1 00:00:06,900 --> 00:00:10,600 In many cultures, black walnut trees are considered to be a 2 00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:14,500 symbol of gathering energy and New Beginnings that makes them 3 00:00:14,500 --> 00:00:18,700 the perfect treat for this. Our very first episode, my name 4 00:00:18,700 --> 00:00:21,600 is Dori Robinson and this is tree speech. 5 00:00:21,700 --> 00:00:24,700 A podcast where we explore and celebrate the importance of 6 00:00:24,700 --> 00:00:28,300 trees in our lives. This whole project began when my 7 00:00:28,300 --> 00:00:31,800 collaborators had a light Our Guild and I wanted to learn and 8 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:34,900 share stories about trees are connections to them. 9 00:00:34,900 --> 00:00:38,500 The science behind them the history symbolism folklore, and 10 00:00:38,500 --> 00:00:42,100 modern-day impact. So let's get started. 11 00:00:42,600 --> 00:00:45,600 When was the last time you saw a black walnut tree? 12 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:49,100 You'd know it from its tall straight stature, they can grow 13 00:00:49,100 --> 00:00:52,300 up to 150 feet. In fact competing with the rest 14 00:00:52,300 --> 00:00:56,200 of the overstory for light from its beautiful strong and dark 15 00:00:56,200 --> 00:00:59,700 wood to the nutritious food. They provide the black walnut 16 00:00:59,700 --> 00:01:03,500 has To offer. They have a defensive side to. 17 00:01:03,700 --> 00:01:07,500 They are a Leo Pathak exuding, a chemical called juglone, a 18 00:01:07,508 --> 00:01:10,500 natural herbicide. That is toxic for other plants. 19 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:14,100 This means that many other plants cannot live underneath it 20 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:16,400 giving the roots a lot more space. 21 00:01:16,700 --> 00:01:18,700 We'll hear more about the black walnut tree. 22 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:21,400 As we sit down to speak with artists Gardener and 23 00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:25,400 Storyteller, Karen Hampton residing in the Greater Boston 24 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:27,200 area. Karen Hampton is an 25 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:29,800 internationally recognized conceptual fiber. 26 00:01:29,900 --> 00:01:33,700 Artists addressing issues of colorism and kinship Hamptons 27 00:01:33,700 --> 00:01:35,800 art. Practice is the synthesis of 28 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:39,900 memory history, time and cloth a student of cultural 29 00:01:39,900 --> 00:01:42,200 relationships. She seeks to break through 30 00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:46,100 stereotypes and address issues related to being a black woman. 31 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:49,700 Using her training in the Fiber Arts and anthropology. 32 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:53,100 She brings together the roles of the Weaver, the dire, the 33 00:01:53,100 --> 00:01:57,700 painter, the embroiderer, and the Storyteller before we get 34 00:01:57,700 --> 00:01:59,800 started, a quick note part of the answer. 35 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:03,300 Reason for this podcast was seeing how many more people are 36 00:02:03,300 --> 00:02:05,800 getting outside. During the pandemic, we are 37 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:09,600 walking running hiking and adventuring more benefiting from 38 00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:13,500 tree bathing and just generally taking in The Wonder of trees, 39 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:18,400 it makes us breathe differently. More deeply inspired by this. 40 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:22,200 We will begin and end every episode with a big deep breath 41 00:02:22,300 --> 00:02:24,800 to help us feel as grounded as the trees. 