Visual and performing artists, Naima and Alixa of Climbing PoeTree speak on horticulture, color, and leaving legacies of love.

As Climbing PoeTree, what type of plant life would you liken your lives as artists to?
Both: The sunflower, because the sunflower breaks through concrete and always faces the rays of light birthed by the great sun. The heart of the sunflower is food for both birds and people. Tall and strong, it makes its presence known even when standing alone, but in a field it forms a breathtaking ocean of color moving in unity.

Since you moonlight as street artists, what would you love to “decorate” and what would you paint?
Alixa: See, companies bombard us with images everywhere, everyday and society at large has been ingrained with this idea that altering their often vulgar messaging is a crime, but we believe that once those billboards are up in public spaces, they are for the people to do with what they want. We are the ones that have to digest them.

On that note, if we had full reign on “decorating” the streets, I would give a paintbrush to every child and have them paint their highest dreams. Then I’d give the teenagers some paint brushes and have them touch up what the children did so they remember what it means to dream so big. Then I would give the adults paint brushes cause adults need to remember what its like to just get free and get dirty; and then, I would ask the elders to paint a picture depicting themselves learning their greatest lesson so we can always look at the walls before making mistakes.

Naima: I would paint portals to other worlds on the inside of prison cells and on the walls being built along fictitious borders.

If you each had to use a color to describe who you are, what color would you be and why?
Alixa: The color of deep red earth has always has a special place in my soul; it brings me memories I haven’t lived, yet are so intimate and sacred to me. It brings me to ceremony, to the Amazon floor, to adobe structures in the desert, it brings me home.

Naima: Yellow! Sunflower yellow! Mango yellow! High noon yellow! High yella like my half-caste complexion. When yellow shows up in nature it feels like a burst of joy, and testament of the richness of creation. When I close my eyes I see yellow seeping from my soul. It’s been my favorite color since I was young. The whole spectrum drives me wild, but I think I was born from a yellow seed.

What are rituals or routines that you practice regularly?
Naima: Watering the plants and West African dance.

Alixa: I make beautiful things with my hands for people and make people feel beautiful!

What legacy do you want to leave as Climbing PoeTree?
Naima: I want people to remember the power of our love. To have witnessed the ripple effect of two open hearts that were part of a movement that believed love could change the world. And it did.

To see Climbing PoeTree’s visual masterpieces, to buy their CD Ammunition and stay up-to-date on their performances, visit www.climbingpoetree.com. Look out for their national tour, Hurricane Season kicking off in August 2008.