Neglecting this Blog & FKA Twigs

At the beginning of the year, my goal was to write a weekly blog talking about my work or what I am listening to. Well, obviously that hasn’t happened. So, I am trying to make up for it and will promise to be more active in 2020. On Tuesday, I finally saw FKA Twigs in concert. My former roommate Joey and I were excited to get to the House of Blues. We haven’t seen each other since he moved out so we were excited about catching up. While waiting for the show to start the fire alarm went off. At first, we didn’t think anything of it. The sound of the alarm kinda went with the music playing but then the lights started flashing and the crowd on the floor (we were on the mezzanine) started to leave. Then the House of Blues staff started directing everyone to the stairs.

A brief stint outside and once they got everyone back in the club the show started. I can’t even find the words to describe the show. FKA Twigs is as if Grace Jones, Kate Bush, and Erykah Badu had a threesome and FKA Twigs is their wild child baby. Her new album Mary Magdalene is part heartbreak and part commentary about the emotional labor women have in a relationship. I love her comment about the song: “No matter what you’re doing or how great your work is, sometimes it’s as though you have to be attached to a man to be validated.” That resonated so much. I am struggling with the knowledge that if I were a man I might be further along with my writing and art. If I were a white man risks I am taking in my work wouldn’t be questioned.

Anyway, this album will be on repeat for the rest of the year!!!


Them Changes by Thundercat

For the first time in my working life (I’ve been working since I was 16), I took a two-week vacation. At first, it was just an idea. My best friend Eric raved about vacationing in Greece specifically the island of Skyros. For three years, he would send a week taking a writing workshop through the Skyros Holidays and suggest I join him. I did.

I’ve been back for about two weeks and my head and heart are still in Skyros. Thundercat’s song Them Changes has been looping in my head. Partly because my friend lives in Saudi Araboa and the two weeks in Skyros was the longest we spent since 1996. Bring around each other was good for me (and hopefully for him). We had conversations in real time instead via text of FaceTime. We got to write, draw and share our work with each other.

Being in Skyros helped me to slow down my friend saw that I needed to get out of my comfort zone. I needed to get out of Boston. He was so right. I’m not sure if I will ever be able to thank him enough for pushing me. Eric has advised that it will take me a little over two-weeks to feel ‘normal’ again. I don’t think I’ll ever feel ‘normal.’ Two weeks with him, two weeks in Skyros has changed me. I’m not sure how to feel anymore. All I know is that I can’t go back to the person I was before Skyros.

Subscribe to Brainfeeder YouTube: http://smarturl.it/SubscribeBFYoutube Ninjashop: http://found.ee/giantsroam iTunes: http://found.ee/giantsroam-it Spotify: http://found.ee/giantsroam-sp 'Them Changes' Written and Produced by S. Bruner / S. Ellison Bass, Vocal - S. Bruner Keyboards, Programming - S.

New Blog Series

It's been awhile since I've posted and so much has happened. I just returned from my first two week vacation with one of my best friends. We took a novel writing workshop in Greece. While there I had a chance to really think about where I want my writing and art to go. One thing is to utilize this blog more. 

So, once a week, I will do a blog post about a song or art piece and the memory I have attached to it. This will hopefully jump start some new writing and hopefully engage those of you who visit my website. 

 

Sunset from the other side of the island of Skyros

Sunset from the other side of the island of Skyros

One of the many goats on Skyros

One of the many goats on Skyros

Me with my 'Ride of Die' friend Eric

Me with my 'Ride of Die' friend Eric

20 Years of Somerville Open Studios, Book Launch & Writing Contests

2018 has been an eventful year. Writing wise I found out that I will be in The Risk podcast book which will be out in July. (Pre-Order the book: http://risk-show.com/book/).

My flash nonfiction essay, The Day I Got My Life Back was published in Under the Gum Tree: https://www.underthegumtree.com/2018/

Next weekend will be the 20th Anniversary of Somerville Open Studios. I am hoping that the weather will be nice (especially since its the end of April and its still not yet spring) and people will stop by. This year I have the biggest litho print I've ever done is hanging at Diesel Cafe. It's 24x36.

Diesel Heart.jpg

Here is the other heart print that is on display at the Somerville Museum: http://somervillemuseum.org

heart museum pic.jpg

It's My Birthday!!!

