Interviewer: Anthony Andujar Jr
Interviewee: Lexis Glover
Welcome everyone to the latest digital text episode of Artist Ant Interviews People Summer Sessions. Today I have a special guest that is a fantastically superb painter and artist in every sense of the word. Lexis Glover is a painter, and an artist at heart that thrives and continues to grow in her craft. Thankfully she was able to make time despite her busy schedule to answer the kinds of questions that I ask of all my fellow creatives. She is one artist to keep an eye on, so without further ado, here we go!
Q0. Who are your inspirations?
LG: I often find it trivious to pinpoint who my inspirations are because I feel like I derive inspiration from almost anything that crosses my path and adheres to my conscious. But I will say that on a consistent basis, I am inspired by the honesty and vulnerability of Frida Kahlo’s self portraits, the words of wisdom and intellect from Dr. Maya Angelou’s poetry and anecdotes, and the investigative quality of Marina Abramovic’s performance Art.
Q1. How did you get into art?
LG: For me, art has always been a defining part of my life, in many forms. I see it as this timeline of interests. From childhood to present day, I love writing poems and short stories. My older sister used to draw comics and watch anime and I developed an interest in both through her. I remember when I was a kid, I used to draw little comics about my family and I used to run around the house doing interpretive dances driving my family crazy while they were trying to watch TV. When I was in highschool I started to practice piano, and I developed a strong interest in film because to this day, that is how my father and I bond. So I learned how to write screenplays and my idea was that I was going to become this film director.
I've written probably a total of 5 screenplays by then. Beyond that point, I went through a very distressing period of homelessness for about three years and I used my sketchbook and any piano I could find to cope until I got on my feet. When I went to the registration office at LaGuardia Community College, I went with the intention of majoring in Music Recording Technology. The advisor had informed me of the expenses of that program and I certainly couldn't afford it. I was disappointed that I had to find a different major but then she suggested that I sign up for Fine Arts since I was creative and dabbled in pretty much everything. After that, all it took was my first drawing class to reel me in to visual arts. To this day I can't explain it, but the atmosphere whispered to me that I belong here.
Q2. When did you take art seriously?
LG: I've always taken art seriously because I've always had a poetic, and somewhat dramatic, perspective on life.
Q3. What drives you in your daily life?
LG: What drives me in my daily life is having a sense of purpose. Realizing that I, just like everyone else, have a divine calling to use our experiences to contribute or serve in one way or another.
Q4. What made you the person that you are today?
LG: I think my adversities, mistakes,life lessons, and that driving force of passion within me has molded me into the person that I am today. I think I am influenced by the stories of the wise and wonderful people I have encountered who have guided me into recognizing my strengths.
Q5. If you could speak to any living creator or inspiration, who would it be, why, and what would you talk to them about?
LG: I would want to have a conversation with Marina Abramovic because I feel like we have a similar outlook on human reflection. A lot of people have found her performances to be disturbing, and some people to this day still have a negative outlook on performance art but I actually find it quite comforting simply because i see someone bold enough to use their body as a mirror, reflecting humanity. She is now I believe 72 years of age, and I think there's a lot to learn from her career and overall life. I consider my artwork an investigative tool into the human experience and spirituality. Her performance art reflects that as well, showing herself in spaces that inflict pain, discomfort, stillness, and meditation. I would want to talk to her about how her life has molded her into a performance artist since she is one of the pioneers of this modern medium. I also would want to talk to her about the importance of physically experiencing tangible spaces in this digital era. Is this era of technology helpful or harmful to us, or is it perfectly balanced?
Q6. If there were any deceased creators , actors, singers, writers, etc that you would want to speak to, who would it be, and why?
LG: I would want to speak to Dr. Maya Angelou first and foremost to thank her for the legacy that she has left behind for my generation and the generations that follow. I recognize her writing to be insightful into the human experience as well. She has always talked about how her mind worked in different stages of her life and offered perspective on matters of empathy that I think we all should take into consideration. At some point of everyday I can hear a quote from her in my brain and it sometimes shifts the narrative of the day. I remember her mentioning that legacy is not what you physically leave behind, but it is how you have affected people.
“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel” -Dr. Maya Angelou.
Q7. If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go?
LG: I would want to travel to Iceland just because of how beautiful their landscapes are.
Q8. What is one thing that you fear?
LG: I fear anything that would put my loved ones in danger.
Q 10. If you had a superpower what would it be and why?
LG: I want to be the next Avatar lol, master of all four elements, because I have a strong connection with nature and I favor the idea of using Tai chi to control Water, Earth, Fire and Air.
Q11. What catches your attention when you meet people?
