I’m also aware of how small we all are compared to the universe, (Let alone the planet Venus), I think that keeps me grounded along with my brutally honest family and friends.
Keeping all this in perspective, I try my best to write realistically and honestly, no sense in sugar coating whats real.

What have you been working on recently? What are you looking to work on next?

MJ: Working on a business with a great partner, catering to fitness and pursuing my M.A. in adolescent psychology. Staying focused with writing, which is so hard when there are so many other distractions.

My next project would be focused on young black men, they are harder targets to reach, but i’m gonna give it a shot, with help of-course!

Who or what inspires you all?

MJ: Faith, inspires me, I have a real relationship with God, we have deep conversations. I also, have a great support system filled with family and friends that keep me on track when I lose focus.

Writing, watching children learn, and empowering confidence in youth, by educating them on their history. I feel I’m doing a devotion to my ancestors by educating young children and families.
And of course to me “life” is so great, If I wake up I’m a happy person, I don’t need much to be happy, it’s the little things that count. If it can be fixed, fix it!.. Life is hard..get a Helmet! 🙂

Is there anything else you would like the Collective to know?

MJ: I have a dire, deep love for animals, they are they only living creatures on this earth who do exactly, what they were put here to do.❤❤

I am big on Education, it’s power, it’s key and it’s the only thing the government can’t take from you.

Shout out to…

MJ: President Obama and Michelle, I Love you Guys! You show us the true meaning of hope, determination and family…

My family and friends and anyone who have helped in anyway to get me where I am today… You’re Awesome! Hug A Tree, peace! God is Love!

The LIFESTYLE for giving an aspiring writer this opportunity…. You’re Awesome too!

Do You Know Your “Real” History? I Know and Love Mine!

Hello World! 

I’m a proud black woman with a passion for the betterment of my fellow black people, especially our children. I love all people, the world is full of beautiful people, but I hear a cry for help within our communities and in black youth and I’m destined to answer that call or at least reach a few cries before they become silent. I hope you enjoy the topics and please comment as your comments are what keep me aware and connected. 

Sincerely,
An 80’s baby doing her part to help…. 🙂

So… I have come to realize so many black people, no matter what background have no idea about thier history and how great it is. And as some of you may not understand how this comes to bother me so much, I say in my defense that it sets a person back when they have no knowledge of where they come from. The struggles of our people were the highlights of our education, while the unbelievable accomplishments and contributions we have made in history were seldom or irrelevant. I come to understand this from working with black children of all ages, now I single out black children only because I relate to them personally. Our futures are merely a reflection of our pasts and so many young children have a dreadful reflection to look at, but that does not determine who they will be if surrounded by the right influences. “It takes a village to raise a child” parents can do what they can, but sometimes it takes someone else to see the value in that child and encourage achievement.
Community is almost completely lost, hard times are getting harder and uniting seems out of the question! Get your hands dirty, learn about yourself , your history and what qualities you bring to the table. Improvise on them! I was once told if you can do something good then perfect it! Your twenties allow you to get to know yourself and the world around you, as young children our parents guide us the best way they know how, in adulthood is where you truly find your own balance and knowledge for your life ahead.Be proud of who you are and especially of where you come from, if you have children teach them this, dont leave it to the television or other young children to knowledge your child. Get involved! I know that it can be challenging to be a parent but with all brutal honesty, you made the choice or was given the blessing to have a child… Now lets get to work!
We must encourage our youth to love themselves, educate themselves and represent themselves!

Peace and love

Jules

Reflection and Response.

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Nov 07 2012
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Creative Writing

The Porch Swing: Time and Space

Chase: Cat and Mouse, Time and Space, by Samuel Bostick.

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons, Jim Natale.

Chase: Cat and Mouse, Time and Space

Dashing flashes alerted masses of oncoming fury, Danger spoken in voz of crashes—war cries forewarning the unconcerned to take refuge, take arms or get fuck out the city. Deeper than jus a storm, this was the oncoming clash of Titons! Seas churned operationally violent in frightened response to the angered enlight’ment of the mighty Triton, El dios Chac-mool se levantó con sed de la sangre en la garganta.

Thunder, the unseen drummer veiled in ceremonious garbs delivering booms, rocking tombs and prophesying doom. This is jus the beginning, the first stage of gloom, an introduction to battle. It has begun; the vision ancestors scribed down, the dream oral traditionalist foretold, the epic of which the scopes had sung.

