CREATIVES OF COLO(U)R: THOUGHTS BY MY SISTER

Okay guys, it's our post again and this time Zoe suggested the idea that we interview a POC about art, or something that is important to them. Great idea, and I obviously chose my sister so here it is:

What is your favourite of art? It can be literature, dance, fashion or whatever. Speak loudly.

Dance and ... fashion

And what do you like about them?

I like dance because well you can, it's fun and you can do different types of dance, like lyrical and hip hop and um tap and irish. And I like fashion because I like loads of clothes and it's fun at looking ... sometimes, I like looking at magazines, that you have.

Mine?

Yeah [laughs] And I like sticking them in my book and making collages about fashion. Yeah, that's why I like fashion and dance.

How do you feel about being an artist as a living?

I'm not an artist.

But do you think that's a good idea? Would you like that? Would you like to do fashion and dance as a career?

Oh yeah, yeah. Yeah. 

Do you find it hard to express yourself at times?

No.

What do you mean? Expand.

I don't.

Okay [laughs] where would you like to see yourself at age eighteen?

I don't mind being ... (mum interrupts us) I might want to be a dancer, and do fashion, and I probably want to be a model as well, but not like an actual model though.

And finally, do you feel the need to surround yourself with more creative people?

Yeah. 

Expand.

Because, it will help me ... um ... they could help me ... they know what to do. I mean if they want to do the same thing as me, we can work together.

Okay, is that it?

Yeah.

Okay, thank you.

is self promotion bad?

I've been thinking about this a lot lately, the idea of self promotion. I think it's because over instagram, I've been seeing all of these talented artists of so many different mediums promoting their work on their page. I see it on Tumblr, and on other blogs too, and it got me kind of thinking ... is self promotion wrong? 

Okay, so I know it isn't a bad thing to promote your work. This is nothing intrinsically bad, about trying to better yourself and make yourself more known, but I feel that when people do do that, it can be taken quite badly. For example I see this everywhere on Tumblr. People promoting their own blogs on posts that are similar to their blog style, and people who own the image getting upset about it.

*I do understand that sometimes self promotion can be forceful and annoying sometimes*

It's something that I don't understand? I mean, if you have put in the caption to not self promote on your image, then that's different, but if you're just self promoting and you haven't been told that you can't, then what's so wrong with that? How else are you going to get your blog and your work out there, if you don't? I personally like people who self promote and put themselves and their work out there, because it helps you to find new people and new artists.

Another thing that has been bugging me, is also the idea of using your blog as a place to promote your work. I know I have done it in a couple of my posts, but there is never a time, where I feel slightly weary of pressing that publish button, and seeing my own work on my blog. My blog wasn't meant to be a platform where I showcase my work. It was meant to inspire, inform, entertain (maybe??) and showcase other people's work ... but, I want people to see my stuff too? And is there anything wrong in slightly changing, the purpose of this blog?

I don't think there is, but I still feel this sort of anonymous pressure to not do it.

Anyway, enough of my ramblings, what do you guys think? How do you feel about the idea of self promotion? Do you do it? Do you hate it! TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK.

LAZY DAYS: a piece written by me

I am so disappointed that I lost the story behind this cover.

So this is something that I found in the depths of my laptop and did a bit of rewriting. I'm really nervous about showing you guys, but I'll think it'll be okay. I'm going to try and make this a constant thing and occasionally share my work with you and also hopefully share the work of others too! Anyway, this is a piece that I wrote when I wanted to get back into writing.  I'm hoping to write something much longer than this, but with similar vibes. I'd love to hear your thoughts, and the vibes you get from the overall piece. Also, feel free to point out any mistakes and make criticisms, I always want to grow. 

goodbye weekend

So ever since I've come back to school, I've realised that my plan of "writing every day" will not work. I wrote LOADS during the holiday. I wrote something every day. Whether it be a post, a new chapter, a song, whatever. I WROTE. Now I'm just tired, and, I feel my motivation for one of my stories declining, which really sucks because during the holidays I wrote a whole chapter plan for it. 

I guess you can say that school is kind of killing my creativity or something like that, but I can't really sit around and complain. 

I think when it comes to having to balance work and creative work, you have to be kind of structured. In the holidays I had the liberty of waking up whenever I wanted and writing till 2AM and not worrying about sleep because I could sleep in till eleven in the morning. Now I can't.

You have to find some time in the week to just dedicate to your work, which is quite hard if you're already committed to lots of things (like I am) but it's possible. Prioritise your work and get it out of the way so you can spend some study periods just working on your art.

During school, I also tend to get a little put down and start to look at my work more negatively. Maybe because I'm more tired, I don't know, but it always happens. So maybe just going over the work I've already done and reminding myself that I AM a writer will help. I mean that's what I've been doing recently and it has been working pretty well for me.

A POEM BY ME

A BIT OF BACKGROUND

So guys, I wrote a poem (which doesn't have a title yet)! It's based off of a short story I wrote when I was around 14 probably. Anyway, it is so badly written but when you create characters, no matter how cheesy their story is, you never stop feeling for them. The girl in this is called Payten (the first POC that I ever created and wrote) and the boy is called Noah (he is the narrator of the story and this poem).

________________________________________________________________________________

And since I couldn't have you, due to the cross round your neck,

I cherished every ounce of love you were willing to give me.

When you smiled, I kept that light.

Wrapped it round myself, let it cover my skin,

For those nights when I remembered I missed you.

I recorded our conversations in my mind.

Replayed the best parts like a favourite song.

Mine was something by the Beatles, and yours was something different every day.

I treasured the time when I finally kissed you,

and when for one moment, you fully let me in

When you took my hand and stared into my eyes,

I knew that our end was near.

I could see it on your chest,

Forming in your eyes,

And spilling down your cheeks,

I remember that touch though.

The warmth of your hand,

The meaning, of your lips-

And I know that some nights,

Wherever you are,

You still think of me, like this.