The older the more I love celebrating my birthday. On Sunday, January 28, I will be 42. Or better yet, celebrating the 20th anniversary of my 22nd birthday, my senior year of college. When I was in my 20's, I thought 42 was old. I thought I would married with kids. I thought I would get this art/writing thing out of my system. 

Well, I'm not married. I don't have kids. I am SO HAPPY I never got that art/writing thing out of my system. This month my flash nonfiction essay The Day I Got My Life Back was published in the literary journal Under the Gum Tree. In my lithography class, I signed out the largest stone in the studio-32x24 and will put some image on there. Today, I submitted a grant application to Mass Cultural Council. So, the art/writing thing is going strong.

To celebrate my birthday, I am having a sale. All prints are 42% off to celebrate me being 42!

So, celebrate my birthday and buy a print!

HOLLADAZE SALE & New Work!!!

On December 5th all the work featured in my Gallery Shop will be 15% off. At checkout, use the promo code: HOLLADAZE. Also, free shipping for any orders over $50 and the promo code is: FREESHIPPINGOVER50. So, give the gift of art!!!

Also, I am working on new stuff. Over the summer my Uncle Roger passed away. I still can't believe it. To deal with my grief I started drawing anatomically-correct hearts. From those drawings, I've started working on a series of litho prints and will most likely have them up in the new year. 

I hope everyone has a great HOLLADAZE!!!! 

SMFA Art Sale

Fall brings beautiful foliage, sweater weather, and the SMFA Art Sale!!! I have five pieces in the sale. Here is the link:

https://smfaartsale.tufts.edu/public_artistpage.php?ContactID=1961

 

Summer Summary

There are four more days left of summer and I am not ready for it to end. However, this summer has been eventful both personally and creatively. On a personal level, a painful moment (my uncle died on July 3rd) has been another lesson in our time is very limited and we must make every moment count. This has made me realize that I need to get my writing out there. No one is going to come and ask for it. So, this fall I will be on a submission frenzy. 

On a creative level, I had the opportunity to spend a week at the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, MA. This is a magical place. My first experience at the FAWC was in 2008 when I won the Walker Scholarship and took a life changing workshop with Robin Hemley. I attended two more summers taking workshops with Nick Flynn and Stephen Elliot. All three writing workshops have contributed to me slowly putting together a memoir collection. However, this summer was the first time I was awarded a scholarship to take a visual arts workshop with Bert Yarborough. This was life changing in a different way. I've always identified as a writer and feel confident in calling myself that. I am still not comfortable with the label of artist. Being awarded this scholarship made me feel a little more confident about calling myself an artist. 

Bert's approach to printmaking is a playful one. I really appreciated the freeness of the workshop. Below are some of the work I created:

 

Countdown to Summer

Things have been very busy. Somerville Open Studios was a great success. It was great to meet fellow art lovers/supporters and to sell some art. This year in collaboration with celebrating Somerville's 175th anniversary, Somerville Open Studios gathered its volunteers past and present for a group photo in the 2017 map. This year's Open Studio was focused on celebrating the city. I was lucky enough to have four art pieces displayed in three venues in Somerville.

"Two Definitions of a Black Woman" was displayed at the Somerville Museum for the Somerville Open Studios First Look Show.. "Roxy Grrrl" and "My Plus-Size Thoughts"  were displayed at Diesel Cafe for the Somerville Open Studios Volunteer Show. "Donut Selfies" was displayed at Union Square Donuts for The Donut Show. I have to say it was pretty cool to be a part of these three shows but also to be a part of celebrating the anniversary  of Somerville. I love this city!!!

 

Somerville Open Studios Volunteer Show

I am writing this blog post while on vacation in Miami, FL. I got to spend time with my sister's family and spend much needed time with an old friend. I also got to peruse Duval Street in Key West. As much as I would like to spend another week here, I have to make my way back to Somerville to prepare for Open Studios. Here are some key dates to see my work and the work of other Somerville artists

Volunteer Show: Opening Reception Wednesday, April 12, 6-8 p.m.

Exhibit on View: April 10-May 12, 2017

Somerville Open Studios: May 6th & 7th Go to www.somervilleopenstudios.org for more info.

 

Welcome to ToriWestonWriterArtist.com

Welcome to my website. My hope for ToriWestonWriterArtist.com is to share my writing and artwork as well as highlight artist and writers I am obsessed with. My Shop is still a work in progress but I will soon have limited prints for sale. Also, I will add a Media section that will include my RAW Artist video with sound, links to published works, and websites I love. 

Thank you for checking out my site. 

Tori