Swelling seas of grey, clouds crawling across the sky heavy with the weight of disappoint seeking proper place to unload. To release, to cry out, to Superman Deez–O’s.  Aware; the brewing of a storm demands bare attention.

Chilling thrills ripped in over the coast, howling scowls prowled streets sending summons to spirits and stirring any stagnation that had lay beneath. Cutting quick, shifting swift slashing into and burning mental as the unseen Ginsu unsheathed.

Regret, the ultimate confidence killer…neither time nor space for that.

Still there is hope so take the knife of doubt and self pity away from your throat. Watch the youth, take lesson from their brilliance. The storm ripped out a tree from the ground and threw it into a park. Crashing over the fence it lay in the scene as a testimony to hostile time past. The children won’t be stopped, no way no how. They welcomed this new addition to the playground with zeal and zest! Taking to it as a new prop for playtime adventures; climbing on, running round it, maybe it was a castle or a forest hideaway who knows! Still they were appropriating it in proper fashion. Climbing a tree had never seemed so fun, never so powerful, never so sacred as it did as these young ones reclaimed their space. And they did it with imagination, style and grace. The imagination and awareness to overcome the prelude of tragedy; smiles, laughs, and the simple ability to have a great time…the beauty of youthfulness. I mean these young ones were really ROMPING into that tree!! It was GREAT. These are champions! Turning tragedy to triumph is their badge.

Stay Cool Y’all,

Bostick

Samuel Bostick

@THEREALSHANTS

the LIFESTYLE’s role is to create collective space for active Reflection and Response through the arts. This space is built around dialogue, expression, collaboration, and artistic (ex)change involving international craftspeople and their realities. The Porch Swing series opens up a Reflection and Response residency where we feature a Collective member’s ongoing project through weekly installations.

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Oct 31 2012
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Creative Writing

The Porch Swing: Questions

Questions, Take 6, by Samuel Bostick.

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons, Jim Natale.

Questions, Take 6

Stepping aside from one self there is a certain capacity otherwise unreached. Nourishment is the stimuli for growth and sustenance is the source of longevity. Quality inspection—sifting apart the good from the bad, even more critically, gathering up the great from the good; a process of arrangement, a system of organization. There are many princes yet kings come few and far apart. Noble is a man of exceeding character and strength sourced of the heart.

Times flow is steady and unyielding, an ebb spanning beyond both birth and tomb. Days come and go, surely this is well known. Still the effects of a day may last beyond the moment. Piling up and storing thoughts, fileing memories, bagging emotions, burying pains, and curating pleasure, all weighing down the mind. Things stashed in the mind like a Raider hoards up treasure. Don’t dare open that safe nor think to go near; to wind up on the wrong end of a smoking barrel is the sentence for any offending party. A fatal discourse; treasure becomes a cage and the mind bolted down enchained as a slave. These things all simmer and stew, a wicked mixture, an ovation to the father of cool and his Bitches Brew. Yes, a bitches brew in deed.

Time accrues without sign of relief; in suffocation a mind turns inward depressed with dark despair. There stirs up a new mash…rage. It begins to bubble and steam within the chest, that dreary cage. A threatening sort of beast; Rage is Anger untamed…to hell…to the inferno with that leash. Silence is the ultimate enzyme to this cold intensity. Lips sealed, secrets unrevealed, devils held, identities concealed. Hazard lights flash warning to any bystander with enough mind to take notice. The propensity to erupt and explode, catastrophic unload, passers-by take heed. This is a mind that’s been turned in to a jail, a cell, an unrelenting hell. Nonetheless, this is only one side of the tale, the dark truth yet the light still unveiled. How to escape only the soul can tell. This is reflection into the narcissistic insurrection that has lead beautiful minds in the wrong direction. A nemesis has devout a plan and set a trap, or at best a test, for the self-indulged man. Relief and triumph achieved only once he rips himself from introspective obsession with self perfection. A lesson to be learned….to escape this dark place the maze must be shaken and disrupted, Shake This Maze is the guide to the public. A theory of rhyme and rhythm that moves the mind from dark to light, from depressed to ‘that felt good to get off my chest’. Expression is the release of those woes and worries stuffed away in compartments of the mind body and soul.

Not done quite yet, another step that must not be neglected. The completion of reflection is the action of Response; A cycle of expressive processing, a two step that moves the mind upon nimble toes to forgiveness of self, friends and foe.  Forgetting no that is not the case, still more ammunition may be loaded once you get out the dust from the corners and clear up some space.

