Kea [00:00:03] The podcast where we sip and spill, you are now listening to this episode of Tea with Kea. Hello. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you to all my lovely loyal listeners out there who have been kicking it with me. I have another quality episode coming your way. Would you like to introduce yourself to the people who will be listening? Let them know who you are.
Clayton [00:00:30] What’s going on, people? How are you feeling? How are you feeling? How are you feeling? My name is Clayton Singleton. I’m an artist first, I guess after being human. But I’m definitely an artist. I’m a teacher. I used to be a poet. Can you not be a poet anymore? What else am my husband? Father friend sometimes. Oh. Oh brother. I’ll go do that. Might give you money in a store. I mean these are the rules I play in the world, so I’m just playing those for now. I forgot how
Kea [00:01:06] many roles the list keeps on going and accolades, accolades, accolades,
Clayton [00:01:11] trying to get on time and get them.
Kea [00:01:12] I love that. I love that. She was so good to have you here on TI with Key.
Clayton [00:01:18] OK, I’m supposed to be here, you know, and even though I’m stoked to be watch me when I first grimmett ok. I’m not catching them all but I catch them sometimes. Right. Yeah. And it’s like but I remember when the idea was floated about in the air and then I saw some stuff online and it was like oh look here. Oh that’s. Do you know what I’m saying. So congratulations and hats off to you, number one, for doing the things that you say you’re going to do. What I mean, that’s the that’s.
Kea [00:01:56] Appreciate you. Thank you. I love you. Most people like you that, you know, help me make it happen. You know, I, I love to sit down with people and, you know, talk to them about the things that they love. So it it makes me feel good to hear this. I appreciate it.
Clayton [00:02:12] Yeah, it’s dope. It’s dope. You know, from the from the episodes that I’ve caught, it’s like I appreciate how you kind of lead the conversation, but you don’t leave the people in the conversation. Right. You just kind of let them, you know, dance their dance and hop on their hopscotch squares of choice based on where the glass lays. And that’s cool because some you know, some now granted, I don’t I don’t have a cars. So, you know, I might be on folks toes right now, but it’s like sometimes just like no. Where is the person? No. I mean, like, where is the person? Like, where is the person that you’re like, are you leading them somewhere or are you trying to let them lead us somewhere? And as a listener, I like to be led by the person that isn’t led, if that makes any sense, you know. Yeah. So I’m digging you for it’s not.
Kea [00:03:12] Oh my goodness gracious. OK, I am going to say thank you again. OK, first off, because you’re honestly like that’s really what it’s supposed to be. You know, in my mind, I have, you know, these questions that I want to ask. But it’s like when when the listeners are listening, it’s like I’m also listening real time. So. Right. You know, there are things that you just come up organically, spontaneously that spark something in my mind, like, wait, hold up. Can we rewind? Can we can we touch on this more? You know, so it’s like like I’m asking more about like what you do and like when I learn more than I can ask more so I know. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. So said. Well you know how we do. We let you know what we are now and let me see your mug again because you lifted your Mugabi again.
Clayton [00:04:10] OK, you can you see that with all my little lights here they were better shoes.
Kea [00:04:15] Yes. Yes. But choose kindness that choose kindness. Yes, yes, yes.
Clayton [00:04:20] Oh we need to do that so much more. You know, I agree. We need some. We need to stop being nice and be kind, you know, because too often we want to be nice to somebody when it’s like, uh, that’s temporary. You really don’t mean it. So why are you lying to me? And the, you know, don’t lie to me. You don’t even know me. Well, I like I like, you know, you’re nice to me. You know, you don’t like me for real, you know, so and so because I know. Let’s just let’s just learn how to be kind and I think we can have a better life than we can have a better life.
Kea [00:05:00] I felt I felt one hundred percent. It’s actually funny that. That’s like a mug size, because the tea I’m drinking and I’ve had this on like an episode before. It’s actually Joy, it’s by Tarzo and it’s really delicious. It’s like, oh, like the Black Lung Teeside. And it has like pans of peach in it, but they call it joy. So yeah. So I was like, oh this kind of like that same perfectly. Hello.
Clayton [00:05:27] Right. Right. Who has never had a peach and didn’t feel a joyful Mallison bite into it. It even you know what’s good about peaches. They actually smell. Have a taste. Yeah. You know what I’m saying. Like apples don’t they don’t always do that for you. You know, oranges do for the most part, you know. But peach is generally the redder is it smells sweeter. Yeah. So it’s like oh I’m not sure you want to give it to you. You know, we need that boat. You know, we need we need that.
Kea [00:06:02] That is so true, though. I never really thought about that. But also I’m like probably going to be in that mentality tomorrow when I go grocery shopping because I really need to.
Clayton [00:06:12] Oh, yes. Put your nose next to it if you can smell your past. You know what I mean?
Kea [00:06:18] You know, like, yeah, actually I’m like, oh, imagine you like go to the back and you go to the store, you see someone and you’re just like, she’s holding that peach very intensely in her face right now. Is she going to get it
Clayton [00:06:28] right with that one? You know, I’m walking by like, nah, nah, we don’t need come on. We don’t need peaches.
Kea [00:06:38] Literally. Literally. That’s funny. Oh, gosh. You know, I was actually going to text you because I was wondering, OK, so this is this is going to be a little interesting because, you know, every time I have someone on, I say how we met. And what’s funny is I actually was I was talking to my mom earlier today and I was like, well, can you tell me exactly how it happened? Because from my recollection or I don’t know how it happened for you, but from my recollection, so for the listeners out there, it is actually related to me. OK, so he is he’s my uncle on my mother’s side. You share the same father.
Clayton [00:07:21] Right, right. Right.