42 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:28,100 We talk about, you'll hear me guide that brief exercise in 43 00:02:28,100 --> 00:02:34,400 just a moment. So we start by taking a deep 44 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:42,500 breath in. And letting it out. 45 00:02:51,500 --> 00:02:56,800 So Karen, you are a Beyond accomplished International 46 00:02:56,800 --> 00:03:00,400 artists. And yet, I got the great Fortune 47 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:04,600 of meeting you around the campfire, here in Lowell in this 48 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:08,800 first season of tree speech. I'm asking people who have 49 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:12,800 really resonated with me as an artist and as a person to share 50 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:17,200 stories with me. And so I really appreciate you 51 00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:19,300 coming here. So that I can ask you the 52 00:03:19,300 --> 00:03:23,100 question. Tell me a story about a tree. 53 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:32,300 Okay, well, my tree is a black walnut tree and it was a very 54 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:38,400 pivotal moment in my life. When I was about, I think I was 55 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:45,000 10 and my parents were getting a divorce and decided that my 56 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:47,400 mother would take my sister and I to Jamaica. 57 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:50,800 So that my father could move out and all of that sort of stuff 58 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:54,400 and my grandmother stayed. And during that time, we had 59 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:58,200 this black walnut tree in our yard in this fenced area in our 60 00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:04,100 yard, and my grandmother decided to have the tree cut down or had 61 00:04:04,100 --> 00:04:06,200 planned. And so it involved our next door 62 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:11,800 neighbors who were gardeners, and they came, and they cut the 63 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:18,300 tree down and they composted the tree underground, they were 64 00:04:18,500 --> 00:04:24,200 Happenes family of two generations of gardeners and and 65 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:27,700 so that was what they did. And that was the first time I 66 00:04:27,700 --> 00:04:32,500 ever heard about compost or anything else, but it, you know, 67 00:04:32,500 --> 00:04:37,100 began to decompose in the soil and everything and that ended up 68 00:04:37,100 --> 00:04:40,800 providing the space for my first garden. 69 00:04:41,300 --> 00:04:47,500 And then my grandmother, who had had at least one heart attack at 70 00:04:47,500 --> 00:04:50,400 that point. You know, she asked me if I when 71 00:04:50,400 --> 00:04:53,600 I got back she asked, would I help her set up the garden? 72 00:04:53,600 --> 00:04:58,200 And so, you know, I had never done any gardening. 73 00:04:58,200 --> 00:05:02,400 I mean, I hadn't really paid, pant, plants, much attention, 74 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:06,600 until that point. And I went out there and, you 75 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:09,300 know, she told me what she need me to do, and I did it. 76 00:05:09,308 --> 00:05:13,500 And once I started, I couldn't stop. 77 00:05:13,500 --> 00:05:21,100 So, I had a garden every year until I left home in that spot 78 00:05:21,700 --> 00:05:24,500 and I always felt like it was a trick. 79 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:29,200 My grandmother was working me into gardening. 80 00:05:29,300 --> 00:05:32,700 Wow. What a wonderful trick though? 81 00:05:32,700 --> 00:05:35,400 Your grandmother sounds like a very smart woman. 82 00:05:35,900 --> 00:05:40,100 Yeah, she was. Yeah, she did not many words but 83 00:05:40,100 --> 00:05:45,100 she was observing and so she knew how to feed people feed on 84 00:05:45,100 --> 00:05:46,800 multiple levels. Yeah. 85 00:05:46,900 --> 00:05:50,900 Yeah. Yeah, so when you first came 86 00:05:50,900 --> 00:05:54,500 back and saw that the black walnut tree was not there were 87 00:05:54,500 --> 00:05:58,600 you surprised devastated didn't even notice? 88 00:05:59,300 --> 00:06:02,700 Well, you know, I the tree is far, as I was concerned always 89 00:06:02,700 --> 00:06:05,200 just took up this huge amount of space. 90 00:06:05,300 --> 00:06:08,100 Uh-huh, there was a black walnut tree and there was a banana 91 00:06:08,100 --> 00:06:11,900 tree. And and so these two trees and 92 00:06:11,900 --> 00:06:14,900 when they cut down the banana tree, the banana tree, just 93 00:06:14,900 --> 00:06:18,300 Grows Right Back. Like wow, growing. 