Contour the mind to look out and explore. Arches, brilliance in New Mexican skys, photographic moments captured, random-wander-Spanish-old-guy, hand written poetry, and radio stations set up in places that appear post apocalyptic rapture, all moments capture in awareness—present in the moment to moment setting and contributing to the scene. These are minds unchained from the constraints of autotrophic vanity. These are liberated minds. Why look within and stay unseen when there is so much world to be felt, life to be lived and dreams to be chased. Jump in the DeLorean and go back to the future cause the past is a place lost in time and space. The past is what it is, past, and never to be gotten back never to be replaced. The future though is abound with possibilities endless, the sky is the limit and life after death is the eulogy.

 While breath is in the lungs let the hearts song be sung, the youth is strong and the elder are wise. Power is in the hands of the people so take pride, stand and rise. From dark days and blinded eyes, it can only get better, movement directed toward brighter times and vision refined. Follow the heart and move with conviction. There will always be opposition still if God is on your side then who may stand before your glory.  A true underdog story.

Looking forward, coming out funky as the Gowanas. The yellow buss don’t stop till it bust. Taking cats to school where youth discover the birds and the bees, are taught math and literature, and uncover 40oz to freedom and how to rollup and blow down tree. These boxes cannot contain a generation of liberated mind frames, still the sly foxes creep in to foul up the game. A shame cause it’s like we’re starting ten steps behind, yet we jump on the track looking forward no time to look back. Find proper pace and stick to it, a test of endurance moving the earth under our feet. Reflection and Response through the arts. Feel and Be felt.

Expression: A breaking of silence, many rely it the daring provide it.

Reflection and Response.

Samuel Bostick

@THEREALSHANTS

the LIFESTYLE’s role is to create collective space for active Reflection and Response through the arts. This space is built around dialogue, expression, collaboration, and artistic (ex)change involving international craftspeople and their realities. The Porch Swing series opens up a Reflection and Response residency where we feature a Collective member’s ongoing project through weekly installations.

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Oct 24 2012
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Creative Writing

The Porch Swing: Questions

Questions, Take 5, by Samuel Bostick.

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons, Jim Natale.

Questions, Take 5

When heroes Fall what is it that compels them to get back up? Could it be pride in whom and what they represent? Is it the unrelenting call to duty? Is it that a Hero is such in the ability to get up, perhaps the ability to shed all adversity, the capacity to overcome all obstacles, the tenacity to transcend the self; victorious about battles within.

And us, what should we do? Is it our place to throw rocks while they are down; heavens no not out of spite…let’s say—rather to emphasize that even heroes are imperfect. Do we encourage them, as we tend to their wounds and build them back into that highly praised place from which they fell? Is it that we should take up arms our own and fight off the villains and vile creatures alike as to give our heroes a break? You know, to let them have one day off?

At what point does the hero fall so far from grace that they become the villain? Or is that even possible? Maybe it’s not that simple, rather Fate is the deciding factor to who shall be villain and who shall be hero.

Of Gods and Creatures that inhabit the earth, Where are you? Where are those who you look up to? Have you ever fallen? If so what happens when you do? And your heroes, where are they? Do they fall, have they ever?

Is perfection overrated or is it the ultimate excellence achieved? What happens when heroes fall? Do we pick them up or should we pick up stones?

I believe in progress, I strive for excellence; I move to be the best I possibly can.

I stay fresh, well dressed, Keep great company and write to express.

I have fallen a many times, Still I Rise. Underdogg story.

There are Gods and Creatures that inhabit the Earth.

I am a man, wielding the ambition of a titan, imploring Gods strength.

Champion Swagg.

When Heroes Fall…

Reflection and Response.

Samuel Bostick

@THEREALSHANTS

the LIFESTYLE’s role is to create collective space for active Reflection and Response through the arts. This space is built around dialogue, expression, collaboration, and artistic (ex)change involving international craftspeople and their realities. The Porch Swing series opens up a Reflection and Response residency where we feature a Collective member’s ongoing project through weekly installations.

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Oct 22 2012
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Visual Arts

Patchwork: Questions, No. 2

Installment No. 2: The Things That Bring People Together.

The Patchwork: Questions collaboration series involves a process of reconstructing the written word. Through weaving together words from Samuel Bostick’s Questions project, I seek to create opportunities for readers to visually interact with original texts. The content for this piece comes from Questions, Take 3.

