interview with Christina of Soul Aperture

Every day I eagerly click over to Soul Aperture to see if Christina has posted yet.  

I'm not really sure how I survived life before Christina, because her photos and words have become the Super-Duper Love Tonic for my every day.  You should know that on a rainy day in February,  I tucked myself into a cozy pile of covers and read every single post on Soul Aperture.   The higher consciousness of love that radiates from this blog is enough to make a girl levitate.  I'm not gonna lie, even my Mac was practically levitating. 
(This post says it all.)
I recommend you treat yourself to the same serious dose ... but only if you want to feel those high vibes of love exploding in your heart ;)

Frankly, I vote Christina for Queen of the World.

Anyone else? 

Christina, you make the world brighter by being in it.  We are blessed to have you on this planet!  

Read below and see her shining light for yourself ... then click on over to Soul Aperture and indulge your senses and your heart. 

E:  Christina, the first thing I noticed about your blog was that you often sign off your posts: 'One Love'.  Can you tell us what this means to you?

C:  I have always loved the Bob Marley song, “One Love”. I use these peaceful and tender words, as a reminder that no matter how different we all are, that love is universal. Love is love.

E:   Have you ever turned the camera on yourself and taken self-portraits?  How would you see your own self through your own lens?

C:   I did a few times, and when I saw the photos, they made me tear up. The photos of me, told stories and shared secrets, that revealed so much. That was a while ago, who knows what I would see now, if I took a self portrait.

E:   Can you share any feelings on this incredible community of women who are forming a vast interconnected unity on the blogosphere? 

C:  Oh my, aren’t they beautiful? These women are mothers, single parents, gay, straight, in the work force, artist, poets... And the list goes on. I tell you, everyday these women teach me something new. There is an acceptance in this blogging community of women, that floors me. We drink from the same cup, that overflows with understanding and support. They are my tribe! I dig that! : )

E:   What does being a woman mean to you?

C:   Sigh. It means the world to me. Being a woman soothes me. As a woman I was born into a sisterhood, where so many powerful women have walked before me... This sisterhood hands me the torch daily, assuring me I can do "it". I can be a mother, an artist, change the world, and say no, all in the same day. : ) Being a woman, fits me like a glove.

E:  How has your relationship with your mother shaped/informed/inspired your own femaleness?

C:   I say this gently and with love. My mother comes from a different world, than I do. She comes from a place where doors weren’t locked at night, and different languages were spoken. I am learning as I get older, my mother tried to do her best with teaching me, the basics. However, I would have to say, along my journey, the smart women I have met, picked up on my yearning for more shaping, more molding. These women (along with my grandmother) have mothered me, and gathered around me, showing me the way.

E:  In one of your posts you referenced Martin Luther King and your children's great-grandparents being in a photograph together.  Would you be willing to tell us about that? 

C:  My husbands grandfather worked closely, with MLK. There was a history there, amongst these men. They broke barriers and blazed trails. I feel my husband allowed these stories his grandfather shared with him, to fill his heart with hope, while growing up. My husband is a humble and quiet man, and has a quality about him, of a time gone by. He is a man that prefers to lead by example. Especially for our two children.

E:  You've also mentioned walking past the building in which your grandfather proposed to your grandmother.  What does it mean to be so closely connected to your roots? 

C:  Because my family is so small, it means everything to me. There are times I sit at my cousins house, and knowing that my grandparents lived there, brings me to tears. They tell me stories about when my grandparents had my uncle and removed a drawer from an old dresser and used it as his bed. Or times when they would make a pot of red beans and rice and the whole family would eat good. I am damn careful, when I speak of the things I NEED in life, vs. the things I want. They made do, and I love knowing that.

E:   In the same post you tell us that your grandparents loved photography, and that they passed this on to you.  Can you tell us about their photo worlds ... ie were they professional, hobbiests etc?

C:  My grandparents were strong hobbyiests. My grandmother used to tell me about the time, she and my grandfather went without a few meals, just to buy a camera, that they saw in a pawn shop window. Now that's camera love. : ) My grandmother was rarely in photos, she always was behind the lens, always. Hmm... reminds me of someone. : ) My grandmother was before her time. People were so comfortable, when she was behind the camera. Grandma bought me, my first camera. 

photo of Christina's mother, taken by Christina's grandmother

 E:   How did you see the world as a child?  What did you want to be 'when you grow up'?  Is Christina the child still a part of you?

C:  I wanted to be a poet, a photographer and a hallmark store owner. ; ) lol  Oh yeah, little Christina, rules my world. She can be a little shit sometimes, so I try to keep her happy. ; )

E:   Can you tell us about Jamaica in terms of your own history?  How has it shaped the Christina we know and love?  Can you share a specific memory that will help US feel Jamaica's breezes?