94 00:06:18,500 --> 00:06:21,500 In the same day. Oh, you know the banana tree was 95 00:06:21,500 --> 00:06:25,300 not going away, but I'd never been able to even get inside 96 00:06:25,300 --> 00:06:28,800 that fence and it just was like, not used. 97 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:33,300 So it was like, making this land available and I think it was the 98 00:06:33,300 --> 00:06:39,200 first time that I became aware that land was really important 99 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:42,500 to me. That is that is a huge, huge 100 00:06:42,500 --> 00:06:44,100 thought. I mean just the fact that you 101 00:06:44,100 --> 00:06:46,200 said it was the first time that you were introduced to 102 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:51,500 composting that it's suddenly We made space for so many other 103 00:06:51,500 --> 00:06:57,200 things to happen and laid the groundwork for your gardening to 104 00:06:57,200 --> 00:07:01,300 continue year after year. One a deep in my, my 105 00:07:01,300 --> 00:07:05,400 relationship with my next-door neighbor's the father was 106 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:10,500 someone that I, you know, I would go and just talk to him. 107 00:07:10,900 --> 00:07:14,100 Oh, we had this intimacy over this. 108 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:18,200 This tree had like, broken down, cultural barriers. 109 00:07:18,500 --> 00:07:23,400 Wow, man, the grandfather who spoke no English, but I would go 110 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:27,400 over there and their whole tree with their whole yard was bonds. 111 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:32,800 I'd so I was learning about trees and learning about 112 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:39,400 different growing methods from when I was a little kid that's 113 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:43,700 kind of incredible to break down the sort of cultural barriers 114 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:48,200 just by having this space to do so, a lot of your work. 115 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:53,200 Deals with cultural continuity. I mean, you very much address, 116 00:07:53,500 --> 00:07:58,400 giving voice to the voiceless, especially sort of that 117 00:07:58,400 --> 00:08:00,700 disconnection. We have sometimes with our 118 00:08:00,700 --> 00:08:04,700 predecessors, with our ancestors who we don't know their stories 119 00:08:04,700 --> 00:08:07,300 are have a difficult time, finding their stories and how to 120 00:08:07,300 --> 00:08:10,500 give voice to them. Can you speak a little bit about 121 00:08:10,500 --> 00:08:12,000 what that Journey has been for you? 122 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:16,200 Yeah, you know, it's, it's kind of funny because my grandmother 123 00:08:16,200 --> 00:08:21,500 was so important but her sister Was even more important, really? 124 00:08:22,100 --> 00:08:25,900 Yeah. And so my auntie is I would call 125 00:08:25,900 --> 00:08:30,700 her had been an athlete in her Youth and then it turn of the 126 00:08:30,700 --> 00:08:36,000 century athlete in Jamaica and and then in the 30s became 127 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:38,600 disabled and couldn't have children. 128 00:08:38,700 --> 00:08:43,900 And and so there was this major loss in her her life in her 129 00:08:43,900 --> 00:08:47,400 heart. So she was like the best aunt in 130 00:08:47,400 --> 00:08:51,300 the world to the First generation, and an even better 131 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:55,500 aunt to my sister and I, in the second generation. 132 00:08:56,200 --> 00:09:01,700 And so she was just unconditional love and, and 133 00:09:01,700 --> 00:09:10,300 every free moment in my, my life until I was 17, was what I was 134 00:09:10,300 --> 00:09:14,100 devoted to her. So, you know, no matter what 135 00:09:14,100 --> 00:09:17,700 ever happened in my life, she was, she was culture. 136 00:09:17,700 --> 00:09:22,900 She was She became a Storyteller for me, and so she taught me the 137 00:09:22,900 --> 00:09:28,800 art of story and that was how she introduced me to all of the 138 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:31,200 family. She lived in a little duplex. 