Thursday, January 23, 2014

Hauntings: The Work of Toni Scott

By Laurie Epps

In honor of African-American history month, I respectfully dedicate this column to their national legacy. 

Toni Scott is a painter and sculptor from Los Angeles, CA. I was fortunate enough to have met her briefly this past fall when her Bloodlines exhibition was showcased in my school's Vandiver Gallery. As the descendent of slaves, Europeans, and Native Americans, her artwork is very personal and tells us a lot about her family history.

Something about Toni Scott's artwork, and the presence of this very talented artist spoke to me on a very intrinsic level. Her line entitled Bloodlines, tells the story of slaves in this country. Though centered around tragic events, this is also a tale of triumph of the human spirit. (Much like the artist herself.)

To view the exhibit that was at my university, click here.




Hauntings
Words fill my life
Unspoken to anyone but
Me. Something
They can’t have.

My childhood happy days
Until the tender age
Of six. Then I learned
My mortal body has ownership.

Grey film on my eyes
Shows movies of past
Atrocities seen. Complete
With Horrors and moral infractions.

This is an epitaph of my existence.
I know not to smile, to
avoid attracting advances of the master.
I’m an apparition.


To see more about the work of Toni Scott, click on the video below.


Laurie Epps is a senior at Anderson University majoring in Creative Writing. Already Laurie is most published as a feature article writer, essayist, and poet. A seeker of beauty and world traveler, Laurie hopes to grow into a career in travel writing illuminating the many stories that make us human despite our differences. Currently, Laurie also has a Monday Morning Book Club column dedicated to writers everywhere.



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