Meet the Healers from Reflections of Healing: Traci Bartlow
By Joelle Te Paske and Traci Bartlow
Published:
A Blade of Grass | 2014
In A Blade of Grass Fellow Brett Cook’s Reflections of Healing project, nine prominent Oakland-based healers – Kathy Ahoy, Traci Bartlow, Melanie Cervantes, Esteban Cuaya-Muñoz, Lillian Galedo, Marc Bamuthi Joseph, Tyler Norris, William Wong, and Oscar Wright – were selected with help from Eastside Arts Alliance, the Oakland Asian Cultural Center, the YMCA of the East Bay, the Oakland Museum of California and organizers from Oakland’s Life is Living festival to be honored in large-scale participatory portraits by Brett and community collaborators.
A Blade of Grass asked Brett to introduce us to some of these community leaders, who either by practice or legacy demonstrate healing in their work, by sharing some of his process, beginning with the personal interviews he conducted with each of them. As a model for the final paintings, each participant was asked to provide an image of him or herself as a young person to symbolize the collective power of youth. The finished portraits, along with captions translated into languages local to Alameda County, chalkboards for community reflection, and free health and wellness services, first debuted at the Life is Living festival in DeFremery Park, Oakland, on October 11th. The portraits will also be featured in a special celebration hosted by Oakland Museum of California on Friday, October 24th, in conjunction with a yearlong public installation of the work at OMCA.
First up, a conversation with Bay Area dancer, choreographer, and educator, Traci Bartlow.
Joelle Te Paske (ABOG): How did you meet Brett? Have you worked with him or other artists before?
Traci Bartlow: I’ve been seeing Brett’s work in the Bay Area for a number of years. I first met him in 2009 at an open house exhibit at fellow artist Keba Konte’s home. Before this I had not worked with him or any other artist/activist in the Reflections of Healing project.
ABOG: If you had to pick one moment that was the most meaningful to you, which would you choose?
TB: Having friends, family and students participate in outlining the mural. We were all interviewed and shared our ideas of healing and basically spent a wonderful day together making art.
ABOG: How do you think art and healing are related?
TB: Art and healing are related because art is one of the truest expressions of the heart. Whether you are the artist or the observer, you are able to open up and feel and express something beyond words. Art touches the heart in ways words cannot.
ABOG: What was it like to see people respond to your portrait and quotations at Life is Living?
TB: It was wonderful to see the community, old and young, think about and share their ideas and processes of healing. This is an important exchange in our collective growth, healing and evolution.