139 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:33,500 She never lived more than four blocks away. 140 00:09:33,900 --> 00:09:38,900 And from this position where she would only get out at most once 141 00:09:38,900 --> 00:09:43,100 a week, but that through that, that little bit of space. 142 00:09:43,100 --> 00:09:47,600 And so, it meant, my play Space was all inside, her plays, her 143 00:09:47,600 --> 00:09:51,700 little one. Bedroom duplex and and inside 144 00:09:51,700 --> 00:09:56,900 her fenced yard and the stories were just there and the 145 00:09:56,900 --> 00:10:00,800 photographs were there. And so I would, I was like this 146 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:05,300 kid that would sit and go through these pictures once a 147 00:10:05,300 --> 00:10:09,400 month until they imprinted. I it's like, I was trying to 148 00:10:09,400 --> 00:10:14,100 imprint everyone and their stories and just remember it all 149 00:10:14,100 --> 00:10:19,900 and I was her Confidant. And so No, and by the time I was 150 00:10:19,900 --> 00:10:23,300 like eight, she couldn't her arthritis was so bad, she 151 00:10:23,300 --> 00:10:27,400 couldn't write and so I would have to write her letters for 152 00:10:27,400 --> 00:10:30,100 her. So I was part of her ability to 153 00:10:30,100 --> 00:10:34,000 reach out as well and she died when I was 17. 154 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:37,000 She died during my last year of high school. 155 00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:40,000 Oh my gosh. Beginning in my last semester 156 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:47,500 just days after my birthday and I and and it was it took years 157 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:52,900 to get Get over the the empty hollow inside of me. 158 00:10:53,600 --> 00:11:01,200 And and so because of that, that led me to doing work with a 159 00:11:01,208 --> 00:11:04,300 native healer on death and dying. 160 00:11:04,500 --> 00:11:11,700 And so when I did that work, that was really important for me 161 00:11:11,900 --> 00:11:15,600 to come to terms with, and to come to terms with death, they 162 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:18,200 have a phrase today is a good day. 163 00:11:18,300 --> 00:11:25,400 To die and and that by by being able to say that and feel that 164 00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:29,400 every day, then it allows you to live your fullest. 165 00:11:29,700 --> 00:11:34,600 And then that eventually and that another things led me to a 166 00:11:34,608 --> 00:11:40,500 life of a very rural life for a number of years where I lived 167 00:11:40,500 --> 00:11:46,100 way way out in the country in California and lived on on 168 00:11:46,100 --> 00:11:51,900 native land that Was where I could feel the spirits and talk 169 00:11:51,900 --> 00:11:56,600 to the spirits and stuff like that and so that began kind of 170 00:11:56,600 --> 00:11:59,000 the beginning. I would say that, you know, long 171 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:02,700 before I was doing any kind of narrative, I, ah, in those times 172 00:12:02,700 --> 00:12:05,900 of having those kinds of experiences. 173 00:12:08,300 --> 00:12:12,500 First, thank you for sharing that and second, if you know, 174 00:12:12,500 --> 00:12:17,300 land keeps coming up in your stories between the black walnut 175 00:12:17,300 --> 00:12:21,900 tree getting composted, so that it could make the land fertile 176 00:12:21,900 --> 00:12:26,900 for you and your grandmother to grow Garden to living on native 177 00:12:26,900 --> 00:12:30,900 land. And then I know that one of your 178 00:12:30,900 --> 00:12:35,400 ancestors Flora started with 500 acres of land land, keeps coming 179 00:12:35,400 --> 00:12:38,500 up for you. Is that something that I don't 180 00:12:38,500 --> 00:12:40,000 know? Is that, like, how do you hold 181 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:43,300 those thoughts about land in your mind now. 182 00:12:43,700 --> 00:12:51,100 Oh my God, all I want is land, you know, I don't know that I 183 00:12:51,100 --> 00:12:54,800 have it in my body to actually work the land anymore. 