From Patchwork: Questions, No. 1 (All Good Things Don’t Last)

I’ve always been interested in the aesthetics of words and lettering, and Samuel’s “Questions, Take 2” from a couple weeks ago inspired me to explore this interest in a new way. I built this piece similarly to how one would build a poem word by word, line by line, but I looked at re-interpreting several visual characteristics such as font, color, size, and placement. Starting at the beginning of Samuel’s poem, I gradually wrote down each line,  but without a linear structure. Lines that were successively linked in the original writing were separated, and other lines were either layered over them or woven through them.

To me, breaking down and re-creating the original poem opens up the text to multiple new meanings and readings that may have been submerged previously. Words and lines that are woven together or placed near each other can be read separately to retain their original meanings but can also be read together to form new sentences with expanded meaning. This is another example of what I think of as “visual sampling,”  where the viewer’s interaction with the piece is a central part of the process of visually breaking-down and reconstructing Samuel’s powerful words.

Reflection and Response

V.

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Oct 17 2012
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Creative Writing

The Porch Swing: Questions

Questions, Take it 4 a Spin, by Samuel Bostick.

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons, Jim Natale.

Questions: Take 4 

Aye, do you remember when Steve Harvey had hair? Or how about when Steve Urkel lived next door? And I KNOW you can’t forget about Martin kicked Pam out with more gusto than Uncle Phil ever ejected Jazz! What about the Jamie Foxx show? And who can forget the first time they saw Michael Jackson do the moonwalk?

Man, those were great times

What about your first kiss? Who was it?? Where were y’all?? Was it a dare, was it out of despair? Was it a long desired tango of tongues or was it a quick and innocent affair? Was it driven by lustful craving or was it True Love in the air?

I’ll never forget mine…

that triumphant feeling still revs my blood! What a memory!

Does anyone else listen to country music when they get homesick or is that just me?

Rain makes corn, Corn makes whiskey…

Makes me whanna Take a Back Road…

She thinks my tractor is sexy…

Drinkin’ Beer and Wastin’ Bullets…

Why is it that I’ve always been really good at destroying my shoes jus doing day to day activity?

Maybe I should start walking on the sidewalk like a normal person…nahh

Anybody know what happened to Mary’s little lamb?

I ATE that shit!! Thas what happened! LOL

Yo, the other day I noticed the little homie checking out his teacher as she turned around and I felt somehow proud of him. Proud as a Man, you know. Is that wrong?

Hahah who cares if it is wrong or not. I feel that dude!

So, whas your favorite book? What was the car of your dreams when you were young? What is the car of your dreams now? If you could travel anywhere in the world where would it be? How many languages do you speak and what are they? Do you know the average number of languages people who live in فاس [Fes-Fas-Fez] speak? Do you even know where Fes is? What are your fears? How about your fantasies… (actually, we can save that one for when it’s just you and I).

Are you gonna get the car on the road or are you comfortable keeping it whimsically whirling in the showroom of your dreams?

Do you think you are going to visit that place or no?

I would really like to know…

The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout…SPLAT!!! He’s a goner now.

Now. About those fantasies… 😉

Reflection and Response.

Samuel Bostick

@THEREALSHANTS

the LIFESTYLE’s role is to create collective space for active Reflection and Response through the arts. This space is built around dialogue, expression, collaboration, and artistic (ex)change involving international craftspeople and their realities. The Porch Swing series opens up a Reflection and Response residency where we feature a Collective member’s ongoing project through weekly installations.

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Oct 15 2012
1 Comment
Visual Arts

Patchwork: Questions

I’ve always been interested in the aesthetics of words and lettering, and Samuel’s “Questions, Take 2” from a couple weeks ago inspired me to explore this interest in a new way. I built this piece similarly to how one would build a poem word by word, line by line, but I looked at re-interpreting several visual characteristics such as font, color, size, and placement. Starting at the beginning of Samuel’s poem, I gradually wrote down each line,  but without a linear structure. Lines that were successively linked in the original writing were separated, and other lines were either layered over them or woven through them.

To me, breaking down and re-creating the original poem opens up the text to multiple new meanings and readings that may have been submerged previously. Words and lines that are woven together or placed near each other can be read separately to retain their original meanings but can also be read together to form new sentences with expanded meaning. This is another example of what I think of as “visual sampling,”  where the viewer’s interaction with the piece is a central part of the process of visually breaking-down and reconstructing Samuel’s powerful words!

Lets have a running dialogue in the comments section considering patchwork phrases and meanings that resonate with y’all! Looking forward to your input.

Reflection and Response

V.

