Break Through

I finally figured out multiple streams that I want to explore in my quest to become fully self employed. Ideas have been plentiful and movement is being made. Things are a little bit clearer. They are not fully clear but getting there soon. I am happy and feel motivated. This may change in a few weeks or it may get even more clear in a few days. I am just enjoying the ride right now. I am grateful. I have nothing to lose and going super hard on this dream.

Hubby is finally taking my two digital cameras to the camera store to be possibly repaired. I can't wait! I have two very nice cameras and they both have cracked screens. This leaves me with no camera for the household or my creative projects, including this blog. But, oh, change soon come and I will be back taking pictures for you in no time.

One of my break throughs is my love of crafting. I have always been into art and craft projects. My mama instilled this in me since she has drawn and painted since I was a little girl. I have three art boxes filled with every art supply you can think of. I usually pull them out to do art with my son. But yesterday, I felt inspired to try a decoupage project on this small wooden cabinet that I found at thrift store like 5 years ago. I have held onto it all this time with the hopes of one day getting around to it. Yesterday, I started looking through all my magazines to be inspired by images to create a theme for the piece. After looking through this old copy of Jewel Magazine I fell in love with the images of the amazing Josephine Baker.

There is a 6 page spread of some of her most iconic photos. I knew the theme would be Renaissance Woman and the spirit of Joespehine Baker. From there I started the decoupage process by using Mod Podge (an amazing sealant and adhesive that all crafties must have). I started with the larger parts of the cabinet by putting images on the side panels first.

I also picked to amazing images for the front and top of cabinet. I used an exacto knife to get the shape of each image wihout the background space.

Once I put these large images in place, I moved on to adding text in the front, layering the images with more paper and adding texture with mirrored tiles and finally I did some painting to create an accent color of yellow.

I really love the results so far. I have a lot more to add. I want to do more layering of images on top of it, more painting and have to get to craft store to buy more things for texture. I think I am gonna add more crystal and shiny things. Josephine Baker was known for her glamour and style, so more bling is needed. I have been inspired to do one with images of Tina Turner and Zora Neale Hurston. I will put them all on etsy along with decoupaged large wooden earrings that I want to be a part of the collection.

I hope you will continue to follow me on this journey of Creative Empowerment and Self Employment for myself. On a side note: I also booked a Skype Poetry and Creative Empowerment session with a highschool in Omaaho Nebraska and briefly brainstormed with my amazing theater friend in Chicago on co-writing a play that we want to tour in Chicago and Atlanta. I have already claimed it. I will be self employed making more than enough cash to pay all bills, save and invest into my business. Lady Terror Productions Foreva!!!!

If money wasn't an issue and fear didnt exsist what would you do? What are your true life passions?

dope Alert Mondays

I love when I am connected with amazing new ways to manifest my dreams. I know you have all heard of a vision board and may have created one on your journey. Today, My BFF shared a link on her facebook wall from an amazing blog called LISA C WRITES The post is called "Getting Buck Wild With Life" and explains the concept of a Manifestation journal. This is powerful stuff and truly resonanted with me. I am a firm believer in the Law of Attraction and manifesting. As a writer the concept of creating your life by writing detailed "stories in a journal of your hopes and dreams really got me hyped. I love how Lisa challenges you to "Get Buck with Life" and to be bold and fearless in your Manifestations. What a powerful message of empowerment. We are so on the same page. So, today my "dope Alert Monday" is dedicated to this exercise shared by Lisa and her entire blog.

I am so hyped by this idea that I have already written 4 pages in my journal of stories that I believe with all my heart will come true. You ask and receive. Its the law of the Universe. Here is a a part of my story written today:

Today I woke up with the best email from three different theatre companies in Atlanta, Chicago and New York. They all loved the materials and scripts I sent for the Lady Terror show. They want to comission me to produce a multimedia show around the themes of creative empowerment, rage and social justice. I'm so excited and cant wait to interview and hire the sound, lighting and scene shop artists to start collaborating. I want the shows to remain intimate, raw and real. I will have lots of screens, hip hop music, movement, and live feeds from the street and guerilla art spectacles that are at the core of my work.

They also approved the budgets I sent with no hesitations. Each of the three companies will invest $25,000 with a 60/40 split on all ticket sales. They also approved to pay for our housing and car expenses while I'm in town producing the shows. The hubby will also be producing his artists and writing music for video games with Micrsoft and new TV shows for MTV. MTV is in NY so the entire family will be together during this exciting time. I cant wait to take Saheim to see the Statue of Liberty and be back in my hometown of Chicago for that leg of the journey. The show will be great. I am blessed.

That feels wonderful! Read the post on Lisa's blog and do this now. Its dope! Also follow Lisa on twitter @LisaCWrites Now, go get buck!