184 00:12:55,200 --> 00:12:58,300 You know? I mean I do feel the limitations 185 00:12:58,300 --> 00:13:04,300 of my age but my dream is to is to have Collective land because 186 00:13:04,300 --> 00:13:08,900 I think that I don't believe. Even the nuclear anything and so 187 00:13:08,900 --> 00:13:11,300 I believe in the collective. Hmm. 188 00:13:11,500 --> 00:13:16,600 And that the collective can have and teach so much. 189 00:13:16,600 --> 00:13:21,300 The collective allows people to enjoy the fruit from the land 190 00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:26,000 and to share it, you're very good at supporting other people 191 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:29,300 and telling their stories. Can we talk a little bit about 192 00:13:29,300 --> 00:13:33,100 your journey as a Storyteller because you mentioned that those 193 00:13:33,100 --> 00:13:36,800 seeds were planted by your aunt and I know that narrative It has 194 00:13:36,800 --> 00:13:41,200 become a part of your work. There was a period in the early 195 00:13:41,200 --> 00:13:47,000 90s, the very like late 80s to the early 90s where, you know, 196 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:52,000 with my field being textiles and I was primarily a weaver and I 197 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:58,500 didn't understand how I didn't quite fit into the weaving art 198 00:13:58,500 --> 00:14:03,000 world, huh? I would I was like an odd fit. 199 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:06,100 I, it was like nothing, you know, I was very aware that it 200 00:14:06,100 --> 00:14:10,200 was Happening. And I think I was so that for so 201 00:14:10,200 --> 00:14:16,600 long, I held onto the fact that racism wasn't in the art world, 202 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:20,700 you know, needed this one part of my life that gave me so much 203 00:14:20,900 --> 00:14:26,200 to not have issues of race. And and and it was this this 204 00:14:26,200 --> 00:14:30,600 place where I came to this, you know, kind of I had to like get 205 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:34,800 smacked up in the face with it. A number of times for me to come 206 00:14:34,800 --> 00:14:41,400 to terms with that and The Next Period of time was really about, 207 00:14:41,500 --> 00:14:45,300 I I wanted to find what my true art was. 208 00:14:45,500 --> 00:14:51,200 I was also, because of my time of being on in and around a res. 209 00:14:51,700 --> 00:14:59,400 I really had become very clear, indigenous voices were the most 210 00:14:59,400 --> 00:15:04,500 direct voices that there were, and that the work that I was 211 00:15:04,500 --> 00:15:11,100 drawn to around the World, where indigenous were, and that's 212 00:15:11,100 --> 00:15:15,100 where the strength was. And so that began this cluing in 213 00:15:15,100 --> 00:15:19,800 to me, that race was really that it was really this construct of 214 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:22,600 colonialism. So I got very interested in 215 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:27,000 anthropology and so, my whole dive into anthropology was 216 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:31,100 really during that period of time, when anthropologists were 217 00:15:31,100 --> 00:15:36,600 really starting to look at self rather than rather than the Just 218 00:15:36,600 --> 00:15:40,600 the goes to another culture and studies a culture under a 219 00:15:40,608 --> 00:15:47,500 microscope but really the period of time where anthropologists 220 00:15:47,500 --> 00:15:49,900 were, like looking at their own garbage. 221 00:15:50,200 --> 00:15:54,400 And that process of looking at your own garbage, tells you 222 00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:58,900 loads of stuff with that. Did these exercises to try to 223 00:15:58,900 --> 00:16:01,300 find? What was my true art. 224 00:16:01,300 --> 00:16:04,100 And in that process, it began with. 225 00:16:04,100 --> 00:16:08,500 I decided my very first narrative Dave was my father's 226 00:16:08,500 --> 00:16:12,200 mother, who died when my father was five years old. 227 00:16:12,300 --> 00:16:15,300 And her name was never spoken again. 228 00:16:15,300 --> 00:16:19,100 So, I knew what a shell, it had left, my father. 229 00:16:19,100 --> 00:16:23,000 And so, I went about interviewing much like you're 230 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:27,400 doing right now. Interviewing all the people that 231 00:16:27,400 --> 00:16:33,300 were still alive, that had known her to recreate an image of who 232 00:16:33,300 --> 00:16:38,100 she was to feel that that voice And so that's where it all 233 00:16:38,100 --> 00:16:43,600 began, that's pretty incredible. The idea of there being a void 234 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:47,900 and you, you know, finding a way to fill it in on so many levels 235 00:16:48,300 --> 00:16:51,000 through stories through connections with family members. 