Author Archive
The Legendary Out House Moans
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5.20: Inferno Texino Tribute to The Legendary Out House Moans What: ArtSpeak When: 6 pm Where: Mighty Fine Arts, 409 A North Tyler St. Hosted by: Steve Cruz In conjunction with Andy Don Emmons Exhibition Opening and Oak Cliff Visual Speedbump Tour |
Douglas Kearney @ the South Dallas Cultural Center
Who: Douglas Kearney
What: African Diaspora: New Dialogues with Douglas Kearney
Special Guests: Candy and Dallas Poetry Slam
Where: The South Dallas Cultural Center, 3400 S Fitzhugh Ave, Dallas, TX 75210
When: May 25, 2017, 7:30 pm
Hosted and Facilitated by Author Sanderia Faye, Winner, 2016 Wright / Hurston Award for Debut Fiction
Poet, performer, and librettist Douglas Kearney is the author of Fear, Some (2006), The Black Automaton (2009), which was chosen by Catherine Wagner for the National Poetry Series, Patter (2014), and Buck Studies (2016). Someone Took They Tongues (2016) collects several of his libretti. Mess and Mess and (2015) presents his writings on poetics and performativity. His work has appeared in a number of journals, including Poetry, Pleiades, Iowa Review, and Boston Review; and anthologies, including Best American Poetry, Best American Experimental Writing (for which he has also served as a guest editor), Wide Awake: Poets of Los Angeles and Beyond, The Breakbeat Poets, and What I Say: Innovative Poetry by Black Poets in America. He has received a Whiting Writer’s Award, residencies/fellowships from Cave Canem, The Rauschenberg Foundation, and others. Raised in Altadena, CA, he lives with his family in California’s Santa Clarita Valley. He teaches at CalArts.
Douglas Kearney will present recent as well as new poems and discuss his unique approach to poetic form and expression.
Please join us for what promises to be an exceptional evening.
Sanderia Faye is an award winning writer, born and raised in Gould, Arkansas. She is the author of Mourner’s Bench (University of Arkansas Press, September 2015).
About African Diaspora: New Dialogues:
Three years ago, WordSpace met with Vicki Meek, the Manager of the South Dallas Cultural Center. SDCC had recently helped us promote Nikki Giovanni’s appearance at The Kessler and we realized a deeper partnership and think tank might just be the thing to do. Dee Mitchell and Vicki came up with the title: African Diaspora: New Dialogues. From there, we partnered in thought with folks like Sanderia Faye and are honored to have brought some of the best of new writing by the brightest stars of African Diaspora artists. Highlights have included Chris Abani, Mitchell Jackson, and Vievee Francis. These are important writers we want you to know about!
As Vicki Meek retired from 20 years of service from her position as Manager of South Dallas Cultural Center, we are now delighted to enjoy the same level of excitement in working with new SDCC manager, Harold Steward, to collaborate and bring this profound series. Since its inception, thanks to local writer/educators, these writers have appeared Dallas schools offering meaningful visits and readings.
Sponsored by WordSpace and South Dallas Cultural Center
Special Thanks, Harold Steward and Vicki Meek
Cottonmouth, Texas and the History of Popular Music in Dallas: Echoes and Reverberations
Who: Cottonmouth, Texas and the History of Popular Music in Dallas
Special Guests: Cameron Ray and Bayleigh Cheek.
What: Echoes and Reverberations: An Evening of Storytelling and Songwriters
Where: The Kessler Theater, 8 pm
When: Friday, April 7
Tickets: $15 Prekindle
Writer and spoken word artist Jeffrey Liles (aka Cottonmouth, Texas) has been a part of the Dallas music community for over thirty years, as a musician, DJ, critic, promoter, and currently the artistic director at The Kessler Theater. On this particular evening he will attempt to tell the story of how popular music has defined the culture of the city, from the early days of historic venues like the Sportatorium, Longhorn Ballroom and Bronco Bowl, to the emergence of the punk rock scene at the Hot Klub and DJ’s, to the reclamation of the Deep Ellum neighborhood, and finally to where we are now. It promises to be as much a historical revelation as it is a storytelling adventure. Two younger emerging Texas songwriters will perform short sets beforehand–Special Guests: Cameron Ray and Bayleigh Cheek.
Other People’s Poetry: Adrienne Rich
What: Other People’s Poetry (OPP) Presents Adrienne Rich
When: Sunday, March 26, 2017, 4:00 pm
Where: Deep Vellum Books, 3000 Commerce, Dallas TX 75226
Curated by: Joe Milazzo
Other People’s Poetry is proud to present the poetry of Adrienne Rich. We will be reading the poems Rich wrote between 1974 (when she won the National Book award for her Diving into the Wreck) and 1977 and collected in The Dream of a Common Language.