Manifest Saturday

Every since I was a little girl I have always loved speaking in public and performing. I used to imagine myself as one of the dancers in the TV show Fame (I really adore that show.) I would practice my autograph in red markers on sheets of paper all over the house. My earliest performance experiences came from two sources: 1. The Church 2. Elementary School

CHURCH: I grew up my entire life (my mama went into labor with me while sitting in church)in a Penecostal, high energy explosion of a church, that encouraged children as soon as they could stand to recite bible verses, Christmas monologues and Easter poetry for elaborate holiday programs. From this experience, I gained so much confidence and begin a love for performing in public. I am honestly not afraid to speak in front of any size audience. I believe this also nurtured my love of street theatre and guerilla art. My Lady Terror spectacles have had me reciting poetry on a bullhorn in front of Chicago liquor stores on busy Saturday nights and leading a one woman poetry marathon of Gwendolyn Brooks poems at Bud Billiken, which is one of the largest and oldest parades in the country. Bud Billiken

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: Because of the fearless behavior I exhibited performing in front of packed pews at church, I was always volunteering for the essay competitions, spelling bees and talent shows. As a natural writer and lover of the stage, I had amazing teachers who saw this in me and nurtured it. I was chosen many times for anything that involved a volunteer from a classroom to speak at school assemblies and events. I was the go to girl and still remember the joy I felt while waiting back stage for my cue. I loved the darkness behind the heavy velvet curtains at Lowell Longfellow Elementary in a suburb of Chicago. One of my proud moments is organizing a dance group in to perform at the annual 6th grade talent show. We danced to "Nasty Boys" by Janet Jackson and yes, I still remember most of the routine.

So, to make a long story short: I was born to communicate. I love performing. I love the art of connecting with another person through emotions and words. I love the power of theater and art to change lives and communities. I have been manifesting this for a long time.

I moved to Atlanta from Chicago a year and a half ago and since I landed here I have felt this overwhelming and strong feeling that my God given gift of writing and performing will be VERY successful. It has been stronger than any other time in my life. I have constant repeated visions while sleeping and awake of myself performing on a large and beautiful stage to a packed house. The vision is so real that I literally can see every detail of the stage, the lighting patterns, the spotlight, the folds in the curatins, the color of the seats, the music playing in the lobby during intermission, my outfit, my friends and famiy in the front row and a packed house of at least 1,000 people. Its a nagging and surreal feeling and it has been sustaining me through the unemployment and financial woes that have been around since I moved here. I'm focused and motivated because even if I wanted to give up, when I close my eyes its that clear vision of me pursuing my passions that keeps me going.

My new weekly blog post "Manifest Saturday" will become a list of all the things that I love about theater, social justice and performing. It will help me stay committed to making a career and living from the LADY TERROR mission. I keep hearing the quote from one of my favorite artists and the soul of Elmo the puppet, Kevin Clash. In the trailer to the new documentary "Being Elmo" he spoke passionately about how everyone told him he could never make a living being a puppeteer and how it was the only thing that he loved as long as he could remember. "Don't worry about people telling you that you are crazy and that you can't make money living your dream. Just keep doing what you love and the money will come." Soon come.

Oh, here is a link to the trailer for BEING ELMO. Its so heartwarming and inspiring.
BEING ELMO

Call to Empowerment

When I was in Peace Corps back in the day I worked in Morocco, North Africa. It was a wonderful, stressful and life changing experience. One of my vivid memories from the experience is the Call to Prayer that blasted throughout the streets on a loud speaker. Aside from the beautiful Arabic singing, I also loved how it mobilized entire communities to stop any activity to pray and meditate.

I think it would be a great idea to have a "call to empowerment" in communities all over the country. Maybe a poem, positive quotation or meditation could be read or sang from rooftops on loud speakers all over the hood. Five times a day we could use sound and words to heal ourselves and to empower and uplift.

My work as lady Terror is one of creative empowerment and an experiment in guerilla art, spectacle and performance art. My latest stunt was the releasing of balloons with a poem tied to it. My hope is that someone will find the balloon, untie the poem, read it and be inspired. It's also symbolic of a lesson that I re-learn daily: You must let things go in order to receive. The more you give with purpose, the closer you get to living out your life's purpose. Life is beautiful but also rough sometimes. I believe deeply that poetry and words are therapy.

Enjoy the footage from the stunt filmed last week and my original poem "The Cubicle Project," whch was written at a call center, cubicle job that attempted to kill my creative joy. Pain can bring art sometimes. What poem or quotation would you want to release into the air as a gift or have blasted on loud speakers in your hood?



If you enjoy my mission please think about bringing me to your school or organization for a Creative Empowerment Workshop or to create a theater project. Lets build!

