“Love Songs for Friends” Published

On August 24, I published my third book of poetry. A two-month project, the poems in this collection are all about people significant to me. Some are friends, some are family, and some have passed away, but all of them have changed my life in positive ways.

From the brother by love but not by blood in “The Art of the Controlled Flame” to the musician who transformed my life in “Darkness Heralds Light”, the poems included in this collection are heartfelt tales of hope and belonging in a world where both can be hard to find.

You can find a copy here: Love Songs for Friends

All of my books can be found at: Lulu Shop

If you’d like to hear me perform an audio version of a poem from the book, click here: The Art of the Controlled Blaze

There will be a book release event at Pho Cao in Scottsdale, AZ on Wednesday, October 7, 2015 with a variety of bands, acoustic acts, and me performing poetry. Admission will be $5, or $10 to receive a copy of the new book as well. So far, Dissonance, Cassidy Alisa, and Darkness Dear Boy are confirmed as performers, and I’m waiting to hear back from Japhy’s Descent.

Hope to see you there!

TED Talks!

I have a bit of an obsession with TED Talks. I rarely watch television shows or movies, but I watch TED Talks almost every day. In their own words, TED is:

a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks (18 minutes or less). TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged, and today covers almost all topics — from science to business to global issues — in more than 100 languages. Meanwhile, independently run TEDx events help share ideas in communities around the world.

Here are five of my favorites.

Do you watch TED Talks? What ones do you like most? Do you have any recommendations for me? Feel free to comment with them. I’m always looking for new talks on any topic to watch.

Sidepony Express Music Festival: An Interview With Anamieke Quinn

Sidepony Express Music Festival played a large part in getting me to Bisbee, and in Bisbee Pride itself. It is also my favorite festival of the year, so I decided to interview Anamieke Quinn, one of the founders.

————

When is the next festival?

November 13-15, 2015

How long has Sidepony Express Music Festival been around?

This will be the 4th annual

What is your main goal or mission with Sidepony?

The primary mission of the Sidepony Express Music Festival is to stand up for artistic integrity while pushing independent artists to realize their potential and boosting the local economy of Bisbee. We want to highlight underrated artists and create a scenario where they can feed their passion and grow their businesses. We want to expose the musicians to the magical, inspiring town of Bisbee, and in turn, expose the good people of Bisbee to all kinds of new music. We want both Bisbee AND the greater independent music community to bond and flourish. We pride ourselves on finding diamonds in the rough and left-of-center talent. We like to watch them turn into polished gems and cult favorites.

Why did you pick Bisbee?

It is a magical place that has been part of my personal and professional history most of my life. At some point, I started inviting all my friends to come enjoy it too, in a way that made sense for them to justify the trip on their shoestring budgets. I care deeply about that town and its people, as much as I care about all of the musicians that are giving it their best shot out there. I felt they should meet. Since we were already operating the Sidepony Music promotion entity up in Phoenix and the first year was 100% Phoenix-based artists, we called it “Sidepony Express” because we were on the road at the point. I suppose we just refer to ’Sidepony’ as a noun now, though, in reference to the festival itself, which now goes well beyond AZ and includes musicians from all over the country, even international.

What do you like best about the festival?

My favorite part of the festival is the aftermath. I love watching all the connections that people make flourish throughout the year. Bands meet other bands, they tour together. Bands connect with venues, they come back and do their own shows. Bands make friends and fans in the area to support them, they write songs about their experiences there. Local residents tell me how happy they were to discover particular artists and how they listen to their albums and can’t wait for them to come back. The merchants and business owners of the area tell me how much they enjoyed the boost of business and how they can buy Christmas presents for their grandchildren and stuff. It’s pretty awesome.

How do you see Sidepony expanding in the future?

Bisbee is a tiny historic town, and we are already approaching its capacity when it comes to physical infrastructure and volume of visitors. However, each year we improve upon the last in other ways, and add new elements and textures to the overall event. The artist lineup is getting more competitive and while still underground, the caliber of performances is ever-increasing. We also continually get more diverse in our programming. Last year we added some hip-hop and metal acts, and who knows what may come next. Ultimately, we intend to be on the international music festival circuit map and become an annual destination event that is known for its high standards of artistic integrity.

How can people find out more and/or get involved?

It’s one of those things that people just don’t get until they’ve experienced it. Trust me, I’ve explained it til I’m blue in the face, but it makes no difference. People just have to come down and check it out for themselves. As far as getting involved, we are always seeking volunteers, sponsors, vendors, and even have a little internship program for music industry students. People can go to our website www.sideponyexpressmusicfestival.com for details on all those things and find us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Tumblr under “Sidepony Express”.

