I think poetry, art, and music are received differently in different places. Outside of the United States, there is a different kind of cultural admiration for poets and artists. There’s a desire to support the poet and artist. That is certainly true in Italy which I felt when I was reading my poem there, but I found it in other countries as well. There’s more of a sense that this is something really valuable. We are poets and there is a visual element to poetry, so the visual artists will come to the poetry readings. And very often poetry, art, and music are combined in a reading or show, which is quite wonderful and very open. I don’t find that quite so much in the United States.
Here it is like the three are divided. There is a unity there that I'd like to see more of. Let’s have people exhibit art and also listen to poetry or a musician. Linda Hillringhouse and I did a combined exhibit at the Art Center of Clifton last fall and we also read our poetry there surrounded by our paintings. I would like to see more of that.
see Maria's artwork at mariamazziottigillan.com