A Thousand Words (working title) is TextaQueen’s new drawing project.

image: “Faith” (Fabian Romero), felt-tips on cotton Stonehenge paper, 38 x 50 inches, 2012

TextaQueen is seeking queer, trans* and two spirit people of colour poets, spoken word artists, and writers with a performative character for their new drawing series of ‘poem portraits’.

The portrait will feature you in a scenario metaphorically or ‘literally’ relevant to your chosen featured words. Your words and picture will probably be exploring the intersections of race, sexuality, gender and other aspects of your identities and experiences. Your words might be autobiographical or fictional, straight up or fantastical, brief quotes or extended ramble, it’s up to you, and Texta to make it work!

Texta’s creative process is a collaborative and intimate one. Together you’ll choose props, poses, backgrounds (real or fictional) and ways to incorporate your text into your chosen scenario. You’ll need to be available for the initial drawing session of 1 to 3 hours and have a few photos taken for reference sometime between now and end of June. The drawing session must be done live in the Bay area at your home or Texta’s in Oakland. Texta will use these initial drawings to create the final design (with your input), which will be made into a 38 x 50 inch felt-tip marker portrait to be exhibited in 2013 in Sydney, Australia (and hopefully the Bay!). You’ll be able to use the image for your own purposes, and it will be reproduced with your permission, likely as posters or in publications.

Seeking between 8 and 12 different people for portrait planning, most of which will become poem portraits. Please email Texta with possible concepts / some of your writing / links to your writing.