Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicholas Goodly.
Nicholas, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I began my journey as an artist first as a dancer. It was through the guidance and example of movement artists like the members of the contemporary platform GloATL and individuals like Corian Ellisor that showed how much rigor and curiosity it takes to be an artist. While attending Georgia State University, I studied poetry and began to realize how much magic and power language has, and I began taking on poetry seriously and developed more disciplined writing and reading practices.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
When drafting new work, I frequently want to invoke a sense of play and be outrageous with the leaps and images early-on. The editing process is where I begin carving out the true poem and discard the unessential. That’s where a lot of the surprises and delicate moments begin to reveal themselves. I like to often think of my poetry as a kind of seduction, drawing in readers through physical sensation and linguistic teases, then allow the work to offer space for some transformation to take place.
I believe one of the things unique to poetry is its ability to offer empathy to a community of readers as well as develop a point of view into our complex individual and communal emotional world. This is why poems can do so much, whether it be a place of healing and empowerment or a place where the reader is shattered or opened up to new and necessary possibilities.
What would you recommend to an artist new to the city, or art, in terms of meeting and connecting with other artists and creatives?
Remember that reading other artists is how us writers stay connected. It is imperative to read so much more than you write and write a whole lot. As a poet, get involved with your local poetry scene as much as possible. Find local readings, get your hands on a local poetry journal and see how to volunteer your time with those who are already engaged. And don’t be afraid to make an opportunity where there isn’t one. The first priority is to work hard to make your best work. Then work even harder to create space for it to exist.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
I host a poetry workshop every first Saturday of the month at the Buckhead Library from 1-2:30 pm. I also host an LGBT open mic poetry reading series called Loudspeaker through WUSSY Magazine. Check their Facebook page for upcoming installments. My chapbook Black Swim was one of the winners of the 2017 Poetry Society of America Chapbook Fellowship and is available on their website.
Contact Info:
- Website: nicholasgoodly.com
- Email: nrg2125@columbia.edu
- Instagram: @nicholasgoodly
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicholas.goodly
Image Credit:
Kelly Blackmon
Jon Dean
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
