Lori Hollins, Art, Creativity, Stories That Matter

[lorihollins]

Sometimes the words come at 2 am. Nope, couldn't sleep last night. The drawing later. #drawing #poet #artist #poetry #poets #poetsofig #poetryofinstagram #poetrycommunity #writer #writersofig #writerscommunity #writersofinstagram #lorihollins #goddess #sisyphus #lorihollins

[lorihollins]

Writing/Drawing. Sometimes you need inspiration from where ever it may come. Sometimes you have to wait for it. #drawing #poet #poetry #poetsofig #poetrycommunity #lotusflower #writer #writersofig #writerscommunity #lorihollins

[lorihollins]

Thinking about long distance relationships and those relationships that might not be good for you. In this day and age we have Skype and WhatsApp but what does it take to make the work? #drawing #artist #sketch #poet #longdistancerelationship #dangerousliasons #poet # poetry #writer #lorihollins #stillwriting #stilldrawing #finallysomethingtosay

[lorihollins]

Flying back to Cleveland & Lake Erie. Spent the weekend in Chi town with the kids. They aren't kids anymore. My son hosted a Mayweather /McGregor Fight party. I (Mom) made homemade dips suggested by @hoops_and_flips13. I look at my son and daughter and wonder how they got to be such fantastic human beings! There were about 20 people at the party; every hue of the rainbow. Observing and interacting with these millennials gave me hope. After the fight I had to go to bed; but they were still going strong! Thanks for head phones but I was so tired I didn't need them. It was a fun weekend! Now back to the grind...#mayweathermcgregor #fightparty #ilovechicago #weraisedthemright #lorihollins

[lorihollins]

I have resisted reading this book. But I couldn't help myself. These two sentences are on page 6 and 7! Made me think about that Dali Lama quote I posted a few days ago. I'm also almost finished reading the novella Binti by Nnedi Okorafor. I've been writing poems and journaling. Doodling too, meditating. Major life changes and decisions right now but I suppose they are all major depending on how you look at them. #reading #challengingbooks #stillwriting #poet #writer #storyteller #artist #change

[lorihollins]

I had to re-post this! It's so true! #dalilama #welovethings #weusepeople

[lorihollins]

I finished this last week. I had never read a book by Zadie Smith. I didn't much like the theme girlhood friendships that end, how so many of us feel superior to others because of money, race, class, and the emptiness of celebrity culture with the backdrop of dance/dancing and what it means. However, I kept reading because it was well written and maybe I needed to be personally reminded of that truth as well. And I took the book out of the library. Yup, I still use the library. #art #artist #bookcover #poet #writer #drawingofbookcovers #zadiesmith #swingtime #librariesrock

[lorihollins]

What more is there to say? Sometimes the choice is black and white. #artist #drawing #sketch #poet #poetry #poetsofig #poetryofinstagram #poetrycommunity #writer #writers #writersofig #writersofinstagram #writerscommunity #love #whoyoulove #lorihollins

[lorihollins]

Some new shit (something I learned at the poetry Open Mic) and a drawing...I've stopped keeping track of how many days since I'm not drawing or writing everyday. #art #artist #drawing #poet #poetry #poetsofig #poetryofig #writer #writers #writersofig #writersofinstagrampoetry #love #passion #gettingwhatyouwant

[lorihollins]

I had a hard time deciding what to read. I read this one and one other. I feel some kind of way... I did it. But everyone else was so intense and so good and sooooo young!!!! #poetryopenmic #ithinkibombedbutitsok #politeclapping #theonlyonewithgrayhair

[lorihollins]

I finally decided to do a poetry Open Mic... I've got plenty of material... I'm nervous though... #poetryopenmic #happydogtavern #twelveliteraryarts #lorihollins

[lorihollins]

