The human body
is a star.

Perfect in our
fiery solitude,
how can we be
surprised
by the broken
orbits,
the suddenly
motherless
planets drifting,

after we attempt
a simple kiss?

There are only
two possible
conclusions.

By Kasmira Barrett

The first line of this poem is really struck me-”the human body is a star”.  To relate the core of a human body as a fiery independent ball intrigues me. Really what it made me focus on is desire, longing, even lust.  The poem suggests some kind of relationship between two individuals. The crouching figure is the main focus. It’s breath suggests dim warmth among a cold composition. I see the other figure poking its head out from a newspaper lying on the couch. Also see building and nature emerging between them, creating an emotional and physical distance between the two figures.

Even the Earth

By Hale Hefetz

All other words
Vanished on sight.

And in the quiet
grew other words
words that were more than words
murderous words
sharp stabs
feelings
of floating
falling
burying

of limbs
severed
disconnected
of stamens
gleaming and ready
ripped from the base
of their nests,
unfinished
and wasteful

I buried your word
the one
which is a marked grave
It says
“Here lies”
and it is empty inside
And all other things refuse
to lie under it.

Even the earth itself
Says:
I will not rest you.
And through the shape of a man
is the sky
And in this space
there are no hats
no gloves
and no man at all
only a door
through which
another man walks through.

By Jay Dom

I am an old oak tree,
The summer’s greens have faded.
Youth has traded its energy
and surrendered to life’s breeze.
This is evident in my leaves,
the ones that fall with every gust.
Succumbing to life’s tease,
Now brown and bare is this old oak tree.
Fly sweet leaves of memories,
ride the breeze with no care.
Leave me here, a victim of the seasons,
To leave for youth you have all reasons.
I succumb to the growing cold,
I can no longer provide any life.
I find with time my mind grows old
and loses grip with each leaf that falls.

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The day the flag sounded like
a sail ripping on its hinges
I chain smoked a pack of cigarrettes.

There was contempt in her eyes
When I came home

As if I should’ve known
All of those things
that lie beneath
the break wave.

I saw a woman looking into her own future. ” The Break Wave” pictures a woman uncomfortably pondering the consequences of the inevitable. The voice from this poem  speaks vaguely about stress and it creates anticaption for future events.

It specifically states distress,  “a sail ripping on its hinges”  for example which sets a speed to the emotions I fell from the poem. I think about the amount of windpower required to  to rip a sail.

Flooding  also came to mind which is a huge theme in my current my work. Flooding is present in this piece in the top right corner of the painting.  There is a window that is flooding mutilple substances in the background. You can see an open window door on the left top side of the piece.

Read more about flooding here (link soon to follow)

The Sea had it
out for Charlotte.

Jealousy is Nature
second-nature,

and did you know
that disasters
are no mere
mindless stab
nor an Act of God
(there is no god),

but rage and envy,
and almost always
love, because it hurts.

Squares or diamonds
it’s all a matter
of perspective,

but the Wave
was brilliant
in the Sun!

And diamonds were
what caught her.
Too Helenic, and after
a day on the feet,
had thought the sea
her mother.

There should be
a better word
for drowning;
heavier than
thirst.

By Kasmira Barrett

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This painting is based off a poem by Kasmira Barrett.

I first saw a figure inside of a boat as I was sketching for this piece.  The poem is about a female named Charlotte. I don’t really believe the poem is about water or literally being at sea- its more about feeling things are slipping out of a control- to the point where you’re drowning.

I started to think about how I felt in Charlotte’s shoes.  It left me still as I normally feel with anxiety – a uncontrollable rush. Ironically the end results I fell is about the point of Charlotte’s clarity, or close to it. The point where the waves have slowed.

“that disasters are no mere mindless stab…but rage and envy, and almost always love, because it hurts.”

Kasmira’s words are often harsh and vulernable at the same time. I related those feelings to a lot of the characters I create. Each painting helps me change the defintion of my art’s purpose, however weather it be through someone else’s perspective or my own- all of my art is about exspoing my own true feelings.

In this case I interrupted thirst for control

“There should be a better word for drowning; heavier than thirst.”