Readers: Margaret Allyson / Bear the Poet / Fran Carris / V.P. Crowe / Logen Cure / Brenda Gaba / Megan Giesecke / A. Kendra Greene / Jean Lamberty / Andrea Luttrell / Joe Milazzo / Amanda Mitchell / Roberto Munguia / Gayle Reaves-King / Desmene Statum / Connor Stratman / Leah Teiger / Robin Turner / Bess Whitby
Copies of Rich’s The Dream of a Common Language will be available for purchase at the event, thanks to our co-sponsor and co-host Deep Vellum Books
Learn more at: http://www.oppoetry.com/
Paul Quigg @ ArtSpeak
When: Saturday, March 18
Where: Mighty Fine Arts, 409A N. Tyler St., 75208
What: ArtSpeak: In conjunction with his exhibition opening, WordSpace presents a rare musical perfotmance by Paul Quigg. Paul’s guitar wizardry is as formidable and enchanting as his photography. Be sure not to miss this chance to catch him play in the intimate gallery setting!
Mighty Fine Arts presents “Flotsam and Jetsam” featuring new work by Paul Quigg.
This show opens Saturday March 18 with a reception for the artist from 6-9pm and will run till Sunday April 30. Paul Quigg is a multi-talented savant with such a variety of skill sets he so casually harbors it seems almost unfair to those of us less gifted. He’s maybe most known for his musical ability and his sojourn in such legendary musical ensembles as The Nervebreakers, Vibrolux and Decadent Dub Team. For several years past he has commanded the sound board at the Kessler Theater where he has forged the audioscape that is the hallmark feature of the listening room there. And meanwhile between projects he has managed to master the art of photography and create an impressive body of work that he has finally managed to put together for exhibition. This is the first time out for Paul to show his work in a formal setting and the pictures he’s put together are lush and visually stunning. There’s a transcendent quality that resonates in his images that reflect a love of classicism and pure beauty. And perhaps that is part of his intent, to enhance the wonderous and defy the brutal.
Natalia Toledo Paz at Latino Cultural Center
Who: Natalia Toledo Paz
When: Wednesday, May 3, 2017, 7:30 pm
Where: Latino Cultural Center, 2600 Live Oak St, Dallas TX 75204
Admission is Free
WordSpace is honored to partner with Latino Cultural Center to host an evening of poetry, music and conversation.
Musical accompaniment by classical guitarist and composer Armando Monsivais and conversation with artist Sara Cordona will compliment Natalia’s performance. A post performance reception for the artist and book signing will follow the reading.
Natalia Toledo Paz has written four books of poetry and two of prose, all appearing in bilingual Isthmus Zapotec-Spanish editions. In 2004 she won the Nezahualcoyótl Prize, Mexico’s most prestigious prize for indigenous-language literature, for her book The Black Flower and Other Zapotec Poems (Phoneme Media). She has read her poetry around the world. Her work as a jewelry and clothing designer and chef reiterates the lively imagery of her poetry. She lives in Mexico.
Other People’s Poetry: Bob Kaufman
What: Other People’s Poetry (OPP) Presents Bob Kaufman
When: Sunday, January 29, 2017, 4:00 pm
Where: Deep Vellum Books, 3000 Commerce, Dallas TX 75226
Curated by: Joe Milazzo
WordSpace is pleased to announce the addition of OPP to its growing roster of sponsored programs. This repertory poetry reading series, created and hosted by WordSpace’s Program Director Joe Milazzo, is currently in its inaugural (2016 – 2017) season. Every other month, OPP presents one poet, and one book of great poetry, from cover to cover.
For its first program of 2017, Other People’s Poetry is proud to present the poetry of Bob Kaufman, one of the original Beat poets of the late 1950’s San Francisco scene. We will be reading his City Lights Pocket Poets volume, the long out-of-print Golden Sardine, alongside a few other poems from his New Directions collections Solitudes Crowded With Loneliness and The Ancient Rain.
Readers:
- Randy E. Aguebor
- Brett Ardoin
- Gayle Bell
- Greg Brownderville
- MH Clay
- Jolee Davis
- Jim Dolan
- Sean Enfield
- Daniel Evans
- Paul Koniecki
- Herb Levy
- Sebastian Mejia
- Joe Milazzo
- Misty Amber Moore
- Robin Myrick
- Mark David Noble
- Darryl Ratcliff
- Carlos Salas
- Opalina Salas
- Victory
- Gnadia Wolnisty
Copies of Kaufman’s Cranial Guitar (Coffee House Press), which contains Golden Sardine in its entirety, will be available for purchase at the event, thanks to OPP’s host and co-sponsor Deep Vellum Books.
