pt II "the artist" the trina slade burks interviews by alexie figueroa

Dancing Lady I

The Gemini


Torn
Between the choices I make
and the choices I made.
Lost
between the two worlds.
My past and my present.
Confused
About my needs versus my wants.
Is there really a difference?
Too many decisions
not enough choices.
Why can't I just be at two places
at the same time.
I often play devil’s advocate.
For you
there is one side of the coin you root for.
For me
there is always two sides to every coin.
No black or white.
Just a whole lot of grey.
Cloudy and confusing me.
I don't know where things start
nor where they should end.
All I need
Is to go in the right direction.
But which way is that?
What many feel is the correct way to go
may not work for me.
All I know is
I am determined
to make this journey.

The Musician (featured in What is My Priority)


An Image


I should call myself lucky.
Believe this to be true.
How many of those people
know the real you?
They just know the face and the smile.
The image that was developed.
But they don’t know who I know.
The person with the heart of gold.
A person with feelings and pain
and tears of joy and sorrow.
Not to say that I am not proud
of what they get to see.
But I could just only wish
that you realize,
though they all give you what you want;
don’t forget those of us
who give you what you need.
Solidarity and strength.
Loyalty and sincerity.
Choice and truth.
And when everything
has settled down
and life gets back to normal.
Please remember us
who stood by you through it all.
and accepted you for who you are
and not what you have become.
An image.................................
how old were u when u knew that art was ur calling???Art has always been part of my life. I can’t tell you a specific time but between being around my mother, majoring in art in HS, going to college for it; it has always been prevalent part of my existence.did ur mom have a huge influence on ur work???Yes my mom did. She was a free spirit. Mind you I only got to spend 9 years of my life with her, however so many of my family compare me to her. I connect people together just like her. We are built the same from my small hands to my big legs….hahaha. My uncles &grandmother would compare me to her all the time. I am an over achiever just like her. It’s weird because I really didn’t realize what an influence she has had on me until I became an adult.what would you say the behavior is for an artist???would u say that because you are an artist that your feelings run wild???Yes, I can say that. Artists are super sensitive beings. We absorb everything around us both positive & negative. We feel things that others tend to not experience or even understand.did ur parents support your art???My father raised me solo after my mom died, & for some reason, though he was not an artist he always was supportive of my art. He would always believe that things will happen in their time for me.are u more creative in the day time or at night???I am way more creative in the afternoon/night time. The left side of the brain is in full effect. I am NOT a morning person. However, that is when the right side of the brain functions the best. It is all business in the morning.being reclusive is a beahavior trait for painters at times,,do u fall into that catagory???Absolutely!!!!….The problem for me is that I have a family & have a business which often forces me to have to shake that off. A time when I can be alone w/ my thoughts is often a blessing because it doesn’t happen too often. Many times when I go to NYC I try to find some time for just me by myself and just appreciate the surroundings.were u able to relate to your friends at a young age???and were they able to relate to u??? I was and still am a social butterfly…hahaha. My close friends w/the exception of maybe 4, are not artists nor do they understand that part of my life or psyche. They just think I am moody. Hahaha!do u paint in all sizes and colors,or is their a comfort size 4 u???I tend to like to work small. It’s comfortable for me. As far as color. It really depends on my mood. I often love to just draw in simple ebony pencil. But when I am experimental, I will go w/bright colors. I do work large if requested or needed.does music inspire any work of yours???Kind of but not really. Music inspires me but not a song or musical artist specifically.can u paint while u are angry,or do you have to be in a certain mood to paint???I do like to draw when I am angry. I will listen to something hard like Heavy metal or hard rap. When I am mellow I will listen to Jazz or even Classical & paint. The classic thing was introduced to me by an art teacher years ago. But I CANNOT have silence around me.is their any work that you have done that has been hard to let go???Yes, there was. I did a surreal self portrait in 1989. It was my first self portrait. I told my husband, Anthony in 2008 that I would never part with that piece; never sell it. A week later you (unknowingly) asked for that piece. I was trying every way possible not to part w/it. But Ant said…..”Let it go”. I realized that I needed to respect that it was going into a home that would truly appreciate the piece.what has been the greatest compliment you ever heard about your work???I recently sold a piece that was a very highly demanded item. The person that ended up buying it said it “radiates energy”. (Dancing Lady V)do you paint with your left hand or your right???I am very much a right handed. However, I do a project w/my students on drawing their prominent hand w/ their inferior hand. Reason….to exercise both sides of the brain creatively.has their been a large amount of time where u just simply didnt want to paint???Yes. I went years without doing anything personally. I went into total business mode. All creative stuff was strictly for the jobs I was on. Not for personal creative satisfaction. I talked to artists about being inspired but was not inspiring myself. Now if I don’t draw or paint, I write. I have to do something.have you been super criticial of any of your pieces???I am always critical about my work visual & written. I was the kid who would dodge critiques in class because I felt that my work couldn’t stand up to my peers or instructors.do you like the attention you get as a artist,or would you rather be less popular???



No, honestly I get real embarrassed when I get attention. Many artists love the attention. But I don’t really. I am grateful for it, but I don’t crave the attention...Just the respect.who was your 1st art teacher???Ms. Christine Francis…..God rest her soul but I couldn’t stand her. She was not inspiring and always past judgment. She would always compare her art career to our non-existing ones. I didn’t really learn much from her & almost gave up on art because of her. She made me feel that if I didn’t paint like the masters I was not an artist.what is your favorite art related movie???I liked Basquiat (1996) about Jean Michel Basquiat a Graffiti artist in NYC.

what did it do for u??? I just appreciated the semi-militant approach that Basquiat, Haring & Warhol represented in the 80’s. The movie proved to me that we artists are emotionally tortured and complexed souls. were u ever around an artist who had so much talent,but didnt do anything with it??? Yes. I grew up w/a guy named Victor who is one of my dearest friends to this day. He was my first friend in kindergarten. That cat had the most amazing talent when he was younger. OMG…….far beyond any trained adult artists. And he never did anything with it. It literally pissed me off. He and my other best friend Lynne came to my college graduation in Fort Lauderdale. I thought him coming would have inspired him to start drawing again. But it didn’t. Truly disappointing. But I love him dearly. Ending remarks: Many people view artists, whether it is visual, theatrical, musical etc….as weird individuals. We tend to hide behind “masks” so we do not expose the truth about our souls. But the irony to that is when we hide, you later want us to tell you a joke or draw a picture or sing you a song….like it is easily turned off & on. Where do you think that creative streak comes from? It isn’t a faucet. Maybe if you get to really know & understand that artist, you would then understand & appreciate the quiet torture we go through to give you what you want. A piece of our soul.



peace to the fellas

 muahh to the ladies