The Creative Process

i have been thinking lately about what drives my creative process. a short list of what has been driving me lately:

transition: i recently moved to Atlanta, GA from Chicago, IL. the move has really pushed and tested me in so many ways.

coffee: aside from its magically yumminess, i have finally realized another reason for my love of coffee. i think its the hand made art of brewing that also adds to my love. its like a handwritten note in our cyber world. no matter how advanced we get to get to get coffee you still have to grind the beans, add water, brew and wait. waiting is inspiring sometimes.

thrift stores: i can roam and buy all day. i enjoy the art of recycling.

libraries: no matter where i live i always live near a library. my childhood home was a block from library and in every place i have lived an amazing library has been there. i never pick a place to live based on the library location. like magic, i move to a new place and a week later i find out that the library is around the corner.

cubicle nation: i have been spinning in a restricting cubicle gig for the last 8 months. while it has been very challenging and irritating it has also served as artistic inspiration. it has fueled me in my short time there. i have had my solo one woman show premeire at a solo works
festival witn serenbe playhouse in palmetto, ga and currently rehearsing for an experimental
puppetry show that will run at three venues next month. here is info for the center for puppetry arts. if you are in atlanta area you should come out. here is link to the site:
http://www.puppet.org/perform/xpt11.shtml

what drives your creative process? what fuels you to create?

Lady Terror Re - Imagined

I have been in a re- invention period in my artistic life since I created the character "Lady Terror." Almost three years ago, while attempting to write through a huge case of writer's block, Lady Terror came through. I believe it was a culmination of years of rage and a super pissed off attitude about injustice and oppression that molded Lady Terror. Soon, I was ranting and screaming poetry through a real bullhorn and on a soapbox built just for me. Ranting became the means to solve social problems. The bullhorn became the desperate symbol of voice and empowerment.

I have been writing and performing poetry for over 10 years in the traditional sense. Write poem on paper. Read it on a mic. Sit down. Repeat. I love the simplicity of poetry and pride myself on my ability to express myself through words. But, as I grew as an artist the above ritual became to neat, clean and predictable. I longed for messy and surprising. I really longed for performance, spectacle and theater. I wanted to shake up the day and shine a bright light onto the issues truly destroying my community. To date I have installed the following art spectacles into the community:

1. Poetry reading marathon at Chicago's Largest Parade, Bud Biliken. I read the poetry of Gwendolyn Brooks on a bullhorn for hundreds of passerby's. The lady Terror mission believes that reading and writing poetry is a healing tool that can spark imagination and change. Check some video footage:

2. Created a one night only poetry show i front of liquor stores all over the South Side of Chicago. The South Side, like other inner city communities, are lacking in creative resources. I brought the art to us by setting up small performance venues outside on sidewalks.

3. As part of damali ayo's project "National Day of Panhandling for Reparations" I begged for change for reparations downtown Chicago on State Street. For an entire afternoon I begged for the money due us after 400 years of slavery.

4. Yoga in the hood was one of my favorite stunts. As a protest against the inequalities that exist between white and black communities, I created mini yoga studios in the lobby of fast food establishments.

As I move into the New Year. I am excited about the opportunities for Lady Terror. I'm planning a stunt in honor on MLK, Jr. Birthday Celebration, developing my current one woman show "I Will Not Calm Down" and writing a new one, participating in a Experimental Puppetry Festival, submitting a proposal for a Street Festival with Flux Projects and creating volunteer opportunities to start back collaborating with young people. More soapboxes will be built and more bullhorns screamed through. I'm ranting in 2011. What about you? What are your creative and artistic hopes for the New Year?

My One Woman Show. The Lady Terror Show: I Will Not Calm Down!!

Serenbe Playhouse Solo-Works Festival Labor Day Weekend. I will perform 12 noon on Sunday, Sept. 5, 2010
Check out the website for more details: www.serenbeplayhouse.com


The Lady Terror Show opens the door into the world of an eccentric and pissed off female who attempted to go the regular route to make her community a better place and in the end it never worked. The crime got worse, no one cared about the inequalities and everyone just went about their daily lives unmoved by the violence. At her wits end, she decides to take matters into her own hands. In a mental daze she builds a soapbox, finds a bullhorn and stands on street corners screaming about the problems, urging people to wake up and get mad with her. Ranting becomes the only way to get people to listen. Creating a scene in public places becomes her solution. She is pissed and wonders why you are so calm? Her spectacles include creating yoga studios in the lobby of the numerous fast food, and unhealthy restaurants and that overpopulate her neighborhood. She creates one-night only theatre shows in front of liquor stores since there aren’t any theatres or other avenues for creative expression. She stands on the exit ramps on a soapbox and passes out free poetry to the cars passing by the scene of the recent murder of a teenager because poetry heals and her community needs healing.

The Lady Terror Show is a hybrid of performance and guerilla art mixed with poetry and street theatre that explores the themes of free speech, creative empowerment and rage. This one-woman show experiment is filled with soapbox ranting, bullhorn screaming, interactive poetry writing, spoken word and music. Lady Terror believes that ranting and creating spectacles outside of normal performance spaces can bring about a heightened sense of awareness and solve social issues. The show is a work in progress that is the culmination of guerilla spectacles that I have conducted all over the streets of Chicago. These spectacles have addressed the issues of food justice, inequality and violence. The soapbox and bullhorn become universal symbols for free speech and our innate desire to be heard. I created the character Lady Terror as a direct reaction to feeling helpless and hopeless about the realities of living in a high crime and poverty neighborhood in Chicago. The mission is to spark imagination, creativity and support positive community empowerment worldwide.