Kea [00:07:23] From from my recollection, what happened is like he passed. I had only met him twice in my life. Like, we I think we, like, went to his job one time when I was younger and then apparently, like, we met some other time. But as far as like, you know, knowing my mom’s dad, I just didn’t know him. And when he passed, that is when the knowledge came out that there were siblings. But I guess I guess my question is like, just just fill me in and fill me in to whatever. I mean, we’re here now. Obviously, we’re amazing. I wish I had when I was a lot younger.
Clayton [00:08:01] Oh, right. Look, look, it’s you know, is crazy how this life thing is like we’re all like these shared electrons, right? Where where is like we really don’t own the space so like own the relationship. Right. But it’s like my dad, he was an interesting dude. So however he moved is how you had to move in response to him. So when it was like, you know, your mom used to come up or down sometimes, but it was only like a couple of times because like these like he didn’t really interact with people or we as siblings really didn’t interact with each other. I think I think there was one day that me, your mom and our older older sister were in the same room together with our dad. Right. So so so I think that kind of gives you the sense of scarcity of any interaction, you know, that it was kind of like he was in control of that type of interaction. And, you know, us being minors, we we we didn’t have any say on who or when. Right. We really have much ability to interact with each other beyond the seemingly chance meetings. You feel me. So Tom goes on and I basically didn’t interact with anybody except my dad. Now, granted, we didn’t live together. You know, our relationship was like based around work, really, like I used to work for him. Right. So add that into the mix. So he gets sick. And he was so private that it was almost like he didn’t exist almost. And I’m trying to find information, you know what I mean? Like, OK, so you need to see people. We need to see people. We need to find out who. We need to find out what’s what was where. And Dude had a combination of didn’t tell me. She couldn’t tell me where anybody was. And so I’m digging around finding things. And I couldn’t find anything like I couldn’t. I’m online, I’m on Google. I’m trying to call people that I might know. Time goes on, some more debt passes away. I find some keys. I find some old paperwork. I go back online. I still can’t find you guys. I find your pet instead. I find your pet instead, OK? I don’t know why your mom’s name wasn’t connected to other things or whatever the case was, but I found your pet instead and I saw that your pet had been in competitions and whatnot.
Kea [00:11:08] Yeah. Yeah, he. Oh, yeah. All that’s public information when I registered with your dog.
Clayton [00:11:16] Exactly. You know what I mean. So that’s how I found Shariya, like because of your pet. And then and then I was able to cross-reference some other stuff, found a few old phone numbers. They were wrong. Then I got a good number. I don’t know how, but I got it and made the call and it was on. It was an unfortunate call, but that’s how I, like, hooked back up, you know. Yeah. Like so crazy.
Kea [00:11:48] I’m so glad that it happened, though, because like as I’m listening, like, yeah, it’s like you can only really have a relationship with someone if, like, the communication is there. So yeah. If you don’t have the communication you don’t really know. And yeah. Like when you, when you don’t have the information you can’t find people. Well but I’m so glad that you kept trying because. Yeah. Like the pieces, the pieces came together eventually and then you, you’re like oh gosh yeah.
Clayton [00:12:16] How crazy. Crazy is literally. Yeah. And then I’m so happy that you guys that registered for a dog show dog exhibit coming up in this area, you know, not too far along after that. You know, it was it was it was really, really hard.
Kea [00:12:36] Yeah. As I say, even if we didn’t have that, like, you know, like we’ll still, you know, make our way back there. And I was talking to her, too, about the next time that she wants to go to Virginia Beach. But, gosh, that’s so crazy because, yeah, it’s like, you know, you talk about things that matter to you in life. I’m like, OK, yeah, family. And for the longest time I was like, OK, you know, my dad’s and only my mom’s and only and then it was like, wait, what my mom’s on only. And then, you know, like getting to meet you and Jared and obviously Kim and going to the wedding, it just it was just like this this this new part that, you know, we love you guys like because, you know, in our family, you find out you have and meet her cool. But like, you’re actually cool. So I’m like, OK, I’m like this relationship. Yeah. I’m down this right here.
Clayton [00:13:20] Right, right. Yes. You know what else is beautiful. You to to to find people who are like you. Yeah, right. And I think that’s important. You know, family, family kind of constructs that when you are, when you are around each other a lot, you have similarities. But be this as it may, to have all of these distances and years and decades of distance but still have the same personality traits, you still have the same interests, the same views on life like like these same abilities. It’s just like it’s kind of like unbreakable. It’s like I know who I am because you know who you are. And it’s been, you know, nothing but beauty. And, you know, I’m like like the first person to say that, like, you know, I suck at relationships because of my interaction skills. Like my you know, like I’m very artists like that little myth that you hear. Artists are loners. Like I’m like, um,
Kea [00:14:36] oh, I haven’t actually heard
Clayton [00:14:37] that. But something. Yeah, like, um, like covid has been good to me, you know what I’m saying? You know, like I don’t mind being in I don’t mind being solitary. Like I fell in love with myself when I was a kid, you know, because I spent a lot of time alone, you know, because I like all of these health issues. So I wasn’t outside frolicking and playing up the street and racing my bicycle and playing sports and all that kind of stuff, you know, like I was learning who I was. So it wasn’t like I was ever by myself. I was always with me. You feel me. So that has kind of colored my view in ways like, well, I’m good, you know. Yeah, I’m good, though. I though, like, I enjoy it and I seek it out sometimes, but it’s like if I were closer, I think I’d be better at it, you know what I’m saying? Than just because I’m with me a lot. And then, you know, the whole art thing takes so much time.
Kea [00:15:39] The whole art thing I love, I, I can say is like, oh yeah. The whole art thing. I mean I’m, I’m the same.
