Psychedelic Saint brings torch of enlightenment to Rochester – Post-Bulletin

I am ushering in a new era of enlightenment.

So states Psychedelic Saint, a multifaceted mixed arts creator who does everything from directing music videos to writing movie scripts to featuring upcoming artists on her website. She acts, writes, and directs everything from poetry videos to short plays. She creates visual art, composes music, and is heavily involved in the Rochester Arts community. Her latest work, The (Almost) Complete Works, isnt cataloging all she has to offer; its merely a stepping stone to pursuing her passions.

Like her painted periscope of a face, this collection of poetry, short stories, and scripts mirrors the illusions society accommodates and caters to. Commenting on identity, imagination, play, love, loss stemming from heartbreak, societal power plays, and overall wonder, Psychedelic Saint provides not only an emotionally charged book, she provides a service to those who need something to relate to during tumultuous times. This book includes her written works, as well as her visual art bright, zine-styled collages using pop culture references. Saint uses these bold backdrops to add another layer of depth to her storytelling. She aims to deconstruct societal norms and uphold a calling for truth. In doing this, she offers an idealist, realistic setting of the world at large.

When you are multitalented, multimedia, and a community oriented artist, sometimes your art gets lost in the fray and it is challenging to earn living that way, says Saint. I hope to begin capitalizing on my art in order to achieve the American Dream people talk so highly about. Traumatic things have happened to me, and because I have survived those struggles through art, I feel its my obligation to reflect that pain and the challenge of overcoming adversities. I strongly hope to engage, inspire, and help those that feel lost.

Why the face paint? This eye-catching persona is used for anonymity and intimacy, as Saint noticed people are far more open when met with a colorful caricature of a person. Using Lady Gaga and David Bowie as inspirations, Saint refuses to be bound to restrictions of what an artist should be she embraces the otherworldly and spiritual side of what artistry can be. She wants to not only write about celebrating the unorthodox, but also publicly advocate that its possible to be abnormal yet accepted.

This journey started a few months ago, when Forager held an event for women to come and say a single line of an original poem written by Psychedelic Saint, Femme Fatal. Roughly 100 women aged 6 to 70 came out to support this event that celebrated women, and all participants left feeling empowered. The short video of the readings, filmed and edited by Films By Cloey, will be released at the upcoming book release event.

The film premiere and book release will be this Saturday at the newly open Jive Mill Listening Room.

Of course, the Psychedelic star herself will perform spoken word poetry for her fans, whom she refers to as her Stars and Bruises. STEM Academy Poetry Club will bring greater diversity by performing, while Duluth local Mary Bue performs music, and Amy Abts creates live art. A community art project will be initiated and there will be a photo booth, as well.

Saint hopes for this literary debut to be a catalyst for an unconventional and honorable career path. She has plans of book touring throughout the Midwest with her fianc (a featured artist on her website), gender neutral cat, and mammothly inspiring message to share. A spoken word album will be released a couple of months after this event. Down the road, Saint will debut another book cataloging her entire works of poetry. She ultimately hopes to sell movie scripts which she believes to be some of her strongest works.

If you want to support diversity and help lend a voice to those who generally feel voiceless, come out and celebrate the unconventional, forgotten, and marginalized. A cash bar will be offered after the STEM Academy Poetry Club performance, so come sober and leave inspired.