The Hour Before is a collection of my poetry and art.
It all started about two years ago with a walk around Soho. I walked to the poetry section at the local Housing Works, and was struck by a single phrase: the hour before. Later that day, I felt inspired to write a poem about "The Hour Before a Dinner Date," and then "The Hour Before the Engine Powers Off," and another about "The Hour Before the Sun Sets." The only constraint is that each poem begins with the sentence, "I like the hour before, " but even that is loose constraint – some poems are about "exactly the moment when" or "the minute after." A few months in, I began sharing my poetry with a few friends who liked to write as well. They found the concept intriguing, and were interested in trying it out. The collection kept growing, (and continues to grow) with additions from other designers, poets, writers, filmmakers, and songwriters.
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A ten minute live model sketching session in Brooklyn reawakened my interest in charcoal, but this time with a twist. I started using the charcoal brush on my apple pencil – I could recreate the messy yet nostalgic feeling of charcoal, but in a way that would let me draw in bed, on a subway, or on a flight.
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This medley of poetry and art will be on view for about a week in April at the Chinatown Soup – a really magical and eclectic gallery space in downtown New York.
If you're around, drop in and say hello!
On View: April 2nd to April 7th, 2019. Reception: Friday – April 5th, 2019.
