Artist Spotlight #9: PHILLIP T. NAILS
Rhizomatic Arts is proud to feature members of our community who are doing good through their creative and professional practice. Performance poet PHILLIP T. NAILS is one of the founding members of our Artist Sustainability Network, as well as co-founder of the Poetry Society of Los Angeles. He put the breaks on one of his infamous word capers just long enough to drop a few lines in our direction...
Phillip T. Nails
PT! Please give the world just a taste of your creative contributions. What do you do?
I’m a performance poet. Reading poetry out loud is to bring words alive. To perform the emotions in poetry is to deliver a poem directly to the soul of an audience. It’s risky, meditative, challenging and thrilling to alight people with the power of poetry. This is the core of all the work I do. [Editor's note: For a sample of this work, check out the video, I BELIEVE WOMEN.]
Tell us about the creative "hats" you wear as an artist.
I’m founding director of The Poetry Society of Los Angeles. This role has given me so many opportunities to collaborate and one of the most important hats I can wear is that of the person who is willing to ask for help in order to grow. I think the secret is to find those in your community who wear their true hat/role the best and support them as much as you can. I have to give thanks to all the people who have made The Poetry Society of Los Angeles what it is today.
How are you building a sustainable career for yourself as an artist?
Being a part of the awesome work of Rhizomatic Arts is a big part of working towards sustainability. When we meet, dialogue, strategize, envision, we are building and making more sustainable careers. These practices help keep my eyes focused.
What do you love about your work?
The moment in a room after everyone has shared their poem/performance/story and you all know each other and knowing that you would all fight for for each other no matter what your differences because you are one people.
Typewriters Anonymous, The Poetry Society of Los Angeles
What's coming up next for you?
One of our projects is called Typewriters Anonymous, we use manual typewriters (that need no power) and write poetry (that cannot be read by the NSA) as well as letters to our local representatives over important issues that concern the community. Arts advocacy engagement is something we’ve been looking to grow and have been doing so through a fellowship at Arts For LA.
