Deaf Culture Project and Not Completed

I am currently working on this mixed-media artwork that focuses on deaf culture. It is untitled as of now, for it is not completed yet. I am going through a challenge to figure out what else to add to the piece in order to make it become more completed.

As of now, I had a transparent print out of the lips. I used an empty clear plastic package that was for Eclipse black curtains I bought for my living room. I found a plastic bubble wrap. I folded the bubble wrap and slid that into the clear plastic package. I then zipped it up close. I used some clear strong glue at the corners on the back of the image of the lips and attached it onto the the clear plastic package. I poked the top left and right sides of the package and slid a fish thread through the holes. I then slid the thread through the holes of the grey plastic frame above the lips on package. I then tied the thread into a knot behind the package. It now holds the thing, hanging beneath the top of the frame. I then just glued the silver fabrics and taped the grey duct tapes on the frame.

That is it. I am stuck as of now with what else to do. I will need to add more duct tapes or fabrics on the frame. I will need to think of something that go behind the lips on package and frame. I then will have to figure out how to hang it as well.

This artwork conveys the message about deaf/hard of hearing people having difficult experiences upon reading the lips. That is the reason why I glued the words reading, "Threw a birthday." It doesn't make sense and apparently tells you that it could be a guess of what the lips said.

"Bones" in Jim Cohn's Napalm Helath Spa Site

My poem titled "Bones' is uploaded into Jim Cohn's Napalm Health Spa site. The site has well-known poets such as Anne Waldman, Peter Orlovsky, and more. I am very humbled to be in that site along those poets.

To see my video of "Bones" and other poets' work, go click on this site address:

http://www.poetspath.com/napalm/nhs10/index.html

You may need to scroll down until you find Eddie Swayze and "Bones" , then click on it to see my work.

Enjoy the site and spread the word to others.

"Come On and Then Pump It" Video/Electronic Music

I am showing you one video/electronic music work that I created for Rochester Institute of Technology's RIT Imagine Innovation+Creativity Festival, which was shown on May 1st, 2010.

This original composed trippy techno-house electronic music with original wild, crazy video were done in GarageBand (a music software) and iMovie (a video software) in Mac. In this video you're going to see, it does not show my ASL translations of poems at all. The only words that are spoken is the phrase saying, "Come on and then pump it!". This spoken word came from a free downloading sound effects site in the Internet. Like Bjork, a well-known Iceland electronic singer, she downloaded many sound stuff from the Internet and used them in her music. I said to myself, "Why can't I do that?" and so I did.

This is my favorite piece of work, for it turned out the most difficult project ever done. It was a challenge to try to match the video to the music. Many times, it didn't work out and I banged my head against the wall several times. Well, I did the best I could with this project.

I will present this music/video and other music/videos along my ASL poetry at NYC for Interborough Repertory Theatre (IRT). They will have D.E.A.F. Festival during the first week of June. I will be one of the performers on June 5th, Saturday. I will inform you all the exact time, location, cost if there is a ticket or charge to get in, and so on as soon as I get the information from IRT.

Enjoy this video.

Eddie Swayze (WildPoet)

"Interactive ASL Poetry", RIT Imagine

On May 1st, 2010, I will perform my ASL poetry in a high-tech approach for RIT Imagine Innovation and Creativity Festival 2010. It will start at 11 A.M. at the Golisano Building in the auditorium. This event is free to the public.

I will translate my original poems into ASL (American Sign Language) as my original composed electronic music is played. My voice will be heard, reading the poems, in the electronic music. At the same time, my original videos will be projected behind me on stage, which will relate to the poems. This kind of approach allows English and ASL poetry to coexist, which offers the deaf/hard of hearing and hearing audience a chance to appreciate simultaneously.

This is my biggest and challenging project I have ever done. I had to take the time to work on the music, videos, and English/ASL poems daily, which tells me that this is a lot of work ever done for me.

If any of you are in the Rochester, NY area, please spread the word and come on over to see the unique performance. RIT Imagine Innovation and Creativity Festival 2010 is a third annual event that showcases RIT students, faculty, and staff's high-tech, experimental work. This event is an all day festival from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M.