C:  My grandmother married my grandfather (he's from Jamaica) Of course my mom was going to be SO different from her mom (my grandma)... nah she fell in love with my father, and he was also from the island of Jamaica. lol I have a double dose, of de JA flag in me blood. Eh naw. I remember my first trip to the island. I saw women washing the stairs of their home, with babies on their hips. Pots of peas and rice were on the stove. These beautiful people, spoke to each person who passed by. Bread fruit trees stood tall in aunties yard. When we kids annoyed the adults, we could go run and play, and walk along and think. Climbing trees was okay, allowing the sun to bronze us and turn the tips of our hair light, was okay. There was always life, to be lived, to help a child grow, For me, I witnessed a poverty yes, but woven in and out of poverty, was a pride and love, that didn't come within the concrete I came from I need to say again- that for me, that's how I felt. I learned who I was that summer. The water became my best friend, and Jamaican breezes assured me, no matter where I went, this was home.

E:  Can you describe in delicious detail why you love books?  Was there someone in your life who influenced that?  What are your top 5 favorite books ever?

C:  Books saved my life. My teachers gave me books to keep, me afloat. They were an amazing group of tough catholic nuns. They saw me drowning and they knew their words weren't enough. They knew books would help fly from the little ghetto neighborhood I lived in: help me dream. Books took me to places, that my feet never could. I traveled so far through “The Box Car Children”. Or when I read the “Little House On The Prairie” books, I thought I had went to heaven. The emotions I felt when reading books came with a double edge sword. I loved the places these books took me, but to understand where I was in life, I had to read books like  “Down These means Streets” by Piri Thomas “The Autobiography of Malcom X”, Like Water For Chocolate” by Laura Esquivel, "The House On Mango Street." by Sandra Cisneros, "Invisible Man" by Ralph Emerson. These books are my favorite, because these books are filled with the characters, that walked my street everyday. These characters helped me understand where I came from, so I could move forward and get where I need to be. That's the love, I have for books.

E:   Have you ever fallen so hard in your life that you thought about not getting up?  Why did you decide to get up, dust off, and keep going?

C:  When my grandmother died, I broke inside. She was my everything. When my uncle died, part of me died with him. My uncle was my father figure. He let me know everyday, I was wanted and loved. These were the people who shaped me. How could they be gone? We still had so many great things, to do together. I was supposed to take care of them oneday, like they did for me. I go on because, I know they wouldn't have it any other way. They raised me right. I go on for my kids, they deserve 100% of me. With that said, you never get over losing those you love. Small pieces of me remain broken, even though it gets easier. I find comfort, in knowing they are being held, in the grace of The Most High. 

E:  Writing in a blog consistently takes a bit of discipline, or 'bliss-ipline' as a wise one I know calls it.  What are some of your other bliss-iplines?

C:  Photography! Photography paints my skies blue, and recites me sonnets in my sleep. Except when it’s for work!! lol My blog being a diary for me, is just second nature at this point. I adore writing, it frees my soul.

E:   Your blog captures the Good in our everyday lives .... and stirs it into a pot with the 5 senses, with a big ol' dollap of the 6th sense of feeling/knowing/intuition. Soul Aperture is a stew of Goodness and Wisdom.  Have you always seen the world through this lens, or is this a 'you' that has developed over time?

C:  Blushing~ so over time! Honey, there was a time, the sun could rise in my palms, and I wouldn’t even notice it. I was too busy, too angry; always wondering- why me. I cried so hard one day, my chest rattled. I told God if He wanted to give up on me, He could, it was okay, and I understood. Then I realized, the big man needs, no advice. He had other plans for me. He would rise and set that sun in my palms as long as he wanted, with the faith I would take notice. And I did. Sigh... happy tears. 

E:   Color is often featured on Soul Aperture just for being itself.  What can you tell us about color ... you seem to speak it's language!

C:  Color is my alter ego! I don't wear too much color in my wardrobe,  but I certainly splash color in and out of my blog. My words are ladled with color, and so are my photos. I am brave with colors on my blog, not so much in real life. : )

E:  It seems to me that your blog is very much about the present moment with occasional flashbacks popped in that serve to underscore the present tense.  I feel very present when I read your postings.  Is this intentional?  How do you feel about Being Here Now?

C:  It is very intentional. I float from the past to the present, in almost every post, but it's all about the now. About 14 years ago I had an accident. I had no pulse, no heart beat. My time of death was to be called, in front of my husband. The medical team detected a faint heart beat beginning, and the rest is history. Enjoy this day we have, right here, right now. I don't expect any more from myself, than to get through the given day. Life is a gift.  

E:   When I think of you archetypally, I see Christina the Greek goddess Hestia:  mother, nurturer, keeper of the hearth and family.  Do you have any feelings about what might be your personal archetype/mythology/totem? 

C:  I say this with gentleness and humility. I am all those things... A mother first. That is just who I am. I am interested in nurturing my children and guiding them. However, I am this way with everyone. Need a hug? My arms are open. Need someone to talk to? Let me turn the rice down to a simmer, and we can talk. I was 38 years old, before I understood I had to go through shit I did as a child, in order to be able to love my children, the way I do. And yes, I hug their friends too. lol

E:  When can we buy the Christina book of photos and words?  ;)

C:  From your mouth, to Gods ear. lol Yes, I am ready to weave words through the pages of a book, and share photographs. I love the idea of this. I'm at a fork in the road though. Where do I begin? Hello book world, invite a sister to play along. I'm ready. lol

E:   When you are writing, often you will intersperse italics with regular font.  Do the italics represent anyone or anything in particular?