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Oct 10 2012
1 Comment
Creative Writing

The Porch Swing: Questions

Questions, Take 3, by Samuel Bostick.

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons, Jim Natale.

The things that bring people together; food, family and all types of functions.

The human is surely a social creature. Built to interact and cooperate—fashioned to engage on a platform raised toward progress.

Undoubtedly destruction and such is part of this progress, and it appears this is the time upon the world today. To this I have my opinion and I’m sure you hold yours, never mind those though. It does not matter how we feel or think about it about it, the fact is that destruction is upon us. What does matter is what we do about it. These days ushering in a new age. The storm is building; the clouds swelling, bellowing, darker and darker till the downpour be revealed. However, where I come from rain is a good thing so its not so much a tragedy, rather a epoch. Who will survive in America? Who will survive in America? Who Will Survive in America?

Individualism is the preservatives to the capitalist mode of production, it’s the plastic vacuum wrap of the protestant ethic, and the rubber shield on the United Dick of America that fucks the rest of the world—penetrating the ‘foreign’ one border at a time.  A culture distinguished on the praise of narcissistic thought and the shunning of social ties that are made simply in the spirit of being social. You mean you have friends who don’t have ends? You must be loco! Still, great friends standup! Those rebels bold enough to Love amongst so much treachery. Comrades who have bypassed the guards of the individualism and loosened its chokehold on intimacy to successfully achieve the rank of brother and sister, friend. Those who reach out and help us balance the weights on our heads in hard times, they do this without thought, its the understanding of camaraderie! Yes, thank God for friends; the people who bring forth life, who help us blossom, those who nurture growth. When is the last time you called your friend? Have you ever had a cleansing of your social circle?

Wretched memories of dark days and darker nights, outdated visions of loved ones and kin turned into zombies by kryptonic rocks named drugs while night after night the booze keep turning Daddy Jekyll into Monster Hyde; these things all too real to ever forget—irresolvable things turned into bad dreams and printed onto pre-exposed film as a means to cope. How do things like this come to occupy such a sacred place? Don’t you think it may be a lil different to dream big when these are how your dreams have been spent year after year, dry tear after tear?

Cycle after cycle, producing psycho after psycho; struggle is natural in a situation that has been manipulated to turn us into animals. In recognizing our own humanity the precariousness of life is transcended. The oppressor is blinded as the panoptic scope of perfection is no longer permitted to critique how we live, Dance like nobody is watching! Do it in public! No longer can victory be only a private affair! Now comes the time to decide whether to go right or go wrong! I’ll let you in on a secret if you can hold water…word is there are those who choose neither right nor wrong, rather they take out the shovel and digg deeper, they take out the machete and clear their own path. On the other hand, you could take that machete and perform a perfect coup on the king…blood makes a proper neck accessory, especially on someone of his status, wouldn’t you agree? It would be a suiting fit, very complimenting to his jawline…we call that the Sweeny Special…the closest shave you’ll ever get guaranteed! Now take that shovel and bury the body…after you burn it and grind down the bones of course. You know what they say, “no body, no crime”. If anyone asks you didn’t hear this from me, ok? These are the thoughts of a youth in a violent place. That don’t make me evil…it means I’m alive. It shows I’m able to engage our environment, that I can be affected by whas going on around me.

A toast to the ancients who burn paths for us to get as far as we have… a raised middle finger, an erect finger-fuck-you, to the institutions which aim to tame our pain!! Show it for what it is! These words the ammunition, loaded pistols, one on each hip, holsters swinging with the swaggering motion of resistive locomotion, ready to do the damn thang! Loading up for the war, what you got in store?? Too wild, rockin two chainz, yea we that OFF The Chain Gang!!! Youthful Looting shootin tootin and bootin, when it pops off better be ready to let it BANG BANG!!! All the pain is what’s driving us insane, why do I have to hold it in, thas like a dogg continually licking an open wound, seemingly cleansing yet shown really to be more damaging. Wrap it up and use it as material, add fuel to the fire stack the flame higher and higher. How much wood would a woodchuck chuck again? Take all that wood and feed it to the flame!

We’re signing up interests and registering recruits, who’s in?

Reflection and Response.

Samuel Bostick

@THEREALSHANTS

the LIFESTYLE’s role is to create collective space for active Reflection and Response through the arts. This space is built around dialogue, expression, collaboration, and artistic (ex)change involving international craftspeople and their realities. The Porch Swing series opens up a Reflection and Response residency where we feature a Collective member’s ongoing project through weekly installations.

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