Poem Interlude: Stage Fright

Central School Project: Interview with Pete Goldlust

Sidepony Express Music Festival: Interview with Anamieke Quinn

Light in Loss

A precious friend passed away recently, and her death has been one of the hardest things I’ve survived. A lot of me died with her, but not all the things I lost were bad. When her light disappeared from the world, so too did my ability to justify procrastination. I lost some of my distractibility, and a large portion of my reserve from those around me.

She was so young when she died. She taught me time is limited, and that we never know how much more of it we have. We can only live, and live fully, so that when our stars burn out, we leave without regrets.

Since she passed, my creative output has soared, but my heart is still long from mending. At the most random of times, I find tears leaking from the corner of my eyes. I’ve never been one to cry, even at loss, but I find myself doing so every time I remember she’s gone.

My grief bares my soul in a way I am far from comfortable with, but I’m still not sure that it’s bad. Still, every poem I write holds her at its heart, and I weep with the words, happy or sad.

Central School Project: An Interview with Pete Goldlust

Central School Project (CSP) is a cooperatively-run non-profit community arts center located in the heart of the Bisbee, Arizona’s Historic District, and the home to KBRP, Bisbee’s community radio station. KBRP is dedicated to bringing culturally enriching programming to the Bisbee area. CSP is also home to Bisbee’s Obscure Productions (BOP), Bisbee’s local community theater company, and hosts all kinds of other community groups for various events.

CSP brought me to Bisbee for Bisbee Pride, and organized the Strong Words Series, a group of performances on identity. I interviewed CSP’s Director, Pete Goldlust, so I could provide a bit more information about the organization that had been such a joy to work with.

————

What is the core mission of Central School Project?

We have a three-part mission- providing affordable studio space to artists; providing arts programming for the Bisbee/Cochise County community; and keeping up with the historic preservation of our 100+ year-old building.

Do you have any more events or programs coming up?

Over the summer we host the LEAP program, which offers low-cost hands-on educational programming to local kids. They do everything from Creative Dance to Journalism/Media to studying the local wildlife. Then in the fall, we start our programming season, which will include our 2nd annual Day of the Dead exhibition/festival, and our Bisbee Biennial, plus visiting artists like Scott Williams, a wonderful painter who’s coming in from NY this winter.

What do you like best about the organization?

One of my favorite things is our Visiting Artist Program. It’s always fun to bring in talented people who are new to the area, and have something exciting to share. It was great to have you here!

How did you become involved, and what led to you becoming Director?

I became an artist member at CSP in 2008. I started doing more and more in terms of writing grants and public art proposals and stuff for myself, and that kind of led to me being interested in the administrative side of the art world. And then the job opened up last year… It’s been the most satisfying Real Job I’ve ever had.

Where do you see CSP going in the future?

I’d like to see us continue to grow the Visiting Artist Program, and explore new ways to provide inclusive opportunities for our whole community to be involved in the arts. I’d also like to build tighter partnerships with other organizations, both in Bisbee and around the state and region.

How can people more people and artists become involved, and what is the best way they can help support CSP’s mission?

Of course monetary support is always huge! Gifts help keep our programs going. Your dollar goes a long way in Bisbee. Please visit http://centralschoolproject.org/involved.html

…but of course, beyond that, we love it when folks come from out of town to our events. Drop me an email at csppete@gmail.com and I’ll put you on our mailing list, so you can keep up on what’s happening down here. And of course, Like and follow us on facebook!

Is there anything else we should know about the organization?

Again, I’d say please just keep us in mind if you’re looking for art-partnerships of any kind. We love collaboration.

Poem Interlude: Stage Fright

Central School Project: Interview with Pete Goldlust

Sidepony Express Music Festival: Interview with Anamieke Quinn

Poem Interlude: Stage Fright

Stage Fright

It was June 2013 when I first told the world
the doctors were wrong. I’m not a girl.
I said it from the stage, the educator’s way;
then I stepped down as my entire life changed.

When I think of fear I think of success,
of turning points where there’s no going back.
Of my first Open Mic when I forgot my own words,
yet people cheered and I still was heard.

The deepest fear I’ve ever felt on stage
was the end of a festival, the day I told my best mates,
“I am male. I want to go by James.
Respect it or not, it is still my name.”

See, none of the musicians I spoke to knew,
and when the camera turned off, my shaking grew.
I didn’t expect the hugs and encouragement.
They admired my strength, and I’m better for it.

I keep seeking the stage to fight my fear,
and two years later, I’m still here;
my own books in my hands, words on my tongue.
They’re how I fight back, written, spoken, or sung.

But I no longer fight alone.

Poem Interlude: Stage Fright

Central School Project: Interview with Pete Goldlust

Sidepony Express Music Festival: Interview with Anamieke Quinn

Bisbee Pride, Pt 4

Bisbee Pride, Days Four and Five

Saturday-Sunday, June 20-21, 2015

On the morning of the fourth day I woke up still unsure of how to transition between performance and workshop, nerves a jangling mess in my chest.

