a “duplex” is a poetic form, created by jericho brown. it’s a poem of couplets (stanzas with only two lines) that grows off of itself, where the first line of each next couplet mirrors the previous line (the last line of the couplet before it) and then the last line of the couplet introduces a new idea or image. the very first and very last lines of the poem mirror each other as well. [i know hat could be confusing to be explained with no context, so check out the link and maybe read my description while going through the poem??]
while poems often involve a journey, my favorite duplexes from jericho display movement , or makes its intention moving closer to somewhere possibly more vulnerable or more honest. this feature of movement is what inspired me to attempt the form. (p.s. i’m not sure if the form has to be indented in this way, i just replicated his structure here to learn the form.)
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lightning flashes before my eyes can adjust
i’ve got too much white in my eyes
a static blade gathers iris and tongue
time be going by so fast
minutes turn into echo chambers of gravel and salt so quickly
learn, unlearn, learn — splinter on
petal open to get to the truth
every step i’ve taken has been to find myself
there are so many roads to get to the self
i study my veins in winter trees
the bloodrush means we existed
the heart beats, sends lightning before i can ask why
I’m not going to lie, getting inspiration for writing and art these past few weeks has been especially difficult. I could not really give you a proper reason either if you were to ask me why. It seems that with the monotonous ebb of school and combined with mundane life, I have felt removed from my creative side, something which disturbed me greatly when I realized what was happening. So, to try to make my way back slowly into the marvelous world of creation and art, I thought that this week I would dive into a few of my favorite mediums, styles, and techniques that I use in my own work. Enjoy!
Her Majesty
As I discussed in one of my first few posts on my column, I grew up scouring over the work of my favorite artists, trying to replicate them detail by detail. I got my start through observation and replication. However, as I grew older and came into my own, it pained me that I did not have a distinct “style” of art that I could call mine. I didn’t have a mode of creation that was unique and original to me. It wasn’t until later on in high school that I truly found the mediums that I could get lost in, a style of creating that felt most representative of me.
I like to say now that I am a “mixed media artist”, that I don’t limit myself, and that I like to use a bit of everything. For me, this means using a mixture of ink, watercolor, and gold/silver leafing. Though I never hold myself back from trying different mediums of art such as oil paint, pastel, printmaking, and diluted henna even, I feel that this combination has provided me with a wide arena of freedom that is almost liberating while not going too crazy.
I am a person that likes form and structure, that’s the scientific part of my brain really coming into play, the same reason that abstract art and avant-garde material tend to upset me greatly. However, being able to create a distinct shape and line structure with ink and pen and then using watercolor, a characteristically loose medium, overtop provides such a cathartic release. If one were to look at the art I have done where I use this combination of mediums, he or she would notice that I love to use circles as well, especially concentric or overlapping circles of different sizes. I don’t have an explanation for this per se, but if I were to gander, I think these small carefully lined-out details give my work some more verisimilitude, some extra authenticity, and interest while adding an element of control and brevity (if such a word can be used to describe art).
Birds of a Feather
I use a lot of these methods in one of my favorite pieces I have ever done, American Dhulan. I also have two small corresponding studies that I did call Her Majesty and Birds of a Feather that really solidified this combination as my favorite. These were very simple pieces that I did on the back of a handmade book because I was bored one day and felt a deep yearning to paint. But I truly believe that it was because of these two drawings that I really found my favorite style of art, something that I love employing in many of my pieces now. The cautiously rendered forms with the smokey overlays of color seem to combine both sides of me perfectly. The streaks of leafing work alongside the circular accents and pops of white create an amalgamation of symbolic aspects of myself.
I love diving into the unique styles and forms of many artists. I thought that it would be interesting to share one of my favorite vehicles of creation with you all this week! If you have not tried laying down a puddle of the right watercolor and lightly blowing to create a beautiful splatter of paint, I highly recommend you try it! As I say every week, if anything that I discussed in this post stands out or if any questions arise please feel free to comment and share your thoughts.
For Athena,
Daughter of the Pearl,
Nectarines with a tinge of nepotism
Death by stasis
A lychee martini,
A wheel of Brie,
Cross stitched denim with a need to please
I remember being fourteen,
Middle parted hair,
Inexplicable growths
Up and down my arms
I remember Chester, and Molly
And these schoolyard games,
Where we measured
Who could stick their tongues the farthest
I remember Molly
And her clementine charm
Bracelets stamped with
Repercussions
Her father called her names,
On Saturdays and weekdays
Sunday’s remained
Reserved to the Lord
I remember Chester,
Splintered wrist, cabbage patch kids
Leather studded jacket
A smoldering look he reserved
Only for the girls
I remember his possessions
Me, included
For everything in the world, he owned
But in the end, he valued nothing
Hello everyone! I’m Dominic Manzo, a self-taught guitarist and musician. The video above is the first installment in my series titled “Laying Down the Sound.” In it, I introduce my intention behind the series. Namely, my goal is to illuminate the creative process behind my original songs; I’ll begin with each song’s starting point — a riff or chord progression — and work my way to its completion. The video serves also as the first episode of this series focused on my song “Colored Balloon,” which can be found on my YouTube channel (Mr.TheDom) and under my full name on Bandcamp. In this video, I touch on the development of the song’s fundamental chord progressions and vocal melodies. With “Laying Down the Sound,” I look forward to sharing my musical process with the viewer, and I have a feeling that I will come to better understand it myself. My hope is that my experience with writing and recording can be in some way beneficial to others who create or desire to create music. Thank you for watching and I hope you enjoy!