Three Poems for ArtAwake

My three poems were selected to be presented for Rochester's upcoming ArtAwake event on April 10th. I am honored to become one of the performers at the event. I will perform these three poems in ASL (American Sign Language) on stage along a recorded voice of mine, reading the English version of the work.

Here are the three selected poems, copied/pasted, for you to read. Enjoy!




‘"Carpe Diem on 99 Court St."


The ongoing wild electricity zaps behind me like a blue sparkling whip slashing on my back. I whirl around like a dervish in the land of rebels. My emotion is raw with exotic, alluring hues pulling me into a rebellious sensation. I dance like a wild horse, surrounded by dry smoke and blinking strobe lights. My hair flies around in all directions, a discordant punk blur. My blood discharges its outcries, combined with sweat, masking my whole flesh. This energy is a whaling voice of Patti Smith. My soul explores into other dimensions. The musique la’ anarchie’ screams out loud. It's an ultimate protest against the hypocrites. I shall prick their skins with my red rose thorns and wake them up from their deep slumber.


"Cry For The Summer"

I cry for the summer.

Warm rain
Kisses my face.
Gentle wind
Caresses my hair.
Sweat soaks my shirt.
My bare-feet dance on grass-blades.

Enjoy neon-lit amusement parks.
Taste sweet cotton candies.
Feel car hoods hot under the sunlight.
Swim in water into the night.
Cool wind kisses my wet skin.

See jogging men without shirts in the sun.
Laugh at fur-laden dogs sticking their heads out of car windows.
March with pride on the city streets in rainbows.

I envy for the sun burn.
Listen for birds singing in trees.
Crave for flowers in colors.
Seek for some warm water under the sun.
Drive under the summer moon.
Wear only t-shirts and shorts during the night.

I cry for the summer.



“All Is a Swirl Of Love (String Theory and Bjork)”

Photons dance through
Space and Time
In pure abstractions.
Invisible energies
Jazz up everywhere
In micro size,
In macro size.
All is a swirl of love.

Just close your eyes and believe.
They are our seas.
They hug us in beams.
Keep us warm and deep,
Always ever changing.
Dimensions morph in and out.
All is a swirl of love.

Touch anything and you will know.
Search inside and you will know.
Vibrating strings are in you.
Stretch from you up to the sky.
Enclose you and the whole time.
Blanket you and us all into one.
All is a swirl of love.

There is no need to hate or kill.
We are entwined
In micro size,
In macro size.
All connected
By unseen strings
That hold us
Like knots and ropes.
All is a swirl of love

Performance for RIT Imagine innovation and Creativity Festival 2010

I am officially selected to perform my ASL poems along my original composed electronic music and videos for RIT Imagine Innovation and Creativity Festival 2010. My performance will take place at the Colisano Building in the Auditorium on RIT campus on May 1st, 11 AM to Noon. There will be many other students, faculty, and staff's innovative and creative work being presented all day from 10 AM to 5 PM that day and they are all free to the public.

My work will have my own videos that will relate to my poems as I perform along behind me on stage. My electronic music will be played along with my recorded voice in it as well. These three things: videos, ASL poetry, and electronic music will be all combined. This will be my biggest project ever done for my performance. I am honored to be accepted to present this performance for the big event.

Spread the word and come see my show and many others' cool stuff on May 1st at RIT.

"Soldier in Iraq"

This painting depicts a soldier in Iraq. Acrylic paint on canvas. 24x29

$200.00 with 20% off

"Crucified Christ"

"Crucified Christ" was painted back in 1991. Acrylic paint on canvas. 24x29

$200.00 with 20% off

I created a new business card for my visual and performing arts career. I used InDesign software to create this. It will be printed out and cut, ready to be distributed to anyone I will meet. Took lots of time and faced challenges to figure out how to make it look good. The light colored squares at the left area of the card are the same that came from my promo package. They fit along my promo a bit.

"Robust Woman", 22x27, $200.00 at 20% off.
