LG: When I meet people I am drawn to their eyes. I know it sounds cliche, but I truly believe the eyes are the windows to the soul. If you look deep enough into them, no lie can be supported.
Q12. What is one word of advice that you would impart to your younger self?
LG: I would tell my younger self not to let people who don't understand her, define who she is. Keep an open mind to growth but don't believe people who label you as crazy because you are unique and troubled sometimes. You will grow, and you will learn how to just get better at being yourself.
Q13. What are three books that you always remember or return to, and why? How did they shape you?
LG: Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, has impacted me not because the title suggests making a lot of money, but because it teaches me about self discipline, and puts me in a positive mindset to turn my ideas into a reality. The 48 Laws of Power, by Robert Greene offers me perspective on daily interactions and also serves as a means of guidance to my goals and aspirations. The Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine Aron is interesting because it talks about the psychological and genetic makeup of the modern Empath. The book offers self tests and helps connect the reader’s childhood, and overall life experiences with the way we process our thoughts and instinctive emotions.
Q14. If you could continue or remake a movie, or franchise, what would be your film of choice ?
LG: I would definitely remake The Last Airbender movie that was directed by M. Night Shyamalan. As a big fan of Avatar: The Last Airbender, I was deeply disappointed by the film because I felt like the characters were not cast accurately and it felt like the writers were trying to squeeze everything from Book One into about 90 minutes, so the film didn't really catch the importance of the characters as it pertained to the story.
Q15. If you were to make a film, novel, or comic book based on an album, what album or artist would you pick?
LG: I would want to make a comic based on the Queen Of the Damned Soundtrack. The Queen of the Damned Soundtrack was composed by Johnathan Davis, vocalist for one of my favorite bands, Korn. I just found the music on the soundtrack so beautiful and appealing to the modern gothic. It reflected the pain of a Vampire, Lestat, who wanted to live amongst humans peacefully, and grew weary of the secluded, lonesome life of a vampire in hiding. The music is sultry, dark, passionate, with elements of rock, electronica, piano and strings.
Q16. Who In this life, has motivated you to stay true to what makes you who are?
LG: My friends, my family, my professors and colleagues in school who I have adopted as my art family. Everyone has encouraged me to embody my strengths when I have doubted my own potential and I am immensely grateful for the sense of community I have embraced in the last few years.
Q17. Where do you hope to see yourself in five years?
LG: In the next five years, I hope to see myself working towards, or finishing my Master’s degree, becoming an Art Therapist, actively exhibiting my art, and raising awareness and solutions to the epidemic that is homelessness in New York City.
Q18. What are three albums or songs currently, that you listen to on repeat? And why?
LG: When I listen to music sometimes I can hear or see specific colors in my head. Right now, Im listening to Evanescence self titled album Evanescence(2011) on repeat because it feels both empowering and soothing. When I close my eyes and listen to this album I think of the ocean, I envision wind blowing amongst the tides, under grey skies in the morning, and the stillness of stars under the night sky. I think of the colors Blue, Deep Purple, Teal, and White.
Another Album I have on repeat is Asylum(2010) by Disturbed because the intensity of the album puts me in a creative mood where I just want to reflect everything that I am feeling. I also love the title of the Album as it has two meanings and represents the duality of the subject matter on the album. I remember watching the vocalist David Draiman explain how during the composition of the album he had endured tragic things in his life like the miscarrage of his unborn child and more. The word Asylum can be interpreted in two ways. Asylum means a place where a person can seek refuge and protection, and then there's the mental institutions which are not as comforting but a dark prison of the mind.
Third, a song that I have on repeat is “Too Late” by the band Dead by Sunrise, lead by the late and great vocalist Chester Bennington, who is known from the band Linkin Park. I have no words for it except that it’s just a really good song about not being able to turn back to the way things once were.
Q19. What color speaks to you the most and why?
LG: The Color that speaks to me the most is Blue. Especially the shade of Blue that is specifically derived from the Lapis Lazuli Crystal. I connect with this color because it is meditative, soothing, and it reflects spiritual significance in ancient civilizations including Ancient Egypt. It is also used to portray two of my favorite goddesses, Nut and Kali. Any time I encounter this color in large quantities, I immediately feel its vibration. It is one of my favorite colors to paint with.
Q20.What's one thing that you're proud of?
LG: One day my mother told me that she was proud of me because regardless of whatever obstacle I am faced with I always find a way to make it better, even when there aren't many resources and that even when I fall down, I always pull myself back up and move onward. That really stuck with me when she said that and it reminds of my strengths every time I am faced with obstacles.
Q21. What is a mantra that you tell yourself?
LG: My mantra is simply reminding myself to breathe. We tend to think clearer and make better decisions when we are breathing properly.
No comments:
Post a Comment