Clayton [00:15:48] Yeah. I mean. It’s like, you know it, man, the whole thing takes a lot, takes like a lot of time, you know, and it takes a whole lot of self time, which is important to actually, you know, develop a voice, really understand what you want to say, to whom you want to say it, ways in which you want to say it. You know, just so, yeah, I spent a lot of time in that headspace of how do I get this out, you know, kind of like Ernest Hemingway or something. I was like, oh, I got a book out. Here I am. You know what I mean?
Kea [00:16:27] I feel it. I feel it. Oh, I mean, it’s like to to create something takes time in itself, like before you even pick up the brush, you know, and, you know, I’m actually out of questions, OK? Within reason.
Clayton [00:16:42] I’m an open book. Look, watch me. Anybody who’s been around me, follow me. I’ve been in the peer of you all all of these years. I’ve said things and stay rather on stage and poems and theater and presentations and artwork like I’ve told it all to some degree, you know. So have at it, you know what I mean, how bad it is. There is probably an artwork out there about it.
Kea [00:17:17] Well, I want to I want to go like back to younger you OK? You know, you said like you ever since like you were you know, we’re at a young age. You use that time to be with yourself to learn more about yourself. So it’s only natural. I’m thinking to myself, like your beginnings, I guess, because, you know, obviously, like, you’re an extremely gifted artist, but you weren’t always. So I want to go back to the beginning. OK, so I guess, like, when did you when did you start using that title, like, oh, I’m an artist.
Clayton [00:17:58] Oh, I’m going to start using that to like college, you know what I mean? Oh, I like using it. I was fully aware of it the entire time. High school. I like kind of flaunted it a bit, you know what I mean. Where where it was kind of like, yeah, that’s me, you know. But it’s like, yeah, you know. But I was always aware I was like a really smart kid. I recall in first grade I got in trouble because I was drawing hands coming out of my desk, you know, like I was that good, like I was going to draw. And I remember it like it was yesterday. My teacher had on like this like brown and white dress with these puffy shoulders and like long brown hair with the little box cut bang thing happening here. And she was over to my left and she looked and like she put a finger on my desk and she was like, what is this smart ass? I’m like, is hands. I mean, it’s like, you know, let’s just make, you know, what it looked like, you know what I mean? And it’s like, oh, she was like, well, you know, you’re not supposed to draw on the desk. And in retrospect, I’m like, really, really? You could have been like, wow, that’s dope. You shouldn’t be drawn on the desk. But wow, that’s no, you know, it was just mostly about what I shouldn’t do, you know, which which really fed into the theme of what my firm was saying. Oh, oh, it’s nice that you can draw. But that math thing. Yeah. You’re going to be an engineer, so you might as well just, you know, let that little art drawing thing be on the side somewhere. That’s kind of nice to be a hobby, but yeah. Get those books over there, you know what I mean? So but yeah, I was I was always pretty nice with the pencil, you know, I was always pretty nice. I did practice a lot. And like anything else, you may have a gift or a talent, but you need to add some technique to your instinct. I need to study. You need to practice. You need to work hard at it. You need to challenge yourself. And I and I was just kind of doing those things. I was constantly challenging myself. But the bad part was once I was able to do something I like, left it alone and I didn’t get great at it. I got good at it and I moved on so I could go do something else instead. And I kind of wish I had done some more in-depth things that would have helped me later on. But since it was never a focus in the first place, it was like, whatever. I got that messed up, you know.
Kea [00:20:43] Yeah, I could definitely see how, like, you know, like a parent would say that because. You know, definitely when you’re younger, you know, the well, the thing is, which it’s probably changed since now. It used to be really like STEM, but now they’re making it more steam. Yeah. You know, they’re throwing that a four hour in there along with STEM. So it seems like when I was younger, I was really stem, stem, stem. But then, like, the kids that like like, you know, Jamous, like he’s going to grow up with steam. Right. Because, yeah, it’s like you don’t really want to think of OK, well it’s an elective because. Yes. Like when you’re talking to that, you know, you’re a teacher obviously, which is
Clayton [00:21:26] why I’m laughing. You know,
Kea [00:21:28] it’s like, you know, when when, you know, we’re kids and we tell our kids, OK, you know, you need to figure out what you’re going to do. You figure out how are you going to make money because, you know, you graduate, you pay bills, whatever, they pay tax and you die. And there’s some living in there. But I could see how like a parent would say that. But it’s interesting because it’s like, wait, were you were you taking art classes in school, like up until or like when you were in elementary school, middle school and high school?
Clayton [00:21:57] No, I was that
Kea [00:21:59] way, OK. So, like, when you say, you know, like you try to like math or something, once you like, got a good enough you like like were you teaching yourself or like what was that process like.
Clayton [00:22:10] Say now this is where it just sounds crazy. All right. All right. So, um, I’m a really what’s the word receptive person, OK, to a degree, because I have a little social autism going on right now. Oh. Is like, you know, I was always watching things like as a kid, like I recall. I was always aware. I was always aware. And when it comes to naturalistic or realistic drawing, it’s about awareness and it’s about measurement, which is basically math. So if so, like if you can be aware and learn to observe, not just look at things, you can kind of figure out the mathematical proportions and equations as to why the shape is what the shape is. So, you know, drawing is simply when you copy or when you work from like realism is to proportionately accurately recreate the shapes and edges that you see with the proportionate value to them. So it was math to me and I was really good at math, like I was really good at math. And to this day is like measurement to me. It’s like, oh, well, OK. So if that color I need to have this and this and this and that and this and it’s just kind of like the days of Thunder theme where. What’s your boy. What’s your boy. I just lost his name. Tom Cruise is telling do that like, you know, he can drive a car and do this like, well, why are you screwing the tires up? It is like that you need to hear me here. And you’re like, well, I don’t know what you’re talking about. He’s like, how do you not know what I’m talking about? How did you learn to drive the way you drive? He’s like, I don’t know. I just got in the car one day. They told me to drive and I could drive, you know, and it and it’s always felt like that, like I draw, you know. But I know that it’s because I was always observing and always aware and doing the math, doing the equation and being able to go, OK, well that does that. Yeah, that’s really kicking it down to the effort.
