New project - Spoken Word

The May 6th concert at Hendricks Chapel by the Imagine Syracuse youth and the Syracuse Children's Choir was FABULOUS!!!   They wore their "Journey Coats", which brought me great joy.  46 'coats'.  I was exhausted.  But what a revival for my soul, my spirit!  This is the kind of project that makes me rejoice that I have been gifted with being an artist.  Thank you God!  I am so blessed!

My latest project....SPOKEN WORD!  The sixth grade youth from the Imagine Syracuse music
program at Cathedral of Pompeii on the north side, will perform at the Red House at 3:00 on Sunday May 20th in a concert called "Journeys".

The concert is by the Treehouse Ensemble - a group of musicians formally with the Syracuse Symphony.  Included in the concert will be poetry by Congolese poet Machumu Sokuleri and Columbian composer Poala Marquez.  Now - if you have never had the privilege of hearing some of Poala's work, this concert is a must attend! Her work will move you to tears!

The Treehouse Ensemble have been working with the Imagine Syracuse Youth at the school teaching improvisation.  They invited Imagine to participate in their concert.  So - I got the opportunity to again work with them, creating a Spoken Word Performance called simply"Peace Is..."  The youth will wear their glorious coats and tell their stories about Peace......rhythmically,  melodiously, truthfully and with an honesty that only children can "tell".  The Treehouse  Ensemble will join the youth's voices, using instrumental improvisation to "call" and "answer" the children's words.  The performance offers a chance for audience members to join in this improvisation.  To write a collective story about peace.  Bring your open hearts, attentive ears and your words!

Whewwwww!

I will be taking down my fiber art show "Measuring Memory" this coming weekend!  If you haven't had a chance to check it out....stop by Sparky Town Restaurant (324 Burnet Ave. - Syracuse) before Sunday the 6th.  My gratitude to Lauren Bristol over-flows!  Thank you for this marvelous opportunity!

Finishing up a project with Imagine Syracuse and the Syracuse Children's Choir.  Sewing and Quilting almost 50 embellished, painted, stamped, embroidered, photo-transferred, and hand-written- storied, "Journey Coats - Visions of Peace"......created by the youth of these amazing organizations!  I hand-painted cloth and then handed the cloth over to these youth to use as canvases to "tell" their stories about Peace.  The youth were from the inner-city & suburbs, black-white and Asian, U.S. born-Immigrant & Refugee, elementary-junior and high-schoolers.  Their visions of what Peace is and can be?.......beyond words!  Their interactions as new found friends and connections brought tears to my eyes.

The project involved poetry, drawing, musical composition, instrumentation, dance and this humble contributor's visual art project.  Their concert-art show will be at Hendricks Chapel, Sunday May 5th at 4:oo.  Tickets are 10.00.  Oh come all you who have been weired and made cynical by the chaos, war, and violence and experience these children's Visions of Peace.  Ashay!

"One Soul At ATime"

Met with Quraysh Ali Lansana, the Director of the Gwendolyn Brooks Center for Black Literature and Creative Writing on Thursday.  He is an amazing poet and he was in town with Georgia Popoff - one of Syracuse's premier poets.  Together they are promoting their book "Our Difficult Sunlight"  which is a guide for teachers and administrators about the power of poetry and the need for it's inclusion in school curriculum's throughout a students life.  In the book are examples of some of the projects that, they as teaching artists, have done in various school systems throughout the country.  Worth reading!

          I met with Mr. Lansana to present an idea that would use poems from his book They Shall Run - a collection of poems about Harriett Tubman.  It is a haunting and humanistic portrayal of Harriett Tubman, not just as this legendary hero, but as a woman.  He addresses, through his extensive research, the relationship between Harriett Tubman and her husband John Tubman.  His poems also give live to the revolver that she carried, the dogs used to chase the freedom takers, the mountain they have to climb over - he personifies them all.
          Mr. Lansana's poems have played in my mind every since the day I had to read the book in 2006.  Bernie Williford, from my literary band Matie Masie had written music to lyrics that I had created from Lansana's poems.  This wonderful poet gave us an audience for 1/2 hour to pitch these songs to him.  Bernie brought his keyboard to the Delevan Center just before Lansana and Popoff's book tour reception on Thursday night. 
           He liked our presentation!  He has agreed to let us use his beautiful words from  They Shall Run and create an opera we will call - "One Soul At A Time!  I am so excited.  Words and Music are just dancing in my mind and in my soul!  O.K. lots of writing to do, and music to make and financing to find........

My First Words

Greetings!  I know no one is reading these first words.  No one knows about this blog site because I just put it together and no on knows its here!  OK Suzanne!  I have a blog.  Let's see if I have anything to say that is worth tuning into!  Uh-oh!  Horrible lightening!!!!  A little scary!  Do I want to be using an electrical item???  MMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmm!  Knowing my luck and how things can happen to me that don't happen to others..my "I Love Lucy" Moments...I think not!  Signing off!   Griot Words