"African Woman", 24x43, $350.00 at 20% off













I realized that I do not have digital photos of the two paintings that are hung on the walls in my living room. Only in old slides made a while ago. So, I decided to take the photos of the 2 artwork and post them up in this blog. They are old artwork during my undergraduate studies at RIT during 1994-1995. One is "African Woman" and the other one is "Robust Woman". They are acrylic paint on canvas. If any are interested in purchasing the painting, let me know.

Promo Package

I created a visual art and performing art promo package in InDesign software in my computer. I used the templates that were available in InDesign and picked one. I then changed the style and so on, then added jpeg photos of my artwork and poetry performances, typed in the information about accomplishments, artwork titles, title of performance events, my contact information, and "Bones" poem. It took a lot of work and time to create this project. When I completed it, I distributed it to important networked people such as an Executive Director of Interborough Repertory Theatre (IRT) at NYC and many others.

If you're interested in getting my promo package in PDF file in full length, contact me by e-mail: wildpoet_1999@yahoo.com.

"Future" Painting with Black Light On

I took a few photos of "Future" painting in the dark with the black light turned on. The painting images glow below the light. I tried to capture the texts that are added on the mobiles and virtual reality glasses in front of an eye, but unfortunately it's hard to get them crisped clear in the dark with the camera. Here are the photos that I can capture.

The images are a hologram technology with a deaf person and hearing person communicating with each other, mobiles with texts on the screens, virtual reality glasses with texts in front of an eye, small and simple cochlear implant behind the ear, and a video-phone with a person in the screen and a person in front of the screen. In between, there is a head of a person with three hands signing, "Future". This painting conveys the message about current high technologies that enable deaf and hard of hearing people communicate with the hearing world and the possible future new technologies for the deaf and hard of hearing.

"Future" Painting with Words on VR Glasses and Mobiles

I finally found the time to type the words into a few sentences and printed them out on a clear acetate paper. I then cut them and used some strong clear glues to attach them onto a virtual reality glasses in front of an eye and the mobiles.

"Future" is a piece that displays the advancement of technologies that could enhance the deaf and hard of hearing people to become part of the world via communication capabilities, accessibility, and so on such as virtual reality glasses with words on the screen, hologram with sign language and words exchanged between a deaf person and hearing person, and etc.

There is a black light that is supposed to be attached to the very top of the whole piece, which is not there in the photo. The light makes the painting images glow in bright colors when turned on.

"Bones" is a poem about hearing loss and the beauty of that no different than the hearing capability. Translated it into ASL.

Enjoy!


“Bones”

Curved bones
In pure enamel
Deep inside
The ears,
Sea shells sing
Ocean waves
In micro-size.

Beautiful
As
They should be
Like
Organic ornaments opened
To absorb
The sounds.

Yet some are
Fractured,
The cracks
That
Cool, cut, crucify
Cacophonies’ magic.
The sounds
Are
Censured!

But beauty
Carries inside
Their ears.
Silence spreads smoothly.
Quiet as still water.
Calm as the moon.

My Performance for Def Meets Deaf Poetry Jam ll

I performed my two poems in ASL titled "Honeymoon" and "Nightlife" along my original composed electronic music at Lovin' Cup for Def Meets Deaf Poetry Jam ll on Feb. 6h 2010. My work turned out a success with the music and ASL poetry together, which I have been playing around for a few years since I began experimenting the idea. In the photos, you would notice my Mac laptop sitting on the tall chair on stage with the two speakers. The speakers are M-Audio system and it is connected to M-Audio device sitting below my laptop computer. This helps the speakers and my laptop communicate with each other without problems. The speakers are remarkable with sound quality and etc. The equipment costed almost $1,000.00, bought at House of Guitars downtown Rochester, NY. I use GarageBand software in my Mac computer to create the electronic music and the Mac's built-in microphone to record my voice when reciting my poems.

Here are two poems for you to read:

“Honeymoon”

A snow-white frosting
Hugs the lovers’ lips.
It turns into sugared butterflies,
Glistening under the sun.
Melt their wings,
Rested on their sweetened lips.
Rose-colored tongues taste
The honeyed flavor.

The moon turns gold at dusk,
Bathing the roses and the dews,
Ready for the night of romance.
The enraptured lovers gracefully
Walk out, rice-spilled.
Painted amber-colored by the moon,
They split for the rose-tinted paradise
Out on the outskirts of the town.