Kea [00:24:28] You know, it’s also logical when you say it like I mean, not that it’s not illogical, like, you know, I mean, I guess it’s like as a as a a non artist. I don’t know what to say, like as a
Clayton [00:24:39] as a person who doesn’t regularly create in that manner.
Kea [00:24:44] Right. Yes. Let’s go with that.
Clayton [00:24:45] Yeah, but but watch me though I this is the episode for folks. I’m sorry. Are people you know how there’s you know, there’s this mystique around visual artists. It’s like, oh he’s oh he’s not moody. He’s mysterious. No dude in the movie. OK, do this movie. All right. She is moody. So it is it’s it’s like it’s a skill. It’s a skill. And you draw every single day, every day that you write something you’re drawing. All right. There are really only two kinds of lines in the world. There’s a curved line and there’s a straight line. And those lines really don’t exist. There really edges. But we but it’s like we we record them using marks and we call them lines and it’s only to a straight one and a curve. One curve to what degree. Straight to what angle. Once you are able to analyze objects and images, you can then decide which ones go where and how they should be placed, you know what I mean. Like it is really like. Is extremely logical now the creativity part comes in how you might choose to augment those things, what type of personal motifs and images and symbols and syntax and personal semantics that you create through your own language, like through like your own voice. That’s creative. But as far as the standard classical work goes, is science, you know.
Kea [00:26:17] OK, so this leads me to a follow up question. Do you think that, like with with what we’ve just been presented about thinking about it, like, more logically? Right. Do you think that, like, every single person in this world could be an artist if they, like, take.
Clayton [00:26:35] Yeah, yes. Yes. Same way every person can be a cook. If you can read, you can follow a recipe. You can make a dish. Now I like words. I’m not the best wordsmith in the world. But I will say that there is a difference between making something and creating something. Right. When you make something, you’re basically copying what’s been done already. You’re making a cake, a box. You’re going to follow the recipe you’re going to make. Hmm. If you’re going to create a cake, you have some ingredients and you get to decide with within the realm of physics and science, chemistry, how to incorporate those ingredients and to what degree to actually create a cake from what they call scratch, which is then your cake. You feel me, but I can go make better cake all day and I can make better cake every every day to the hilt, you know. But can I create Claytons cake Clinton try to make fun of it one day. One day. Why does it cost so much money to make some bondages. What I want to know. But anyway, so it is, it’s like you know, everybody can learn that skill. Everybody I can teach anybody how to draw. I can teach anybody how to draw realistically, naturalistically. I can do that. Yeah, you can learn how to do it. You can learn how to do it.
Kea [00:27:58] I like the sound of that. I like the sound of that. Hmm. Hmm. OK, I’m wondering, OK,
Clayton [00:28:07] I think I can give your voice though. OK, that’s what I like. Yeah. To be like I can’t do that.
Kea [00:28:13] Yeah. Like it sounds like OK so when you’re like creating that’s when like you’re using like your own voice and that’s when like you’re putting something like new like new out there and new.
Clayton [00:28:28] No new doesn’t always mean has not been seen before. New may mean has not been seen before in that manner. From that perspective. I once did this show called Eighteen Different Thoughts which which was basically asking, is there such a thing as original thought or is everything derivative? You know what I’m saying? Like every piece of music has been written with the same notes, which blows my mind. OK, every book this in the English language is written with the same twenty six letters which should blow your mind the six more goals that you have. OK, and the fact that we can rearrange all these things to create these new perspectives is what’s beautiful. Because the wonderful part about creating and which I like to say that everybody’s an artist, you simply need to take the time to find what your art is, right. That that that you all have this ability to create. It’s just a matter in which you choose to actually evoke those creative skills and you are the only opportunity for you in the history of the universe. So your perspective can be singularly yours. That little, teeny, teeny, teeny, teeny, teeny straw pinpoint needle point piece of you. That is only you and no one else. That is where you have voice and you can choose to connect that voice to your person, which is like everybody else in your culture, or and you can use that voice to connect yourself to humanity, which is like everybody else who has ever lived and will ever live. Right. And those are the works of art that really, really cascade throughout time because they actually connect to us on a on a human level. Yeah, I me I mean, they just stay with us because being human is being human, even though that you’re human first, you’re human last as well,
Kea [00:30:40] being human, still trying to figure that out.
Clayton [00:30:43] Human is like, oh, it’s off the chain. Can I be a tree.
Kea [00:30:47] Yeah. OK, real toxemia. I think that I like
Clayton [00:30:51] I will look kind of when they actually get my OK on your feet.
Kea [00:30:57] Yeah. You know, sometimes I think that I’m like, can I be something else? That would actually be interesting, I imagine. OK, so this is actually not what I was going to say, but what you just said. And we think about it. Imagine you could be something else like for a day like you go to something else, like you’re something else, but then you get put back into your human body. I imagine, like, imagine being an artist who, like, got to be in something else’s body and then make your art, like, from that perspective that be crazy. And I don’t even know that could actually happen. But maybe it could seem like Buddhism. But no, but just imagine,
Clayton [00:31:34] you know, we we we do try that right. When you personify something and it may actually be the reverse, really. We’re like you try to actually take the viewpoint of that particular object and experience. What it would be like right there was this project that we like to do is like the kids have to write from the point of view of whatever it might be. So instead of you being the little, you know, human is riding on me, you know what? If you are a raindrop, right? Take that perspective. What happens when you’re born as a, you know, little water molecule and like you form to your water body and now you’re being birthed into the world, you’re being released into the elements. What is that like as a drop of water? You know what I mean? And then what happens when you hit somebody? You know, what does that feel like? Right, right, right, right, right. Because imagine you don’t you don’t listen. Yes. This is why artists and sometimes people say we’re a little off because of think, you know.