I started thinking about my biggest and most transformative fears then, the ones that changed my life when I worked up the courage to face them. I realized something startling during my tracing down of fears: I’d faced them all on stage.

Thus was born the poem used to transition between the two parts of my upcoming time on stage, a poem I called “Stage Fright”. Writing it taught me something unexpected about the wiring of my brain, though: I equate fear with success.

Ever since I realized all of my greatest successes were born of facing my most terrifying fears, fear itself, or at least its limiting aspects, have become a positive indicator that my life is about to change in the most powerful ways for the better.

All too quicky upon completing the poem, though, it was time to find “The Silver King” and prepare to perform.

Off I went. Before my set, Treasurefruit owned the stage as they gradually added instruments, and with them, the band members playing them for their impressive acoustic performance. The music blended seamlessly with the powerful vocals, and then they stepped back into the crowd.

Suddenly it was time to face my fears again. I firmed my back and stood.

My poetry inspired attention and cheers, especially “Stage Fright”. It was the workshop that would change lives, however. First a kid with paralyzing shyness worked up the courage to ask for advice on how to show others his art, and the whole group tossed out helpful suggestions and helped him feel less alone with his fear by give examples of their own similar ones.

My set wound down soon after that, but there was still another life it would change in a big way.

As I stepped away, one of the audience members took shaking legs to the stage to perform poetry of their own to an audience for the first time. He enjoyed it so much he came up after the last set to perform again.

I felt at the top of the world.

Later that evening, I got to see Treasurefruit and Sister Lip play again, and spent a while getting to know a band member I hadn’t really interacted with before. I also reconnected with a friend in a nearby town who was there to see the band Fairy Bones.

I went to sleep exhausted and happy, and at six in the morning, I was on my way home with only a Bookmans foray to distract me.

Poem Interlude: Stage Fright

Central School Project: Interview with Pete Goldlust

Sidepony Express Music Festival: Interview with Anamieke Quinn

Bisbee Pride, Pt 3

Bisbee Pride, Day Three

Friday, June 19, 2015

I started Friday with some coffee when the coffee shop opened, then headed off to nearby Sierra Vista for some errands.

By the time I left, my bags were weighed down with books and notebooks (my two biggest weaknesses) and it was almost afternoon. I had checked out of Gym Club Suites already, and just needed to kill time until I could check in at the next place I was staying at, so I wandered over to the Central School Project. I had to type up a hand-out for the workshop at 3pm, anyway, and so I settled in with my computer and the internet and got to work.

After typing up my hand-out on senses beyond the typical five (new writers often neglect others such as sense of balance, spatiotemporal location, or temperature) and listing my website at the bottom of each, I gathered paper, writing supplies, and the books I had for sale, and headed off to the workshop room.

My workshop was being held in the studio of an amazing artist, whose colorful artwork fit in perfectly with the rainbow-bedecked weekend of Pride. I could have happily stared at Gretchen Baer‘s art for hours, and I was going to have the privilege of presenting my workshop surrounded by that vibrancy. After some quick set-up, I headed down to wait for people.

Oliver and Ramon from the Alliance Fund (which had funded my participation in Bisbee Pride) showed up first. I talked with them for a bit while waiting for others. Lori showed up next, but the time ended up being a bad one for any more attendance, because people either weren’t in Bisbee yet or were working, so the workshop was rescheduled for the next day, merged with an extended time for my Saturday performance.

Because the next day would combine performance and workshop, and the crowd would be there for performances as well as the workshop (not to mention a shorter time), I needed to figure out how to restructure the event and transition between the two parts.

I was still seeking a way when I fell asleep.

Poem Interlude: Stage Fright

Central School Project: Interview with Pete Goldlust

Sidepony Express Music Festival: Interview with Anamieke Quinn

Bisbee Pride, Pt 2

Bisbee Pride, Day Two

Thursday, June 18, 2015

After I woke up, I timed each of my poems so I could have a realistic idea of how many poems I had time for. The rest of the day blurred together, and then it was time to set up for my first performance.

Set-up was quick, and left me with plenty of time to get to know the other performers. I talked with Venus DeMars and her students Alex, Molly, and Ruby, among others, and they were all fascinating people. Alex was flamboyantly awesome, Molly had the most amazing pink hair and radiated intelligence, and Ruby, though quiet, stunned with her depth. Then there was Venus. Tough as nails, courageous, and remarkably compassionate, I felt lucky to speak with her.

Suddenly, though, it was time to start.

Pete Goldlust, the Director of Central School Project, the organization that brought us to Bisbee and put together these amazing events, stepped on stage to introduce me as I looked around at the almost completely full theater. A minute later, I firmed my knees and walked onto the stage.