In their secret temple,
Honey drips, one by one,
Down to their flesh.
Red roses blossom
Around their ecstasy-filled minds,
High with saturated love.
Vanilla flakes flutter down to their bed,
Snow-like,
Rich enough to scintillate their tender hearts.

Stars shimmer above
And they glisten down to their eyes, starry-eyed.
The vines entwine them.
Dawn arises during their sleep.
Sweet lullabies sing in their slumbering dreams.
Sunlight warms their flesh,
Asking where the roses are.
Soon the roses open their petals
In their eyes, awakened.
A sweet taste still lingers on their lips
With a kiss, the truth of love glows between them.


"Nightlife"

Radiating rainbow halo hovered above DJ Jon Herbert's head.
Supersonic speeding electronic tunes bombarded our blood and bones in the crowd,
captivating our overnight dreams, ever lasting, ever amazed.

My inner spirit shimmered like a light that stays on through the night.
Moved my whole prudent presence, surrounded by the beauty of gay men
and free-spirited people, ever connected, ever new.

Pushed and pulled myself until all spun up through the glittery nightlife.
Friends and strangers wriggled and writhed beneath the majestic magical lights,
all bathed in brilliant rainbow hues, ever majestic, ever bright.

Wondered all always would I still dance when I become an old man?
Dreamed upon Andy Warhol whirling wildly among the dancing crowds at nightclubs,
an old man that didn't rock on the chair.
I shall sizzle and sashay with pride as long as I can in the rainbow lights,
ever blissful, ever sustained.

Dance through nightlife.
Dance through nightlife.

Def Meets Deaf Poetry Jam ll Flier

I took the time to create this flier for Def Meets Deaf Poetry Jam ll in PhotoShop. I got the book from the Internet and changed the style, composition, and so forth. I used PhotoBooth software in my Mac laptop and took a photo shot of my two hands. I then used PhotoShop to change the look. I then just put my hands and the book together and that was it. Simple and quick.

Def Meets Deaf Poetry Jam ll is the second performance event for this year. Last year, Def Meets Deaf Poetry Jam was a success. John Roche was the collaborator of the event last year. This year, he and I are collaborating, together, for this year. There will be deaf/hard of hearing performers and hearing performers taking turns on stage from 2-5 pm. There will be an open mic to follow for anyone who may want to jump on stage and do the skits. This event will be interpreted for the hearing and deaf audience.

Patrcik Graybill is a renown deaf actor/poet for years. He was one of the actors in NTD Theatre back in the 60's-70's. Reenah Golden and her group of teens were featured poets on HBO, doing the poetry jam, a few years ago. She will bring the group over to this event as well. Jeremy Quiroga is a well-respected artist, actor, and poet for many years. He was featured in Miriam Lerner's "The Heart of the Hydrogen Jukebox" film. Della Gorelick has been an amazing actress and performer for a long time since I discovered her acting role as a deaf survivor in Patricia Durr's "Meta" production. Luane Davis Haggerty is a singer, actress, and theater director for many years. She was a former co-founder of Interborough Repertory Theatre (IRT) in NY City and IRT is still running for more than 20 years. David Baughman is an active actor/performer at NTID theatre for a while and a truly amazing talent. Grace Flores is a well-respected poet in the city of Rochester and so is Lori Nolasco, well-known by many. John Roche is a poet and a professor at RIT's Liberal Arts department, teaching poetry.

Come, come on over and see the show. Spread the words.

Completed "LIttle Women" Lobby Display

I finally completed the largest lobby display I have ever done. Three 7 foot tall plywood boards, attached by hinges, are now standing in the hallway in Lyndon Baines Johnson Building at NTID (National Technical Institute for the Deaf). It took 3 people to bring this project out into the hallway, for it was heavy and awkward to carry.

The production is directed by Luane Davis Haggerty. "Little Women", originally written by Louisa May Alcott, will open on these days, free to the public:

Jan 21-23 at 7:30 p.m.
Jan 24 at 2:00 p.m.


Room 1510 Lab Theatre is a small theatre space with few seats available. Suggest to attend early to get the seats. Spread the word and come see the show.