Learn more at: http://www.oppoetry.com/
Book Club: Nicole Dennis-Benn’s Here Comes the Sun at Deep Vellum Books
What: Book Club Discussion, Nicole Dennis-Benn’s Here Comes the Sun
When: Thursday, January 26, 2017, 7:00 pm
Where: Deep Vellum Books, 3000 Commerce, Dallas TX 75226
Facilitated by: Sanderia Faye
Join WordSpace for a discussion of Nicole Dennis-Benn‘s newest book, Here Comes The Sun. We’re teaming up with Deep Vellum Books in January to highlight one of the New York Times‘ Best Books of 2016 and will discuss the text with award-winning debut author Sanderia Faye.
Praise for Here Comes the Sun:
“… [it] stuns at every turn, especially when you think you have it figured out. It’s about women pushed to the edge, Jamaica in all its beauty and fury, and, more than anything else, a story that was just waiting to be told.” (Marlon James)
“…a brilliant, gut-punch of a debut novel. Set on the white sand beaches, resorts and shacks of Jamaica, Nicole Dennis-Benn tells the story of four Jamaican women as they struggle to find their independence amidst the sprawling resorts that both provide and threaten their livelihood.” (Amazon)
“Sun makes for an emotionally devastating read, but Dennis-Benn nurtures her rocky terrain with generous amounts of love and compassion.” (Chris Vognar, The Dallas Morning News)
A Wordspace Salon with Greg Brownderville
When: January 19, 2017, 7:00 pm
Where: Salons are held in private homes, please RSVP to wordspace@wordspace.us
Hosted by: Sanderia Faye
WordSpace celebrates the release of Greg Brownderville’s third poetry collection, A Horse with Holes in It.
Greg is an associate professor in Dedman College at Southern Methodist University, where he also serves as editor of The Southwest Review. He is a great friend of WordSpace and in the past has participated in both our Pegasus Poetry Series and First Hearings at The Wild Detectives. We are delighted to give him this evening to himself.
Join us on January 19 for an evening of poetry, conversation, drinks, and food. Because WordSpace Salons are held in private homes, we ask that you rsvp to wordspace@wordspace.us to receive the address.
A Horse with Holes in It, published by LSU Press in the Southern Messenger Poets series, employs 
inventive phrasing and vivid imagery to construct a particular life marked by religion, confused by desire, dulled by alcohol, and darkened by death. But Brownderville also skillfully uses humor to soften the disquieting images that haunt these stanzas. Strange stories wind through these poems: Two method actors live as lovers in a war torn city and take the stage in an empty playhouse. A poet confesses to killing thousands of Arkansas blackbirds via folk magic. A preteen boy, deeply involved in an underground religion, is pressured into marrying a dangerous demon. Brownderville’s poems examine a soulscape wrecked almost beyond recognition and dig deeply through the ruins.
Lady B Smoove @ Dallas Poetry Slam
What: Dallas Poetry Slam Feature
When: Friday, January 20, 8 pm
Where: Heroes Lounge, 7402 Greenville Ave., 75231
Hosted by: SlamMaster, Candy
Admission: $5, WordSpace Members Free, but please RSVP
Lady B Smoove’s musical and inspired journey began in 2006 while hosting and performing at The Kaffe Coffee House in Dallas, Texas, alongside several phenomenal artists from the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex area. Since then, her poems and lyrics have been published in Voices of Poetry, Volume 4 and 5 by Regent Publishing. Her works have also been nominated for a Legacy of Success Foundation Award for Best Literary Works and a UBE Ally Award.
Since her start in this creative arts world Laby Bsmoove have shared the stage with the likes of Malcom Jamal Warner, Audacious IAM, Michael Guinn, Kevin Dupree, and many more; while featuring on stages from The Black Academy of Arts and Letters (Dallas, Texas), Dallas LGBT Pride Monthly Kick Off at City Hall and Dallas Pride Celebration (Dallas, Texas – 2012, 2013), Muse Theater (Dallas, Texas), Fahari Arts Institute (Dallas, Texas), The HeArt Series (Houston, TX), The Boys and Girls Club of Memphis (Memphis, TN) and many more. In 2010 Lady Bsmoove joinedforces with poet and spoken word artist Audacious IAM and went on tour, sharing her work throughout Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee and Georgia on The Southern Made Tour.