Kea [00:32:51] No, but it’s dope, though, because it’s like, you know, I think that I think that a lot of human beings and honestly, I think there’s like less of them now thinking like this because of the pandemic. But humans, I think they’re very like human centered. They very like, oh, yeah, the world. Like human, human, human, human, human. Right. Right. You know, I think this past year, like, humbled a lot of people and made us think like, you know, well about other organisms that also, you know, live in this biosphere, you know, together. Huh. Do you think I’m actually OK? I’m thinking and I’m like, you’re all these things that you’re saying, you know, probably like tell your kids or your students, like time and time, you know, over how do you like how do you help your students find their voice or do they come with you with a voice already. Oh, so like do you OK somehow voice.
Clayton [00:33:50] Some come with voice, some come with voice. That’s like the fifth element singing when you grow up like that and then like like up some of them voice like that, others, others of them come with the voices in boxes, you know, and they need you to help them to unpack their box of voice.
Kea [00:34:13] So you give them like more props to like help more prompter. Yeah. Wow.
Clayton [00:34:19] All right. So one exercise that I used to do and when I say I used to do, I’ve been doing this gig for like since like nineteen ninety two, you know what I mean? And I’ve done a lot of things that may not be done anymore or that now we’re doing them or now it’s like, oh, should we still be doing that. It’s such as, such as the what’s it called now. They’re like trying to call it intersectionality. Right. Whereas people want pieces of parts of themselves that, you know, their religion and their sexuality and their cultural upbringing and their race and their gender or their ethnicity or their personal likes and dislikes. You know, all of these things really don’t come together as. Yes, they did. OK, you know, you may not be sitting at, like, the center of your intersection, but you have all of these ingredients to help make up who you are as a cake. And we can keep that metaphor going. So so one of the things that I used to have the kids do is really, you know, make a list of who you think you are. And I would really emphasize that word. Thank you. I think because many times we are who we think we are. Right. Like, not for real when we really dig down into. Ourselves, we aren’t who we think we are, much less who we are pretending to be. And so I’m like trying to get them to be honest with themselves. Who do they think they are? And a key thing about voice is honesty. It’s about authenticity really is a better word. So so when you remove all of these put ons and these errors and be shields and these walls and these moakes that you’ve built for self-protection, because that person who you know you are hasn’t been safe in your life when you strip all of those things away, who are you, you know, who do you think you are? And I ask them to try to work from that place in that space. And it’s challenging, especially for high school kids who may not have that skill set of self authenticity or who may be in a point where they are what people will call confused, you know, and that tends to be because they’re trying to figure out how to be who they are without hurting the people that they love or who love them. You know, I just give them permission. Oh, a lot of time, you know, say what you want to say, be who you want to be right now. And I also use that term right now a lot, because if we are developing and if we are evolving and if we are giving student artists or student learners in general permission to develop, then they need to be able to know that they have that space to get it wrong. Right. Too often we teach them that you got to get it right. How the hell was I supposed to know? Like like I just showed up. How do I know that? I was like, you know, why don’t you show me what’s right and then maybe I can get it right. Why don’t you show me your position or your flux of prepositions to get me into a space where we are defining what right is right now? You feel me so giving them permission to make mistakes, giving them permission to screw up, I’m like, yo, fail, please me go out here and fail. Come on this classroom and mess up every single day because the more you mess up, those are the pieces of marble that you don’t want, you know. And when you dig down and you start making decisions instead of choices, you start to make the sculpture that you really want to have, but you’ve got to get rid of the pieces that you don’t need. So sometimes you have to figure out what you don’t need. Kids need space to screw up. And so in my class, you have the space to screw up, you know what I’m saying? And I think that that that’s like the greatest gift that I can give them is the ability or rather the avenues to just wander yourself out of it and and, you know, define who you are. You know what I mean? Don’t find yourself. Define yourself. You know, you’re not out there somewhere.
Kea [00:39:01] Oh, my God. That is just so, such a great point. Literally, like you’re like on a map, like, OK, there I am pinned right there. Well, that is so true because also. Yes, like when you’re younger, you like you said, you’re you’re evolving like you’re no one’s like, OK, this is who I exactly am supposed to be. Like, I’ve completed my, like, human level. OK, I’m there like, no, I think I mean, it’s like you create such a such a warm environment. Like I’m like picturing myself like if I didn’t know you and I were like walking in the class, like, OK, it’s fourth period and it’s like the first day of school. And, you know, you’re talking I’m like, wow, this is a good environment. This is like what I want to be because like, you’re more receptive to learning when you feel you feel good and like you feel like the person who is like and you like you you care about what you do, you’re intrinsically motivated. So it’s like you like put that vibe off to your students till you’re like, hey, yeah. You know what? Who are you? You don’t know who you are. That’s cool. You’re going to we’re going to find it. We’re going to get there. We’re going to get there. Right. Like, you know, here’s a piece of paper. Here’s a brush or a pencil. We don’t know what it’s going to look like, but it’s it’s going to be something and it’s going to have come from you. So it’s going to be a part of one of the many parts of you. So that is, man, look at you go. I got your students. I mean, I know your students love you because, like I mean, who couldn’t. Hello.