Deep breaths.

I performed 14 poems, the slight shaking fading more and more with each. The audience was rapt, a room of about 80 sitting in complete silence, and more than one had tears on their faces by the end. I could feel the emotions running high, and when I stepped off the stage, the applause surprised me with its fervor. When Pete mentioned my workshop the next day, multiple audience members called out to ask the time.

The night would only get better from there.

Venus took center stage first, with a riveting, emotional performance on coming out, and the changes that have (and haven’t) happened since then. I could feel tears clinging to the corners of my eyes as she stepped down and Molly walked forward.

Molly’s first piece was a powerful monologue, touching philosophy and identity in thoughtful ways as she spoke about the struggle to be yourself in a world that wants to put you in boxes so you fit with everyone else. Ruby followed with a heart-wrenching performance on who we’re told to be, covering a mirror with sticky notes and magazine cut-outs as she spoke, filling the mirror until her reflection disappeared. By the end, tears were streaming down my face. Molly then did another monologue exploring more themes of identity, and then it was Alex’s turn.

Alex’s performance began bemusing, grew to involve the audience, and ultimately culminated in a moving letter to a childhood crush that both broke my heart and gave me faith in the ability of people to grow. Then Venus stepped on stage again, and after smashing some memories, invited everyone on stage with a flashlight for a brilliant, powerful song. As the last chords faded into air, a bunch of my fellow audience members told me how much my poems had moved them. One in particular spoke to me about losing their wife, and how my poem Chasing Horizons had helped them heal. I was overwhelmed.

I spoke to a bunch more people at the after-party, where a friend who had seen me perform before told me she had cried throughout my entire set from pure overwhelming emotion, and I sold some books that evening as well. When I left, I felt like I was glowing. The trip had dawned brightly, and I couldn’t wait for the morning to come.

Poem Interlude: Stage Fright

Central School Project: Interview with Pete Goldlust

Sidepony Express Music Festival: Interview with Anamieke Quinn

Bisbee Pride, Pt 1

This year I was chosen to be a featured performer for Bisbee Pride. The experience was amazing, and I feel like I made a difference in the lives of a number of audience members while learning a lot myself. Not only that, the organizations that played a part in giving me this opportunity were ones I already respected and admired. I feel really honored by the opportunity I was given, and I want to dedicate a number of upcoming posts to the experiences I had there.

The first group of posts will be about the trip itself, then I’ll post a new poem I wrote while there, and last, I want to write a bit about the organizations involved in making me a part of this year’s Bisbee Pride. They have not asked me to do so, but I value their missions and want to make sure those missions are heard. Links to all other completed sections of these series of posts will be at the bottom of each.

Without further ado, Day One!

Bisbee Pride, Day One

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

I left for Bisbee on very little sleep Wednesday afternoon, picking up food, fuel, and some of a friend’s instruments on the way. I had to make a few stops to walk off the tired, and being my book-obsessed self, I made sure that one of those stops was at a Bookmans in Tucson.

Bookmans is a local used book store chain that also carries music, comics, magazines, games, and video game systems, including vintage ones. It is also quite possibly my favorite place to shop in the state. They even allow dogs and provide wifi, along with holding various music, game, and cultural events. Even though I couldn’t afford to buy anything just yet, I wandered for over an hour, letting books inspire memories and feeling surrounded by love.

Eventually, though, I had to return to the drive, and I arrived in Bisbee a few hours later and checked into the Gym Club Suites, where I was to stay the first two nights.

The room had a vaulted ceiling, full kitchen, and more floor space than my entire condo and its three porches combined. The staff guided me by phone through the maze of Bisbee streets, provided me a number I could reach them at even when the office was closed, and replaced a light bulb I noticed was out right away even though the office was already closed when I saw. I unpacked, showered, then went next door to the Central School Project (CSP)’s theater, where my first performance would be.

I met Venus DeMars, the other performer for the next night, and one of the students who would be performing with her. Venus had been in Bisbee for two weeks, preparing a performance art set with local students on identity, and my performance the next night would be their opening act. Then I sat down to discuss preparations with Pete Goldlust, CSP’s director.

When I finally went to bed, I was thrumming with excitement.

Poem Interlude: Stage Fright

Central School Project: Interview with Pete Goldlust

Sidepony Express Music Festival: Interview with Anamieke Quinn

James Avery Fuchs

Self-Care | Speaking | Poetry

“Love Songs for Friends” Published

TED Talks!

Sidepony Express Music Festival: An Interview With Anamieke Quinn

Light in Loss

Central School Project: An Interview with Pete Goldlust

Poem Interlude: Stage Fright

Bisbee Pride, Pt 4

Bisbee Pride, Pt 3

Bisbee Pride, Pt 2

Bisbee Pride, Pt 1

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: