Today we’d like to introduce you to Anastasia (Stacy) Wilson.
Anastasia (Stacy), we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I jokingly told someone who asked me a similar question, a few years ago, that I am a fat, black, clown. I embraced clowning very early on to protect myself. As a young woman of color growing up in the Midwest, I struggled to fit in and with my self-esteem. I learned to divert negativity by being silly and learning to own and love myself in the process. A clown is simply a person at the mercy of their own circumstances, meaning they have no other choice than to live with intention. I continued to use this trait throughout my life and metamorphosed into a voluptuous jokester, educator/ instructor, flamenco enthusiast, and artist.
I discovered an initial passion for theatre performance in Kumbayaah the Juneteenth Story, a play staged at Minnesota’s History Theatre, as part of the organization Arts-Us. Between 9 to 5 jobs, I would squeeze in anything related to theatre…wig designer, costume shop assistant, makeup and special effects freelancer, always with a dream of being a creative that could support myself with my art full time. While earning my BA from University of Maryland, a trusted professor advised, “If there is anything else you enjoy that you can do in your life, do it”. Taking this to heart, many years later I left my job at a Washington D.C. law firm to follow my passion. I packed my bags and moved to Italy to pursue an MFA in Physical Theatre, and never looked back. This decision caused me so much anxiety; I relied on the counsel of my network of mentors and a wonderful therapist before deciding that the curvy woman on the tight trope of life belonged on a tightrope in Italy. How was I going to tell my parents who fought in the Civil Rights movement, and valued traditional higher education, that I was going to leave all this behind to move to Italy and pursue an MFA in Physical Theatre?
After returning to the United States with my MFA, I earned a position at Georgia State University – Clarkston Campus and now teach part-time in the theatre department. Developing creative minds at such a vulnerable time in their career is both inspiring and rewarding. I also have found an artistic family, and a place to continue my development, at Drama, Inc. When I finally told my parents about this latest endeavor in Georgia, my father stated, “I wish I would have made it easier for you.” Finally having the peace of mind of my family’s full support made the journey even more worthwhile.
My love for the arts is something I can share with my students. That we are born with the innate ability to understand and communicate before we are socialized is a message I strive to bring to them every day. My career is one that is ever evolving and in constant discovery. Theatre and art have provided this gift to all humans.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I love making a ruckus of an idea, refining the thought through a medium of art, and being fearless of the process of discovery along the way. While living in D.C., I started adding #loveruckus and #risklunacy to emails and posts (this is before hashtags were a thing) and the nickname stuck. My flamenco instructor advised, “If you are going to do this, you have to mad about it”. My art inspires the questions of who made you? Why you are alive? What do you need to speak? Devised theatre inspires these questions and is definitely one of my primary loves! Devised theatre starts with an idea, a phrase, or a yearning and then begs you to spend extensive lengths of time engaged in discovering all the avenues of this concentration. The result is a show that has been created and written in the space with the median of the human body. It is; directly connected to both the people and it’s environment. I seek that which is hidden in plain sight and make it accessible, something we can discuss as involuntarily as breathing, even though it may not be exhaled. My work seeks to de-stigmatize, legitimize and solve socially conscious, or unconscious issues.
Audra Lorde wrote “I have come to believe over and over again that what is most important to me must be spoken, made verbal and shared, even at the risk of having it bruised or misunderstood…And the speaking will get easier and easier. And you will find you have fallen in love with your own vision, which you may never have realized you had.” Art, people, life is something that is ever manifesting and I hope that my work reflects that passion. I hope that when people see my work, they recognize my goal to uncover something close to me and that this expression began as a burning desire, idea, or thought. Ideas and issues at the forefront of my mind beg to be heard and are also an invitation to people to share and listen to other stories.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing artists today?
I think everyone has their own unique set of circumstances that can be a challenge, so the list below is a broad overview of where I think we can direct the categorization of everyone’s unique journey.
On a personal level, I think artists largely face challenge of fear, discipline, and means. Externally, I think artists must confront and navigate commercial culture, accessibility, and means.
Fear:
One of the most significant lessons I hope my students internalize is to get comfortable with mistakes being a part of the creative process and to understand constructive feedback.