Clayton [00:40:36] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much. Am I am I a teacher voice. Thank you so much. You know, I mean, yeah, I would say most of them do. Some of them don’t, of course, which is good, you know. But it’s like, yeah, we we we get along well, and I think it’s because I admit to them that I don’t have all the answers. I don’t freaking. Yeah. And and which I also try to hold them personally accountable for the relationship. You know, it freaks out the kids the first time I’m saying it. And it’s like I’ve said it for years and it’s like I say stuff like and I don’t know how you’re going to behave, but we’re in a relationship, OK? You and we are in a relationship. And it’s stuff I need from you is stuff you need from me. You cannot get the stuff you need from me without me getting the stuff I need from you. I don’t know how you feel about it, but we’re in a relationship. When you got a foot locker and you buy those shoes, the cost to twenty five. What they were well to twenty five. Can you give them one fifth. They know what’s going to get one shoe. So I feel it’s going way up in here. I need to get my to twenty five because I’m giving you both shoes, you know what I mean. So just so that they know that it’s the give and take that is not this unilateral. I’m in charge of you. I don’t know you. You just showed up one day. Yes. I’m in charge of you. I’m here to maybe help you learn some things about yourself, learn some things about the world, incorporate your personal perceptions into some realities. You know, introduce you to some really cool people who are artists, you know, blow your mind with some really awesome music, get you to read some really weird stuff and ask yourself to see where you fit into all of this calamity. Call it life. You know, that’s all I thought you’d be like.
Kea [00:42:39] I’m worried if you hit it, you would it. All right.
Clayton [00:42:41] Exactly. Exactly. You know, as long as you don’t get us on TV, we’re good. You know what I mean? You know, if I. Oh, no, no, no, no. You can’t draw that. No, we can. No, you can’t sculpt that either. You know what I’m saying?
Kea [00:42:55] We don’t like someone that created, like, I guess, offensive art in your classroom before.
Clayton [00:43:02] Oh, trust. So you were watching me people. Are people OK? I mean, yeah, I just do these things called gallery pages, which are basically like journal pages, like journaling with imagery and whatnot. Yeah. And and which I like kind of give them the speech on like two sides of like the same soldiers. Like if you put anything in your gallery pages that I have to report to somebody, I have to report it to somebody. I mean. Yeah, you know, I mean, I just have to. So if you and your crew went and did some stuff that’s not legal. Hey, I’m not saying I’m smitten, but are you sure you wrote that down in the book? You know what I mean? You know, and it’s and it’s like also the other side of that is if it’s something that you need me to know that you don’t feel comfortable saying, put it in your journal page and I’ll send it to the to the people who are in charge of that kind of thing, like, you know, counselors and whatnot, because kids are good for telling you that they want to commit suicide. Kids are good for telling you that they are being abused. And so you shovel it off. But people do try to draw some freaky stuff in class. Classes like Beyond Class was like, no, you can’t draw that in class. We can’t have that in class. No clue. That person over there in the Michelangelo’s statue of David, he has his penis out and one, he doesn’t even have his penis out. And that’s nude, naked. You know, like we to have these we have to have these conversations, you know, no man kids, you know, students, students or people.
Kea [00:44:44] They are structured like you can save that for your at home journal.
Clayton [00:44:51] Man, look, I can’t do it both ways.
Kea [00:44:55] I find that boys too fast. Let me stop. You know what I mean is, look, you
Clayton [00:45:00] a whole opera right now, your money, your life, balance it out, balance it out, balance
Kea [00:45:08] freedom of expression. Let me start. Let me start. Oh, goodness gracious. I’m because I’m thinking back. I took I took one art class in high school and it was my teacher. He was like still amazing. And I was just thinking like actually how do you get like a little too, too free to me in your art. But then I’m like at school at the same time, you know? Right. Hmm. Mm hmm.
Clayton [00:45:35] It just it just, you know, all varies based on the level of a kid. The kids and governor school of the kids don’t like outside art and whatnot. And that’s actually what
Kea [00:45:46] I love the most. When I was younger, I. I loved to be outside, I love to talk like Chuck was my favorite medium. I loved it. So I was like a chocker and like a chocolate sponge. I had to sponge out there, too. That was always my favorite.
Clayton [00:46:02] Yeah, technically, yeah. Yeah. It’s almost moved
Kea [00:46:07] over here as well because, I mean, obviously, you know that you’re an artist. Well, OK. There’s like. All right. So there’s artists. But I guess technically, like, we’ll draw a little branch and you’re a painter. So I guess we’re doing a little you know, here’s what an artist in here is like. And if you had to classify
Clayton [00:46:27] it a little, an art three,
Kea [00:46:30] how do I how did you know? Like like like I said when I was younger, I loved chalk. So if I were, you know, if we were on this artist branch and I had to like draw a branch if I want to, like, get good at something, I would have chosen like chalk. But how did you. I guess not. How did you choose paint? I guess paint shows you.
Clayton [00:46:50] Well, I
Kea [00:46:55] wish I could copy and paste your humor into like like my brain so I could, like, give this humorous vibe out to like everyone that I interacted with
Clayton [00:47:04] is dangerous at times. Let me tell you things like what do you mean by that?
Kea [00:47:07] Like matter how you want to get it. Moves on. Moves on. Right.
Clayton [00:47:11] Right, right. I mean, painting, painting, painting, painting, painting, painting. Serious. All right. I like I like the simplicity of nature, OK? I like how nature naturally works as long as we aren’t in there screwing it up. Nature works as it should work. With that said, that lends to the fact that I like the ease of flow. I don’t like unnecessary friction. Any friction that I desire is really to speed up or to slow down. I don’t really like intermittent friction that’s just there to kind of disrupt. All right. That’s pointless to me, just on a philosophical level. So paint paint has a good push to it. All right. You can push it and you can pull it and it’ll move, right? You can thin it. It can be thick. It can be stiff. Right. So it has all of these variances to it in its body, which is beautiful to me because it because it has all of these possibilities that let’s say that graphite does not have a right, that let’s say chalk even does not have or oil still does not have. It’s it’s just able to do all of these things, you know, and and I love that smoothness that it can have as well as have some dry brush on it, too. It’s just so versatile. And it’s like I can create the vocabulary with it that I desire granit. You can do that with all the media. So all your artists that are like, well, you can do that with cardboard too. I know you can come something for me personally, the move and the touch of that utensil that actually creates this painterly interaction that I can create this visual music. Yes, I’m big in that because it moves like song moves, you know.