A Better Word For Drowning became the title for this reason.  Even after separating the poem from the end result, the painting is focused on the same thing-the struggle. The figure is deteriorating while he holds himself together. Holes have ripped in his clothes and flesh but he remains resilent to opposing exterior forces. With the touch of a hand, an  external grey figure has stilled the mind of the main figure.

The number six is my lucky number. It has appeared in my personal life many times. After recently releasing this material, someone asked me about the bible.

“God created man on the sixth day of Creation.”

I don’t believe that was my original intention considering my knowledge of the bible is very lacked. However I enjoy the reference. It relates in a sense that this is about a rebirth of soul in a way. An eagerness to rise above.

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“Apparition”

For her

now with someone
Else between the sheets
Awkward,
And unfamiliar

Viewing it all
As a spirit
Hovering
above

And I,

As if at the
scene of an accident

stemming the blood flow

to keep the soul
from leaving the body.

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Faith became the main theme for this drawing.  I started drawing a praying figure to show stillness. The mere act of praying requires you to control your body and mind and put it at a pause. I wanted the figure and the birds swirling above to be made of the same material. The idea of fibers from a bird’s feathers hardening as they touch bone really intrigued me.  I believe showing that multiple bodies that are formed by the same matter ultimately brings the separate species closer together spiritually. Together they share a consciousness.

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It continues the visualization of one of the many themes I have reoccurring in my work. The concentration needed to “pause the soul”. This pause is a deep concentration that allows to sort through present, past and future consequences.

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I believe the sacred bond between marriage is something that is mutual and empathic but also individualistic. It takes your own strength as an individual to bare everything to another  including trust , love and faith. This is in a sense to become apart of the same material.

What I am looking for: In short, written out words. Mainly I am looking for written works that are original and unpublished. It could be a poem, letter, conversation, short story, series of dialogue- anything you might want to send me. I am very open to any kind of material you might want to send me for my painting efforts.

What about protecting my writing?: If you have any personal preferences about me showing your writing on the web, at a gallery or show just let me know. I want to protect the integrity of your work.

Are you looking for other artists to collaborate with?: Yes, if you’re an artist- painter, illustrator, sculptor, video, photography, whatever your medium- And you’d like to join the project. Please contact me. I’d love to learn about how we can continue to make the poems project bigger. I learn so much from other artists.

How can I contact you?: If you’re interested on working together or just want to make some comments, please feel free to do so below in the comments section. If you’d like to email me. Please email johnnystackart@gmail.com

I am your Higher Power. Today I will be handling all your problems. Please remember that I do not need your help.

If life happens to deliver a situation you can not handle, DO NOT attempt to resolve it, kindly put it in my In-Box. It will be addressed in my time, not yours.

Once the matter is placed in the box do not hold onto it or attempt to remove it. Holding onto it or removal will delay the resolution of the problem. If yours is a situation that you think you are capable of handling, please consult me in prayer, to be sure it is the proper resolution.

Because I do not sleep or slumber, there is no need for you to lose any sleep. Rest my child. If you need to contact me, I am only a prayer away.

Love,

Your Higher Power

This poem is by an annoymous author. In fact I don’t have an official title for it. I call it Higher Power. My friend and co worker Tanya Bissell gave me the poem. Its a poem that her father gave her after he found it on a bulletin board. When I track the path of how I got this poem and many directions it probably traveled I realized how strong the words really are.

This is the first piece in my poems series, it began it all. I always paint spontaneously however this was the first time I was able to reference a literary piece during the creating of the painting. It wasn’t really intentional to paint this subject however during the process I saw a box of tears. Then thought about the poem and re read it. Eventually, it just happened.

I see a figure pushing the tears flowing out of his body, secreting the worries from his mind and submerging his fibers into a box. I believe this shows the struggle of capturing such a moment, to attempt to literally force as all your worries into a box. I see the slow exit of liquid dripping down his body. This is the moment before relief.

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This piece is called “Settling in the Paralyzing Swamp” that’s part of my series called “The Horrors of Adulthood.”

The paintings intent is to display a humorous satire on the feelings of “falling into daily routine”, “settling down” or feeling stuck. The series “The Horrors of Adulthood” is focused on the feelings of overwhelming responsibilities  as you become an adult. This particular piece is loosely based on buying a house, the sinking feeling of  squatting. The figure is paralyzed as if he is slowly drowning.

Size- 8ft x 4ft