The creative process involves questioning, understanding fear’s important roll and processing criticism to your benefit. There is freedom and possibility in not knowing the answer at the beginning. Personally, this is one of the most fascinating things about the rehearsal space. Another one of my professors told me to “Judge everything harshly and pass a light sentence.” Performance art is something that is constantly refined, and if we can trust ourselves as actors/artists, the answer will find a way; we cannot control the process completely. We can control expressing our purest self and impulsive moments in the creative space. When we try to exert control, the fear creeps in to the process. Let me be clear, there is a fine dance between process and schedule and we have to find the balance that lets them coincide without fear taking control.
Discipline:
Acting is a business. It is one that requires you to be your own boss, your own support system, and mentor. This does not mean you are alone, but rather by supporting yourself, you support other artists. Show up, be ready to receive and give your fullest artistic expression in everything. You must find ways to be dogged about what you want to share and be open to the shift if these particulars change. Discipline is about being fluid in your artistic evolution and every day putting forth your best.
Accessibility:
I could write a dissertation on the importance of arts in schools and the support of professional artists. Art needs to be. It also needs to be accessible for those who have chosen it exclusively as a means of income and sustainability.
Commercial Culture:
I also cannot deny that on a socioeconomic level, I, as a woman of color, am constantly seeking representation in the performance field. Let that sink in, I am seeking representation in the artistic field where the medium is me, the human. Commercial culture plays a huge part in this, and I am acutely aware that I am not the singular marginalized demographic in this field. In one of the books I teach from in my Intro to Theatre class, it says, “We go to theatre to know we are not alone.” Yet there are times, due to commercial culture, socialized norms, etc. that I find myself or see other groups very isolated and underrepresented. While this is changing and HUGE strides are being made, actors and artists are in an industry that looks at type, size, gender and physical appearance. You have to carry a story not only intellectually and emotionally, but also physically. Sometimes, the result of commercial culture leads to certain stories not being represented on stage, on camera, and in academia. Or worse these stories are continually represented stereotypically.
Means:
My colleague and fellow devising artist on LadyM, Rachel Hynes, said something simple and profound that has stuck with me for a long time. She said, “As an artist, we are constantly in search of time, space, and money.” These are the means to which I am referring. The living wage to create, the cultural understanding and backing of what this creativity brings to the world, and the affordability and emotional space to bring and receive art are crucial. It is a constant balance for artists, and I feel it even more so as a devising artist.
I think it is important to support other artists and see their work. Be a part of your community and not just the artistic one. Everything is art and inspiration. It is also important to utilize and value your time alone. While social media is a great way to connect on a commercial level, I have found that getting out in my community, or whatever community I happen to be in while traveling is the best way to combat this lonely, or isolating feeling. It is important to immerse yourself in all of your surroundings.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
There are several ways!
We are a tight Theatre Department and team on the GSU Clarkston campus, and I love every minute of my work with these vibrant coworkers and students. Come by and see one of the several plays produced by Theatre Arts Guild, which is housed at our Cole Auditorium. The next production, The America Play, is directed by myself and executed by a very talented and ruckus-filled group of designers, students, and GSU alumni. The America Play will run February 7th – 17th.
In Washington DC, I am a part of a collective of devising women who are creating a theatre piece called LadyM. LadyM is a poetic clown piece that explores menstruation, de-stigmatizing blood, and women/ menstruators, as well as issues of violence against women/ menstruators. You can follow LadyM at @bloodisbeautiful. There are many ways to get involved, support, question, and share. If you are far away, you can easily take part in one of our digital period circles. If you find yourself in the D.C. area, you will also be able to take part in the production that is being co-produced by The Welders.
You can always find updates on my Facebook page @bookanastasiawilson or my personal website www.anastasia-wilson.com. There you will find information about films screening as well as theatrical productions I am performing in and workshops I am teaching.
At the end of the day, my work also goes beyond myself. I humbly implore people to support your local artists, your friends, and their “impossible” ideas. Everyone has a creative heart and it is important to nurture this. My work is for the people, and I always strive to make it a part of my world, wherever I travel. To support other artists is to support my work as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.anastasia-wilson.com
- Instagram: @anastasia.wil
- Facebook: @bookanastasiawilson
- Twitter: @fairywokemotha
Image Credit:
LSSF Photography (Louis & Steve), Simply Arlie, Stella Medvedeva, Alex Baxter, Katie Thurow Photography
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