Art Requires Us to Live Life and Respond Accordingly

by Paul Seiple

that recently debuted in London.”

Marie had a mental health crisis in 2019. She survived suicide and was in rehabilitation for nearly two months. “I was forced to confront my situation. I realized most of my happy memories took place when I was creating something—anything. So, the way I figure it, I make art o survive.” Her focus is on art activism. “My work unites my social responsibility as an artist, environmentalist, and woman,” she added.

For Marie, the creative process is continuous. She finds artistry in daily walks and conversations with strangers. “I believe art requires us to live life and respond accordingly, so I’m constantly observing and frequently inspired by the unlikeliest things; a plastic bag in the wind or a little girl twirling in a floofy skirt,” she added.

“Individuals who serve their communities through their skill sets” influence Marie and give her hope. “Whether you’re an organizer of a weekly walking group, the founder of an arts center, or a food truck vendor, you have a platform available to inspire.”

During her residency, Marie plans to expand on the “fashion from trash” concept by using recycled materials and fashion history to “combat current events.” An article on the political significance of hoop skirts is inspiring the project. “Basically, the bigger the hoop skirt, the more influential the woman. As an art activist and woman witnessing world events, the concept of taking up space really resonated. I want to empower women worldwide to take up space, so I’m creating a series of hoop skirts with recycled materials that make sound with movement so self-identifying women can march down the street, take up space and make HOOPLA.”

She hopes the recycled materials used will “provoke viewers to reconsider, reuse, and recycle. It’s amazing what you can make with a soda can or water bottle.”

As Marie’s art has evolved, her “voice has gotten louder and more apparent in my work over time.” She found a craving for ownership of her work while experimenting with self-portraiture that she enjoys exploring. “I’ve had people tell me they knew an image was mine before looking at the watermark, and that makes me really excited.”

For those interested in watching Marie work, her studio at Vantage is open on Saturdays from 10am to 4pm. The public is encouraged to come out, ask questions, and view the art process. Marie added, “I have really enjoyed these open studios thus far and will be here until the end of June, so please stop by.”

In the short time, Marie has been in Danville, she has loved getting to know the community. “I often keep my studio door open, and some of the coolest people (and dogs) have wandered in.”

For more information about Perrin Marie, visit her at www.theperrinmarie.com.

IChances are you’ve known a writer who you appreciate, a writer who, if you could, you’d like to ask about their writing. Fortunately, I have a friend who is a published poet, a fine writer who teaches doctoral students in creative writing at the Union Institute and University. For too brief a time, Dr. Carol Barrett was my mentor.

What follows are my questions and her answers.

Barry Koplen: When did you know you wanted to be or happened to be a writer?

Dr. Carol Barrett: I was in my early thirties, looking for a way to encourage widowed women in their grief, and went to see a writer on the campus where I was teaching in Kansas to see if she would work with me on an anthology of poetry.

BK: Was there a story you wanted to tell?

CB: My first public reading was at the funeral for my grandmother, who lived to be 100 years and eight days. She knew about goals!

BK: Did anyone inspire you to be a writer?

CB: My first mentor introduced me to many contemporary poets; each one influenced me as I tried to emulate their work.

BK: When did you know whether you wanted to write prose or poetry?

CB: I fell in love with poetry; only later did I realize that, if I wrote true stories, they could be considered creative nonfiction, even if they began as poems.

BK: Were you inspired by another