236 00:16:51,000 --> 00:16:55,500 Yeah, well, you know, the Baseline of me as an artist is 237 00:16:55,500 --> 00:16:59,200 to use art for healing. Now, I mean that's the first 238 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:04,500 thing that that I say is that for me the very first place that 239 00:17:04,599 --> 00:17:10,099 me becoming a weaver Was that the actual process was healing 240 00:17:10,099 --> 00:17:13,900 to me. And so that began with that was 241 00:17:13,900 --> 00:17:16,900 why my my connection was so deep. 242 00:17:17,300 --> 00:17:23,200 And then it becomes the realization that the ACT can 243 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:28,099 actually, you know, can extend beyond yourself and then extend 244 00:17:28,099 --> 00:17:32,200 into communities, you know, like when I was really creating this, 245 00:17:32,200 --> 00:17:34,400 I'm in, there was nothing written on it. 246 00:17:34,400 --> 00:17:38,900 There was absolutely nothing. Just was like going on this gut 247 00:17:38,900 --> 00:17:43,000 intuitive thing about who and what I needed. 248 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:48,600 And so, you're well, if it helps me then it must be able to help 249 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:52,600 other people. And so in that way, I started 250 00:17:52,600 --> 00:17:56,500 realizing, oh, I can start disseminating and using my art 251 00:17:56,500 --> 00:17:59,200 form. Because because writers do it, 252 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:03,000 you know, just because it's not the path for the visual artists 253 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:06,500 usually take, there's a whole track record because Writers 254 00:18:06,500 --> 00:18:10,800 have been doing it forever. So I know it's an artist that 255 00:18:10,800 --> 00:18:14,600 there's this pressure for everything to look. 256 00:18:14,600 --> 00:18:20,300 Good to look polish to be clean that a lot of emphasis is on the 257 00:18:20,300 --> 00:18:23,000 product, rather than the process. 258 00:18:23,300 --> 00:18:27,200 And you completely divert from that, which is one of the things 259 00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:30,800 I love about you. I think it's, for me, is getting 260 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:32,700 to the soul. Uh-huh. 261 00:18:33,100 --> 00:18:37,900 I'm trying to reveal the soul that I use empathy. 262 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:44,100 To dig into the soul because I believe that that we all really 263 00:18:44,100 --> 00:18:47,900 come from one. One place, you know. 264 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:52,000 Humans we've all read all just evolving on this Earth. 265 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:57,300 Everything is the same and that when we take off all the layers 266 00:18:57,300 --> 00:19:01,400 of stuff and so if we can just get to those places of 267 00:19:01,400 --> 00:19:06,900 commonality haha that there is this great stuff for you. 268 00:19:06,900 --> 00:19:09,700 Being a Storyteller and are Stunned, A Healer are very much 269 00:19:09,700 --> 00:19:13,900 the same thing and that I think is so resonant, and you and your 270 00:19:13,900 --> 00:19:17,800 work and something that you are trying to impart to others. 271 00:19:17,800 --> 00:19:22,200 Now, as you teach, because again, for me in my artistic 272 00:19:22,200 --> 00:19:26,800 life, I think there has been a lot of this pressure to be an 273 00:19:26,800 --> 00:19:30,200 artist that just puts out something new that you've never 274 00:19:30,200 --> 00:19:34,600 thought of before. Rather than something that we 275 00:19:34,700 --> 00:19:39,300 resonates with everyone, and that connects us, And I think a 276 00:19:39,300 --> 00:19:43,400 more cynical, you know, in the sense that I think that that 277 00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:47,300 everything's already been created in one form or another 278 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:52,800 or it just for me, is much more worth my time to take in 279 00:19:52,800 --> 00:19:57,800 everything and synthesize it. Let it synthesize and breathe in 280 00:19:57,800 --> 00:20:00,300 your own body and then let it be. 281 00:20:00,300 --> 00:20:02,600 So along those lines. What are you working on? 282 00:20:02,600 --> 00:20:06,400 Now, Karen, I'm doing something completely different. 