I've been writing but mostly reading. My first drawing in a while. I discovered the book after reading a review in The New Yorker. Pauli Murray was an activist, lawyer, and the first woman ordained an Episcopal priest. Of mixed race, what we consider a Black woman, She graduated first in her class at Howard Law and was denied admission to Harvard because she was a woman. Her research and writing helped Thurgood Marshall with Brown v Board of Education, she helped found NOW, and provided Ruth Bader Ginsburg with the argument before the Supreme Court that the 14th amendment protected not only African Americans but women and other minority groups. She also was the first African American to get a JSD at Yale. I wonder why I never heard of her before? #janecrowthelifeofPauliMurray #Paulimurray #janecrow #drawingsofbookcovers #artist #drawing #poet #writer

[lorihollins]

This girl was fearless, independent, and introverted all at the same time. Not sure where this was taken. The years have taken away some of the fearlessness. The introversion remains but is often hidden because I needed to operate in the world. But, I do rest and re-charge. #tbt #highschoolphoto #wishiwasthisthinagain

[lorihollins]

I'm at the airport on my way to my Aunt Geri's memorial/homegoing service. Today would have been her birthday. Even when death is expected it catches us by surprise. Hers wasn't expected yet. It's like a black magic trick. It feels cruel. My Aunt was a nurse for over 40 years. We often went into a foreign language medicalese huddle our families didn't understand. She was my other Mom, the one you told things to you couldn't tell your Mom. I think she piqued my love of travel. She lived in Europe, Japan, and travelled extensively. And perhaps my first real international trip to China was because she brought me pearl earrings, studs, from Beijing. The last time I talked to her 2 weeks ago, I told her & texted her "I love you so much." The clinical/logical/medical people we were, that was the first time I told her I loved her. Maybe we both knew she was about to go on her greatest adventure, returning home. #abracadabra #homegoingservices #memorialservice #myfavoriteaunt #mysecondmother #geristewart

[lorihollins]

Day 664. #sibylline ( being mysterious or cryptic) #transatlanticwritingchallenge #art #artist #sketch #poet #poetry #poetsofig #poetsofinstagram #poetscommunity #poetrycommunity #poetryofig #poetryofinstagram #writer #writersofig #writersofinstagram #writerscommunity #lorihollins @honour.speaks @what_the_canuck

[lorihollins]

I'm cleaning and this is one of the pictures I found on my nightstand. Though I travelled to the Caribbean and Canada this was my first real international trip. My Dad had died earlier in the year and I debated about going. My husband at the time encouraged me to go and he stayed home. This was a two week trip to China with reproductive medicine physicians sponsored by People to People and organization founded to foster cultural exchanges across the world. I'm in Xian, the tomb with the terra cotta warriors. I had always wanted to visit China and Japan since reading James Clavell's novels as a girl. We did sight seeing and visited hospitals and talked to Chinese physicians. At the time traditional Chinese medicine was right along side western medicine in the hospitals. Got to visit Beijing, The Forbidden City ( reminded me of the movie The Last Emperor), Tianemen Square, the Great Wall etc. Last stop was Hong Kong. Another city I fell in love with. I vowed to return, but it's been over 16 years. A few months later I visited Paris on a wedding anniversary and didn't get back to Paris until 2015! My Dad's death made me realize how short life is. My wanderlust hasn't been sated. Since then I've been to Mexico, Ireland, UK/England, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and Turkey. If I'm not planning a trip or about to take one, it's hard to live with myself. #wanderer #traveler #ihatecleaningbutsomeonehastodoit #terracottawarriors #xian #china #hongkong #jamesclavellbooks

[lorihollins]

Day 663. Last weekend while in Chicago I went to the Chicago Institute of Art. One of the exhibits was Cauleen Smith's Human 3.0. She drew book covers on graph paper of the books she read from 2015-2016, 57 books. I thought I would try it. I loved this book. It took me almost 3 months to finish 771 pages. A coming of age story, love we can't have, how a painting can move you so much that it's part of you, how we are who we are like what we like, and how good and bad are often shades of gray, and how losing your mother at a young age has irrevocable effects. I guess I should right a poem...but I'm not. #art #artist #bookcover #books #thegoldfinch #donnatartt #cauleensmith #human3.0 #artinstituteofchicago #poet #poetsofig #poetsofinstagram #poets #poetry #writer #writers #writersofig #writersofinstagram