Mason-Dixon Line Marker

1. I went to art school below the Mason-Dixon Line

a. While eating brunch with my roommate we had a discussion about grits.

i. She asked if she was a bad southern girl because she hates grits

ii. I responded with my mom is more southern and she can’t stand grits

iii. She yelled back “Richmond was the center of the Confederation!”

a. She is from Richmond, VA

b. Mom is from Monroe, Georgia

b. My first African American Criticism class in the south

i. The teacher asked if I had ever been to Africa, if I had any black friends, and when filling out paperwork did, I check black or white.

a. I am Black, American Indian, Irish and Scottish

c. Took dad to see a Kara Walker show in New York for another class

i. He hated it, called her a gimmick artist, made a huge scene.

ii. He could care less about the Pipilotti Rist show the month after.

Apple Pie

1. In 2010, I drove cross country and ate apple pie at every diner I stopped at.

a. In Chicago I went french apple

i. side Americano

b. Denver served way too much ice cream

c. Los Angeles had rather tiny slices

i. Told a man there I was an artist

ii. He said I should contact Barbara Streisand, she was looking to build a public monument to herself.

a. Not sure how I described my work

d. South Carolina, bite specifics

i. It was the last time I smoked a cigarette in a restaurant

ii. Felt incredibly relaxed inside

iii. Absolutely terrified walking back to the car

a. Waffle House

Toy School Bus

1. I was bussed into an inner city to go to school.

a. On a field trip to the Franklin Institute we passed my house.

i. You live all the way out here?

ii. That explains why you talk so white

c. I bullied and was bullied on the bus

i. You think you’re so hard because your dad’s a cop

ii. You don’t need to be worried about my dad, you should be worried about my mom, cause she’ll kick your ass

2. Elementary school was a shorter commute

a. We would crawl under the seats, and got caught when I fell out of the front row into the stairs.

i. You are some hooligans!

ii. Get back in your seat

a. It was the first week I had ever been on a bus.

Flat Iron, Hair Styling Tool

1. I went into the hairdresser by myself when I was 13.

a. She told me my hair was extremely dry

b. I needed a keratin treatment

c. I did a terrible job taking care of myself

i. This was predominately a white salon

a. I responded with my hair has always been very fluffy

2. Dad came in to give me money to pay while she was still trimming.

a. Thanks dad

i. Dad is a 6’3 Black man

a. Oh my goodness your hair is so beautiful.

b. I would love to have that much texture in my hair.

c. I know, I’ll use a flat iron after your blow out.

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