Kea [00:49:07] Yeah, yeah. I hey.
Clayton [00:49:10] Yeah.
Kea [00:49:10] Like I’m like is your your oh gosh. You’re like literally describing this and I’m like seeing it in my brain as it’s happening and that actually make it makes it makes the most sense. Do you. Hmm. Do you think they like nature inspires you to paint the most then. And you kind of like take that as, like, you know your basis for it just comes naturally
Clayton [00:49:35] I think inspires me the most, you know. Gives me the footing like the foundation. Definitely. Yeah, definitely gives me the footing and the foundation. I mean, maybe it’s cause, you know, we in trees process sugar the same way. I don’t know, maybe it’s because when I was in. Yeah, yeah. Crazy. Right, when I was in British lit class, maybe it’s cause I just felt, you know, man versus nature was this was a stupid conflict, you know what I mean? I just do I just think it’s stupid. And it’s a very Western Americanize conflict, too, you know,
Kea [00:50:14] slightly Racheli you
Clayton [00:50:16] for me. But over on the other hemisphere, you know, being one with nature makes sense because you are nature. You’re not separate from it. You’re out of it. So so I kind of work in that space. So I would definitely say that nature gives me the footing. The foundation, it gives you the roots, gives me the roots, the trees and the house, the trees and the house. You know, give me the. Bad boy, so it’s like it’s it’s like there is nothing about yourself as a human being, but you cannot find in nature. Yeah. You know, but there are tons of things about the way that humans choose to live that cannot be found in nature. You know, it’s just trees aren’t going around beating each other up like that. It is like, oh,
Kea [00:51:13] my
Clayton [00:51:13] goodness, Willow is like just smacking people that
Kea [00:51:19] they just go with the flow.
Clayton [00:51:21] They go and flow wherever the wind blows. You know what? I’m good today.
Kea [00:51:25] Exactly. The world actually would be like definitely a lot better if we kind of took after plants more. But that’s that’s another story. Yes.
Clayton [00:51:34] I happen to think the planet to grow love the planet came back to life in some places.
Kea [00:51:43] Yeah, it’s yes. Like and I actually I talked to like one of my friends about this because with the with the pandemic, people like I started to actually care more about plants like, you know, in terms of people were growing food, like I’m eating it like more like that was increasing. And then also like like having plants, like being like a plant parent. Also there was like a rise in that. So I was just right.
Clayton [00:52:08] Right, right, right.
Kea [00:52:09] I agree in my mind, I’m thinking like, OK, like because every time I have a cat episode, I, I always think I want to have people like when they’re listening to our conversations, they should be reflecting on themselves as well, you know. Right. And and it’s it’s just amazing like how much how much optimism you bring. But it’s also like that, like retrospect, like you sitting at home thinking like. Huh. Like actually yes, I am a part of this world, like am I contributing to it.
Clayton [00:52:42] So, you know, I mean, I mean, I mean that’s that’s everything is a relationship. And and I think we’ve been dumbed down to believe that the word relationship and interaction means one romantic to it means something that you are entrenched in. Right. But really, it is the cyclical exchange of elements. Right. That’s all a relationship really is. So when you recognize your place, in your space, in the relationship with the planet, planet does not need you. You know what I mean? Planet is rich
Kea [00:53:22] planet go keep planet. And when you heat, when you not hear,
Clayton [00:53:26] holler, holler. You know, the panel were for you, you know. You know, it’s funny, you know, things that are kind of sidebar relationship stuff. You know, folks come into your life and they disrupt it, OK, then they are trying to make themselves essential. Right. And it’s like, nah, bro, I was good before. I know you. Matter of fact, I was straight before I even knew you were on the planet. So how are you go to show up? Like what? What is supposed to be like? No, this planet was here before you when you gone. And whatever happens, the planet going keep spinning, moving at 18 miles per second, spinning the velocity that I cannot remember right now is a little hard. You know, Hill’s live action is just doing this thing.
Kea [00:54:21] What is it like, twenty three point five degrees? I don’t know what to do.
Clayton [00:54:25] Right. You know what? I mean it without you, when a relationship does not need you, you need that relationship is is like I mean, it’s come on. So playing. You know,
Kea [00:54:40] I think you might need to add a philosopher into that list that the little intro list is, you know, you you drop some gems out here. You not you’re not just dropping works are in terms of tangible. It’s intangible, too. OK, so
Clayton [00:54:56] I appreciate it. I appreciate it.
Kea [00:54:58] Oh, my goodness. Great. Well, it’s it’s crazy too, because it’s like, you know, going off what you just said, like, you know, obviously we are human beings. We’re only here for a finite amount of time. What do you like? Clayton Singleton is basically like a legacy because your art is still gonna be here when you’re not here, you know, so it’s like you still get to have you still get to make a positive impact on people, whether it’s their living room or their desk or like just even with these, you know, interactions that we’re having. So I think that that’s also dope, because you are doing what you love, you’re making a positive impact. And it’s still it’s it’s going to be here forever to so people are going to continuously be able to enjoy your art, you know?
