Last Saturday night was a 'breakout' session for me - for the first time, I performed at a poetry event with some of my video poems playing on a screen behind me. At least, the video part of the poems, with their music. I either read or recited poems and wore a mask for one of them. I had prepared my set over the previous weeks, managing to get the video tracks to work with my pico projector. At the last minute, I got cold feet, and tried to cancel, but ultimately did the set and it went over very well. It was a private Poetry Salon at Norman Cristofoli's house, and he just wrote in an email:
Just wanted to let you know that I have had rave reviews about your performance at the Salon on Saturday.
Here is one quote from an e-mail:
"And the Salon kept us all up to date with what seems to be the latest in poetry: ‘voice-over’ poetry, combined with original music and visual video content.
One might say: four art forms combined! All as cleverly presented by Brenda Clews, whom I had a chance to thank in person. She seems equally talented in all four art forms, although I thought her little sculpture was in a class by itself."
As for me, I think it was one of the best performances ever at my Salons. So unique, creative, entertaining and moving.
[Blushes.] The audience was small, which helped me to go ahead and do the set as planned, and simply wonderful. A great group of people. Many thanks to all!
There will be no April Poetry Salon at Urban Gallery - there is a wedding in the Gallery that evening and Urban Catering will be prepping the room in the afternoon. The next Salon will be at the end of May, on Saturday afternoon the 30th.
I have two upcoming mini features, though. I will be a Guest Poet at Vino Rosso on Saturday afternoon, from 1:30-4:30pm, hosted by Linda Stitt, 995 Bay St, Toronto. And a short feature at a Fundraiser being held by Sharon Goodier for a Palestinian refugee from Syria who is being sponsored by her United Church at Beit Zatoum, 612 Markham St., Toronto (near Bathurst Stn), 7pm Sunday evening May 3rd. More info on those poetry spots later.
The March Poetry Salon at Urban Gallery yesterday was MAGNIFICO! /MAGˈNIFEˌKÔ/ I would like to thank our two terrific features, Roberto Angelis and Norman Cristofoli, who were MAGNIFICENT. And those who stepped up to open mic, MAGNIFIQUE, MAGNIFIQUE! Valentino Assenza, Kayla Forrest, Arlene Paculan, Jeff Cottrill, Joe Wray, Cate Laurier, Robbie Patterson, Coral - Crescendo Excompare, and Vladimir Azarov. And to all those who came out, MAGNIFICUM!! (magnificent in Latin, yeah really). Especially I would like to thank my brother, Allan Clews, who has added my Poetry Salons to his Meet-up Group, Toronto Mindful Artists, Writers and Storytellers, and who helped set up. And a special thank-you to Calvin Hambrook, owner of Urban Gallery, who helped everyone get settled, and did the open mic list as my bus connections left me running late. When I arrived to everyone's friendly, smiling faces, wow, all I could think was, MAGNIFICO! It was fabulous!
Here are photos from the Soirée. Please go to the Picasa Poetry Salon album for the names of the poets and musicians - the link will open in a new tab.
The video of the Salon. Since these Poetry Salon videos are for my own archives, I make no apology for the quality of the editing and continue to lament the sound produced by my Canon HF G20. But I know people like to see, and for those reading or performing, videos like this are great learning tools.
Robbie Patterson, with Roberto Angelis 1:16
Jeff Cottrill 7:29
Kayla Forrest 11:25
Roberto Angelis (Feature) 14:45
Norman Cristofoli (Feature) 18:49
Valentino Assenza 35:07
Arlene Paculan, with Roberto Angelis 39:46
Joe Wray 48:48
Cate Laurier 54:42
Vladimir Azarov 1:01
Coral Excompare 1:03
Brenda Clews 1:07
NORMAN CRISTOFOLI has published seven chapbooks of poetry and prose and produced two CD’s of poetry/musical collaborations. He is also the publisher of the Labour of Love literary magazine.
However, Norman believes that people should focus on the art and not on the artist. An artist’s bio should be buried with the artist.
From one of Norman's poems:
"The hardest part is not searching for the answer. The hardest part is living the answer once you have found it."
ROBERTO ANGELIS'S crucible: Despite a rather secular early childhood, since the tender age of ten, Roberto was raised under the shadow of a fundamentally restrictive cult. An old world religion steeped in tradition, filtered through a graceless love, rooted in fear.
He had no tv or other media in this restrictive and abusive environment. He began creating beautiful broken poetry against the vile words, retreating into his tormented being, and immersing himself within sweet symphonies of sound, with every connecting blow. He would drown out the curses, fists, and buckles, with angelic harmonies, celestial woodwinds, and sadly sometimes, red violins..
Compelled to secrecy for fear of the abuse getting worse, he went deeper inside himself, where he kept himself alive by writing the whispers of his innermost being. After this period of indescribably suffering followed tumultuous years of struggling to overcome the demons of his past, [which includes depression and even to the point of suicide. -[We cannot know what burdens and struggles such a man carries but we can open ourselves to his poetry and really listen with empathy and caring and understanding and let it make each of us stronger in the battle against child abuse.
Roberto has been described as a truly unique and groundbreaking presence on the music and art scene His main themes focus on a truthful portrayal of an innocence lost. There is always a battle within: “the antagonist and protagonist vying for position within the man, as clawing shades of grey warring within an ancient, ravaged soul.”
In Roberto’s own words.. I endeavour to embrace the unsung beauty I find strewn amongst the broken pieces of my life, writing the songs and painting the pictures which well up within me.."
Roberto’s hauntingly distended vocal texture, combined with his lyrical genius and infectious phrasing, testify to a brutal truth. An axiom at times jagged and hard to swallow, yet so often sweet, brimming with pregnant promise for a brighter tomorrow.
