Images provided by Rachel Lauren Storm
Rachel Lauren Storm will join Jim O’Brien for the first ever Poetry on Tap at the Wheelhouse tonight, Thursday, October 18 from 7 to 9 p.m. Storm and O’Brien will share their poetry with patrons before O’Brien brings out his typewriter to write individualized poems for anyone present.
The SJO Daily caught up with Storm yesterday for a little Q&A.
Why poetry?
My connection to poetry began at a young age. My grandmother taught me my first poem when I was a small child (it was Rain by Robert Louis Stevenson: “The rain is raining all around/It falls on field and tree/It rains on the umbrellas here/And on the ships at sea.”) I remember practicing it in her one-bedroom apartment, looking at the painting of a ship on the ocean she had on the wall. From there, I learned more and more poems by heart and as early as grade school, I started writing some of my own. I took creative writing classes at the University of Illinois and from there started a weekly poetry open mic on campus called Writ n’ Rhymed. I have published my work in small circulation zines, online magazines, and newspapers. I gained experience in teaching poetry through offering workshops and classes on campus, in the community, and in the unique environment of a county jail to incarcerated men. In the past, I built poetry into my work in facilitating support groups for people impacted by domestic violence. The experience of writing poetry has often been a healing modality for me and it’s been important to share it in that way.
I like the way poetry can sometimes be more easily likened to visual art than long-form fiction. Poetry invites interpretation, plays with tone and structure, and offers half-glimpses into worlds, minds, experiences uncharted.
Where do you get inspiration for the things you write?
My writing often deals in memory. For a long time, I’ve had a fear of forgetting. I often worry I will forget people, places, and moments in my life. Worry itself is terribly unproductive in almost every way, but it motivated me to write poetry. I often jot down words or short descriptions of moments in my life that I want to preserve in poetry–the feeling of stumbling upon an old letter my late great-grandfather sent me, or the way the ocean looked when I first arrived at its shore. I want my poems to compliment the class yearbook or the family photo album. My poetry tends to deal heavily in moments shared between people, imaginary perspective-taking, nostalgia, and folklore. My work is equal parts fiction and non-fiction.
In what ways is poetry the right medium for you to portray what you’d like to say?
Poetry is flexible and relational, two things I really connect with personally. I really value its experimental quality. I think we learn to think differently and wade in new perspectives when we are willing to channel playfulness and our own imaginations.
Can you tell me about the importance of opportunities like Poetry Reading at the Wheelhouse where you can share your work in a public setting?
Making artistic work often begins as a personal experience between you, your mind, and the page/canvas/instrument, etc. But sharing the work with others is where the work gets to live and become part of the world. Your listeners and readers will bring their own interpretations, reflections, and stories to the reading of a poem. I grew up in theater and the performing arts, so I also relish the chance to perform a poem. I often add anecdotal stories or share my humor with the audience. My most recent work deals with grief/loss (social, emotional, political, etc.) and it can feel heavy at times. The experience of performance allows me to experiment with vulnerability and bring the audience along with me.
What do you hope people take away from the time they spend reading or listening to your work?
My goal for readers is the same goal I have for myself (whether I always follow it): to slow down and notice together. I want to capture a moment, preserve and archive it, and share it with those who want to listen.
Can you tell me a little about your work outside of creative writing?
Professionally, I coordinate the City of Urbana’s Public Arts Program, overseeing its various initiatives including managing the Urbana Arts Grants and Arts in the Schools Grants programs; curating exhibits as part of Artist of the Corridor and the annual juried Urbana Art Expo; overseeing arts education initiatives through our Art at the Market program; and leading the City’s ongoing arts programs including the Art Now! mini documentary series, the Urbana Sculpture Project, Murals on Glass, and Open Scene. Prior to joining the staff of the City of Urbana in 2017, I spent 8 years as the Assistant Director of the Women’s Resources Center at the University of Illinois coordinating events and programs and offering supportive counseling/victims’ advocacy services for survivors of violence. I also spent the past few years running two media arts camps for young people, Outta the Mouths of Babes and Girl Radio, Inc! I’m working on completing my doctorate in the College of Education at the University of Illinois.
In your professional role as the City of Urbana’s Public Arts Coordinator, what creative opportunities do you hope to bring to the community?
One of my favorite new initiatives from the Urbana Public Arts Program is a regular monthly open mic series designed in collaboration with the Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center called Open Scene Open Mic. This project aims to continue the work of Open Scene, a project for which our programs received a National Endowment of the Arts Our Town Grant 2016-2017 to increase inclusivity for youth and underrepresented groups in our local arts scene. A wonderful reflection was published here. Open Scene Open Mic is held in various venues in Downtown Urbana and is described as “an eclectic, multi-generational downtown showcase of poetry, spoken word, music, and artistic expression designed to promote community, creativity, and connection.” Our next one will take place on November 14th at the Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center (202 S. Broadway Ave. Urbana) with host, DJ Silkee.
