The Geography That Feels, Remembers, and Heals

In previous posts I have often times talked about how I feel geographically sensitive to neighborhoods and experiences in my communities both past and present.  I feel this neighborhood by neighborhood and city by city.    Below are some new map collages that I have created since my post You Are Here.

This South City St. Louis Collage is about the rich cultures and colors that I continually experience while I explore this part of St. Louis.  The colors are representative of creative spirit that exists in the Tower Grove Park neighborhood at Arsenal and Morganford.  I remember when I explored this neighborhood for the first time after we moved to St. Louis and feeling at home for the first time in a strange city.  It had all the feelings of Lawrence, KS, Kansas City, and Seattle, WA all rolled into a city block.  And now since living here, I have had so many rich experiences in South City with some of my best friends and family.

Cherokee Street.  This place has deep associations with me both light and dark in feeling.  The first time I ever went on Cherokee Street was with my friends Jessica, Marissa, Michelle, Katie, and Gwen to a St.Louis Hoop Club workshop at 2720 and Art Dimensions.  I remember being completely enamored with that space.  The strange void of creativity and art seemed to vanish as Marissa, Michelle, and I became more and more involved in the Art Dimensions activities, organizing Art D-Tour and eventually becoming a full fledged board member until May of this year.  On the other hand, as stated in the past two posts, this street is also where my friend Khadra was violently murdered at 2715 Cherokee Street.  But I created this map collage as a way to heal from that association and come to a place of healing with the positive experiences of that street and the parts that just hurt and grieve.

I was recently in Lawrence, KS ans Kansas City the last four days.  I had the opportunity to walk around downtown Lawrence with Luke, Shyla, and Asher and just photographed some of our old stomping grounds.  Luke and I met and attended art school in Lawrence, KS so this city carries deep and meaningful  roots for my family.  It is the city that introduced me to blue grass music, organic food, and sushi.  While living in Lawrence, I learned that living in a life of faith and purpose is the secret to thriving creatively.  The Love Garden taught me that the best music exists on vinyl, the best Sushi is can be tasted a Wa, the greatest bread is at Wheatfields Bakery, and ATC is where you go to get your pre-show outfit(s).  Lawrence, KS: the roots of faith, creativity, and all over flair.