C:  Indeed! Those are my thoughts that swirl around, in my head begging to come out. Sometimes I am too shy, to embark on the whole story of those words in italic, but those words tend to be the most important parts, of my blogging. The basis of my story.    

E:   Having been known to call on the dearly departed for extra oomph, I absolutely loved your post on asking Gordon Parks to inspire and send vibes for the wedding you were shooting.  Did he help?  Can you tell us why you love him so?

C:   Oh, I have a deep love for Mr. Parks! He is one of my dearest angels. The first time I stumbled on to the photography of Gordon Parks, my life changed. His photos seeped into my veins. I looked at the eyes of his subjects, and in all of 30 seconds, I saw the eyes of me, the eyes of the people who hung out on my neighborhood blocks, the eyes of people in my family. I cried at the emotion, that Gordon Parks, was able to capture in his photography. His work broke my heart, and at the same time, made me whole. Especially his work, with the Fontanelle family. The Fontanelle story is a piece of work, that lives in my heart.  I call on brother Gordon often, when I am professionally working the lens. He always shows up. : ) Although I will never, ever be as good as he was, it doesn't hurt to let him know, I will gladly take the wheel, if he is willing to guide me. Deep sigh for the beauty of heaven, that brings us all together as equals.

E:   Your blog is a feast for the eyes, the soul .... and the taste buds!  When you are in the kitchen and cooking, who is 'with' you?  Are there influences or memories that bring pleasure to you still while you are baking away?

 C:  Grandma for sure. She used to cater parties, when I was a little girl. If the she was booked, people who change their parties to a day she was available. Yes mam! The woman could cook, in her sleep. I always hear her voice in the kitchen. Especially when I roll out dumplings. She is the reason, I became a chef. 

E:   You give constantly.  There are always giveaways and (gasp!) snail mail happenings on Soul Aperture.  This makes me smile.  What is your philosophy on giving? 

C:  .. love, love. Oh yeah, love love. Soul aperture is a modern day, love festival. It's a "Woodstock" of words. lol A handwritten letter, warms my heart for days. What's your address? : )

E:   How does a self-proclaimed 'loner' find courage to bare her soul to so many?  It's such a beautiful soul ... we are grateful that you do!  :) 

C:  lol I still don't believe anyone is reading. lmao... So it is still so very safe to me. When I take to those computer keys, I let it flow from the deepest parts of me. I think if you were in a room with me, you might not know I was there. It's a funny thing though, the people that do notice me, tend to become the friends in my life, I adore the most. 

E:  If you could re-visit anywhere you've been, where would it be? Why? If you could visit anywhere you've not been, where? 

C:  Ah, let's see... Paris, France, Paris France, and Paris France. Enough said. : )

E:   Where does the name for your blog, 'Soul Aperture' come from? 

C:  Aperture is the opening of a camera, so honestly each time I place my camera to my eye, the outcome tells a soul baring story of the subject. I began as a urban photographer, I have a funny feeling that will remain with me for the rest of my life.

E:   On the name 'Soul Aperture':  I find it striking that you (just like me!) have issue with all the technical aspects of photography, while in it's purest artform you cannot live without seeing the world through your camera.  Your soul seems to need to express through it.  I see the title of your blog as a combination of this opposition within you.  On one hand, the word which describes a very technical function on the camera .... on the other your soul.   I find it quite beautiful.  How do you see the metaphor of your blog's title?

C:  I cannot begin to live without photography. When I had no voice and unable to express the feelings that lay within me, my camera spoke for me. I was happy with that but when it came to the technical deal of a camera, I fell short. So my photography teacher told me, just shoot what you see. At times this causes the deepest conflict in me, but my soul refuses to allow me to miss the shot, that speaks to me. Despite if the photo, is shitty or not, Gordon Parks assures me, he didn't have to worry about all that, so neither should I. : )

E:  What is your unique imprint that you are leaving on the world?

C:  I’m not sure it is unique, but if the world saw that I walked with compassion and love in my heart, that would be good enough for me. If my ways influenced another to accept someones journey, in a way they might not have, before knowing me, that would just about hang the moon for me. 

E:   Do you believe in the concept of a blissful planet?  If so, can you describe what it looks like?  Do you know what your personal contribution is?

C:  I do believe! I am a believer. I believe a blissful planet begins with each one of us. I believe knowing where our water comes from, having health care that flows generously, for all, along with each person having enough of what they need. I can imagine it, I can feel it. I may not be here to see it, but I have faith that there are enough people who can come together, and begin to achieve this. My contribution is raising our two children, to be aware of the possibilities and the rewards, when one lives from the earth and spread the words of equality.

E:   Is there anything else you want to tell us about the radiant Christina?

C:  I am deeply in love.  : )

 

all images courtesy of Christina :)

  aren't they gorgeous?

now go over to Soul Aperture or Flickr and feast more!