Roberto’s publisher won’t allow us to video him here. He has done some powerful video poems, and I urge you to go to his website, http://robertoangelis.com/. Particularly, watch the video 'Heroes.'
In Roberto’s words, let’s now place all of our crutches aside, and enter the deeper chambers of the heart in our listening.
I may simply paint in the white figure so it looks like it does but is rendered in oil paint. Or darken the pencil only and leave it essentially as bare canvas. Who knows. There is a story, a narrative here. I am also reminded of the black and white figures in Fellini's Satyricon, though in this painting they are the same figure.
This painting constitutes my second attempt at spray-painting with ink. Despite parchment paper cutouts and masking medium, the spray obliterated most of the detail of the figure in black. I was disappointed at how it turned out, even the orange wasn't quite the colour I was originally thinking of, but it's ok. Yet it is a kind of striking painting in its own way and it is growing on me. Maybe it's done. Only time will tell.
Here is a little iPhone pic from early January that shows the canvas (upper right) with the original sketches. You can see why I was disappointed in what happened when I spray painted it on Thursday. Sometimes you just have to accept the direction a piece is taking and widen your inner horizons. Or sand the canvas gesso to re-use it.
Later:
No, I shall essentially leave it as is - except for painting in the white figure.
Willie Anicic's family took over Monarch Tavern in Toronto and put on a real birthday bash for his 60th, balloon strung everywhere, so much delicious food it was a feast, music and dancing. Honoured to have been invited. My cat Aria comes from one of Willie’s litters 3 years ago.
On March 28th, 2:30-5pm, I am hosting a beautiful Poetry Salon at Urban Gallery. Norman Cristofoli and Roberto Angelis are featured! There will be about 8-10 Open Mic spots of 5 min each. We welcome musicians to come and play for us. Hot apple cider and mineral water provided by Urban Gallery.
NORMAN CRISTOFOLI has published seven chapbooks of poetry and prose and produced two CD’s of poetry/musical collaborations. He is also the publisher of the Labour of Love literary magazine.
However, Norman believes that people should focus on the art and not on the artist. An artist’s bio should be buried with the artist.
From one of Norman's poems:
"The hardest part is not searching for the answer. The hardest part is living the answer once you have found it."
ROBERTO ANGELIS'S crucible: Despite a rather secular early childhood, since the tender age of ten, Roberto was raised under the shadow of a fundamentally restrictive cult. An old world religion steeped in tradition, filtered through a graceless love, rooted in fear. Thus caged, stripped of song and clipped of wing, the young Roberto was most vehemently denied the opportunity to further explore his multi-faceted artistic gifts, or simply experience a normal childhood, and the freedom of choice which might have been found just outside the insidious confines of the order.
As an adolescent growing up, denied the influence of television, radio, literature, to wit, any form of mainstream media whatsoever, Roberto found himself secretly penning his mind’s escape from the vicious cycle of violent conditioning and abuse. Reaching ever deeper despite his surroundings, creating beautifully broken poetry where vile words were spoken, retreating further still into his tormented being, and immersing himself within the sweetest symphony of sound, with every connecting blow. Drowning out the curses, fists, and buckles, with angelic harmonies, celestial woodwinds, and sadly sometimes, red violins.. Convincing himself that it could not be, that this was somehow all just a bad dream which couldn’t really be happening. Knowing all too well that if he were to speak out, were he to mention anything to anyone at all, the violence would only become worse. Much, much worse. Thus, compelled, he went deeper still within himself, as he continued to write out the closet whispers of his innermost being. After an indescribable period of suffering, and many tumultuous years of struggling to overcome the demons of his past, there is little wonder why the Poet’s tenacious grasp of hook and rhyme bleed with a devotion to life, and freedom seldom heard.
Roberto has been described as a truly unique and groundbreaking presence on the music and art scene, whose main influences and inspirations are not necessarily those of our modern culture, rather a truthful portrayal of an innocence lost. A paradoxical missive upon a steep and thorny road less travelled, tinged with a preternatural haze more often felt than seen. Remnants of the antagonist and protagonist vying for position within the man, as clawing shades of grey warring within an ancient, ravaged soul.
In his own words Roberto once described his cathartic journey as, ‘A quest to find God.. I endeavor to embrace the unsung beauty I find strewn amongst the broken pieces of my life, writing the songs and painting the pictures which well up within me.. not necessarily because I want to, for the colors I’m drawn towards are rather those born of conviction… Indeed, I feel compelled somehow, some would venture to say possessed.. This thing they call a gift, has often come at a price-less-ness verging upon suicide.. A gift to be certain, as I earned it not, but perhaps also more of a staggering burden, and less of a blessing.. Although one simple turn of phrase might inspire yet another, it would seem I die a little with each line.’
Roberto’s hauntingly distended vocal texture, combined with his lyrical genius and infectious phrasing, testify to a brutal truth. An axiom at times jagged and hard to swallow, yet so often sweet, brimming with pregnant promise for a brighter tomorrow.
Perhaps more poignantly, Roberto’s music resonates within the deeper chambers and unswept places of the heart. It speaks to those who are willing to walk a mile upon the sands of self discovery, place their crutches aside and lay down their implements of war. It beckons with subtlety, bidding us come closer, begging unanswered questions of ourselves, daring us to stand nude before the blinding reflection of the mirror on the wall.
Often spiritual, yet ever plagued with the frailty of our human condition, Roberto’s melodic musings take the listener on an emotional kaleidoscope of color and passion as could only be woven by one who has laughed and cried with you, held your hand, and called you friend.
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