283 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:11,800 That is inspired. By my students who I'm needle, 284 00:20:11,800 --> 00:20:15,300 felting a rug. And I before I moved to 285 00:20:15,300 --> 00:20:18,600 Massachusetts, I never knew what needle felting was. 286 00:20:18,600 --> 00:20:21,500 I never heard of it. I knew wet felting. 287 00:20:21,500 --> 00:20:25,600 I knew Nuno felting. But, you know, needle felting is 288 00:20:25,600 --> 00:20:28,300 this thing that most people sit and make like, little little 289 00:20:28,300 --> 00:20:32,700 doll characters out of felt and little things like that, which I 290 00:20:32,700 --> 00:20:39,500 don't like, but I immediately saw the potential of Oh, okay. 291 00:20:39,500 --> 00:20:43,200 This is easy to make something you can make a design by 292 00:20:43,200 --> 00:20:46,900 layering like much like you would do layering like you might 293 00:20:46,900 --> 00:20:51,000 do in a quilt or something. But so you have the ability to 294 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:55,900 make shapes and and I it's been so many years since I've just 295 00:20:55,900 --> 00:20:59,700 had the opportunity to explode with color, and I've been 296 00:20:59,700 --> 00:21:03,600 needing to do something that was very free feeling. 297 00:21:03,600 --> 00:21:08,600 And so and it's a very physical act because I take this Like 298 00:21:08,900 --> 00:21:13,700 thing with eight needles and I just sit and pounded into wall. 299 00:21:15,500 --> 00:21:19,500 But I was getting my life where I need this to get this 300 00:21:19,500 --> 00:21:24,300 aggression out in just get it white after into the wall. 301 00:21:24,300 --> 00:21:30,500 What I said is it is I'm making my Verna cornica wow. 302 00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:38,000 And how inspired by the Amazon. Oh, so giant floral kind? 303 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:40,900 He's of things and colors and stuff. 304 00:21:41,100 --> 00:21:45,100 Oh, that is exciting. Just that just kind of wild. 305 00:21:45,600 --> 00:21:50,300 I think covid has allowed many of us to explore something that 306 00:21:50,300 --> 00:21:55,700 is that is close to what we do but tangental or a new skill and 307 00:21:55,700 --> 00:21:59,200 it's what it's doing is it's freeing me up because I have a 308 00:21:59,200 --> 00:22:03,800 show coming up next year where I have to do a lot of my 309 00:22:03,800 --> 00:22:07,800 historical pieces. And so I'm going to be sitting 310 00:22:07,800 --> 00:22:14,700 in Evening and wow and I need to you know be doing this right now 311 00:22:14,700 --> 00:22:19,700 to get to get this kind of energy out of my body so that 312 00:22:19,700 --> 00:22:23,700 then I can just like going and settling her down. 313 00:22:23,900 --> 00:22:26,000 Yeah. Can you tell us about the show? 314 00:22:26,400 --> 00:22:31,200 Yeah, I'm pretty excited. The shows going to be and st. 315 00:22:31,200 --> 00:22:36,500 Augustine Florida. Oh wow, at Flagler College and 316 00:22:36,700 --> 00:22:40,200 st. Augustine is Is where one branch 317 00:22:40,200 --> 00:22:46,900 of my of my ancestors are from. And this is the branch that I 318 00:22:47,100 --> 00:22:49,100 am. Probably most known for because 319 00:22:49,200 --> 00:22:54,800 I've done the most Research into this family and the white part 320 00:22:54,800 --> 00:22:59,800 of the family, Trace back to England and Ireland in the early 321 00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:05,500 1700s and it became an interracial family in the late 322 00:23:05,500 --> 00:23:11,800 1700s and And so I have lots of individual stories of this 323 00:23:11,800 --> 00:23:16,500 family and and their story is an interracial family began in st. 324 00:23:16,500 --> 00:23:20,700 Augustine. And I just look at it is that 325 00:23:20,800 --> 00:23:23,600 I'm part of this lineage of these women. 