Clayton [00:55:48] I hope so. And I like Mike, I hope so, like, it’s you know, I think that we all have the capacity to actually create a legacy. Right. You don’t just leave it. You actually create a legacy. So, you know, what is it that you are deciding to leave behind because you will leave a legacy. You are creating one. What type of legacy are you creating? Know, how will you be remembered? Is it important maybe not met in the span of light years? Of course not. But at the same time, there has been some some earth added to my life because of somebody who lived 200 years ago, because I read what they wrote down on a piece of paper. Right. Right. You know, the caves that are in some parts of northern and central Africa, it’s like those people left me instructions on how to live as a human being. So their legacy has this, as you said, continuous impact. And I think we too often try to turn those things into continual impacts that we get to choose when to create that friction and start them and stop them. But if we instead just live like Earth lives and just live in our cycle, we’re going to get that impact of legacy. So, yes, I am consciously creating legacy, right? I am consciously trying to use my art as a platform to help people’s lives be better. Like this show that I just did call Nourish. It’s here in Virginia’s Martin was what the Museum of Contemporary Art is this piece called Far from Mama. And it’s about the reasons why black people are stuck living in neighborhoods that then turn into food deserts, you know, and and it shows basically what you don’t see. And that’s like the paradox, right? It shows what you don’t see. You can only see these this couple on a bus with their bags, but you don’t see all of the food, desert mapping that’s behind them. You don’t necessarily see all of the red lining that took place. You don’t see all of the the slum maps that Norfork had. You don’t see the transatlantic slave trade maps under there. Instead, there’s this big purple plume and these beautiful colors and there’s these wonderful dotting of adinkra symbols. But you don’t know that each one of those adinkra symbols represents a trip to the grocery store when you don’t have a car or bus and you’ve got to get there, like I’m using the artwork to try to bring people along right now so that we as a unit, we as a community can actually create a legacy that benefits everyone. You know, like like I think that’s what we have to do. You know, when folks are watching, what’s the what’s the zombie show came on AMC, The Walking, Walking Dead. Yeah. You see, people get together. They not, you
Kea [00:59:17] know, goodness gracious. No one knows
Clayton [00:59:22] what it was. Are you zombie in that? You know what I mean. You you feel me because I’m trying to live. Right. So if it takes a disaster to make you come together to get what you’re after, that’s a problem.
Kea [00:59:35] Agreed.
Clayton [00:59:36] Agreed. No, that’s a problem. So I’m consciously trying to create a legacy that will serve folks other than myself. And I think that’s what we have to do.
Kea [00:59:47] I feel that. I feel and see that’s the thing. Like when people are listening, it’s really it’s really meant for each individual to take time to ask themselves that question because we’re all living right now together. At one point we won’t be, what with your time, did you make a positive contribution? And hopefully, you know, hopefully as as we’re growing like no dad’s promise, of course, with each day that we are given, hopefully we’re taking those strides to to put some of those, you know, positive vibes out there, to put some of that kindness out there, to see what kind of goodness. When I have my guest on the show, you know, I like to ask them, we’ve covered a lot of different topics. But if they’re if there’s one thing you really like like Wyrsch, like hit hit home with all the listeners, what you really want them to to walk away with. What what would you say is is the main takeaway or could be several takeaways
Clayton [01:00:55] just about today or just overall
Kea [01:00:58] either or today’s episode or overall?
Clayton [01:01:02] OK, today’s episode, everyone’s an artist. Take time to find what your art is and let us use that a change. This is my home at American families who own change the word take to utilize. Can we do that? Everyone’s an artist. Utilize your time to find your art is like it’s in you. Like there is an artist of some sort in you and there are all types of art. So I don’t want to hear what you can’t do. I can’t sing along with coming back and saying, you know, I mean and but but I still do. Saying to myself and to whomever might be around me, right, well, listen, who gets to sing. But it’s like, you know, definitely do that. Definitely do that. But I think overall, I would say the pain that people call you is not your fault. All right. Definitely. Hold on to that. I think we take too much accountability for other person’s lack of responsibility. So definitely do that. But put that into your artwork. You know, develop your voice, man. Like develop your voice. Stop letting people tell you who you are, not stop. Let people tell you who you are. Develop your voice, check people when necessary. You can be humble and all that kind of stuff in order. You know, you can be the bigger person. If you want to drive you crazy, you can be the bigger person by telling somebody what not to do when like how to treat you. You know, I’m saying check somebody and just say, hey, hey, stop that like you have to be me.
Kea [01:02:45] True. True.
Clayton [01:02:46] You mean you don’t have to be mean, you know, to say, hey, no thank you. No thank you. But no thank you. Know, I’m over here creating my legacy. You with my legacy. You’re messing with my legacy.
Kea [01:03:04] I just actually throwing out like um. Excuse me. Like you’re actually messing with my legacy right now. Yeah. Right then I
Clayton [01:03:10] do not know what to what. I just called you out tonight. I’m looking for some trauma. Hey, you messing with my legacy.
Kea [01:03:18] Nightmare actually sounds like something that like a younger Denzel would say in a movie like looking directly at
Clayton [01:03:26] the
Kea [01:03:27] vibe right now.
Clayton [01:03:30] Right. So listen, I don’t know what it is you think you’re doing right now, but you’re not to do this.
Kea [01:03:34] You actually
Clayton [01:03:37] look up. You do. Then there are,
Kea [01:03:39] you know, I’m like legit. Can I say that if somebody is going to throw them all, I want to throw them off.
Clayton [01:03:45] I’m telling you, just go throw them all. You don’t need to exert your energies. Trying to stop somebody is ridiculousness. You know, they were like that when you met them. So let them keep circling their planet, you know what I mean? And you go back to self and keep moving
Kea [01:04:02] and keep out of my voice. Thanks for listening to this episode of Tea with KEA.
Tea With Kea 