326 00:23:23,900 --> 00:23:28,400 And because I knew to recognize the stories really do believe 327 00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:32,000 that my ancestors chose me that they just went and they said 328 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:34,900 this one. This precocious child is the one 329 00:23:34,900 --> 00:23:37,300 that can can do something with it. 330 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:38,900 They chose. Very well. 331 00:23:39,700 --> 00:23:42,500 They really did like what a beautiful lineage. 332 00:23:42,500 --> 00:23:44,900 What incredible stories and you do. 333 00:23:44,900 --> 00:23:49,500 You hold them very well and in ways, you know, certainly in 334 00:23:49,500 --> 00:23:53,300 your artwork ways, they would have never imagined visually 335 00:23:53,300 --> 00:23:56,300 seeing it. Yeah, it's a pretty weird thing 336 00:23:56,300 --> 00:24:00,800 to do. You've done so much incredible 337 00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:03,900 work. Harvesting the information about 338 00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:06,900 your ancestors, do you have any advice for someone who would 339 00:24:06,900 --> 00:24:11,100 want to do the same? I tell people all the time, I 340 00:24:11,100 --> 00:24:14,800 said, do digging dig. I'll, I believe that the story 341 00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:18,800 that you're going to find the good, the bad, the ugly that you 342 00:24:18,800 --> 00:24:23,300 have to accept all parts of it. That, you know, that we're all 343 00:24:23,300 --> 00:24:26,100 humans. If you can't, if you don't have 344 00:24:26,100 --> 00:24:30,100 the history right you know you don't know quite where to go. 345 00:24:30,100 --> 00:24:34,500 If you have locations go and do research on the location because 346 00:24:34,500 --> 00:24:38,700 that will be so satisfying in terms of picking, Hang up the 347 00:24:38,700 --> 00:24:42,300 culture. If you were to find out that 348 00:24:42,300 --> 00:24:48,700 your family was in a small community, in Eastern Europe, 349 00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:52,500 and that history has been, you know, all but wiped out and you 350 00:24:52,500 --> 00:24:56,700 can only pick up the area of the land, then then pick up the 351 00:24:56,700 --> 00:25:02,200 energy of the land because the land pulled stories that, you 352 00:25:02,200 --> 00:25:06,000 know, from my early research. When I walk down my very first 353 00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:11,400 plantations, and You know, and I'm scared to death doing that 354 00:25:11,400 --> 00:25:15,100 work. But as I did it, I started to 355 00:25:15,100 --> 00:25:20,400 really feel for the first time and I was able to feel the same 356 00:25:20,400 --> 00:25:24,800 kinds of things that I felt when I lived on on native land. 357 00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:30,400 And it is that memory that every Rock, every, every bit of soil, 358 00:25:30,400 --> 00:25:35,100 everything is just holding something that is such a 359 00:25:35,500 --> 00:25:40,000 beautiful and true statement that I I think is is so deeply 360 00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:42,500 important. You know, obviously part of the 361 00:25:42,508 --> 00:25:48,100 point of the podcast is to encourage a connection to land 362 00:25:48,100 --> 00:25:52,200 and two trees. So as to treat land and trees 363 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:55,900 and the people who care for them and live on them, treat it all. 364 00:25:55,900 --> 00:25:58,100 Well so thank you for that statement. 365 00:25:58,100 --> 00:26:03,900 It really feels as though you're continuing your own work and 366 00:26:03,900 --> 00:26:07,800 also picking up the torch for your grandmother and making sure 367 00:26:07,800 --> 00:26:10,200 other people. People still understand how to 368 00:26:10,300 --> 00:26:12,900 work with the land. I hadn't thought about that. 369 00:26:12,900 --> 00:26:16,500 But yeah, I think I'm doing it for like, all of my ancestors. 370 00:26:16,800 --> 00:26:21,200 I'm just like, you know, I'm like making sure that the land, 371 00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:25,400 the land base really continues and at the same time, scouting 372 00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:28,000 and going. Okay, where's my piece of lamb. 373 00:26:30,500 --> 00:26:33,900 Oh, I am so excited to find out what's next for you. 374 00:26:35,700 --> 00:26:39,000 You know, we will see, you know, but we also Yes, but it's just 375 00:26:39,000 --> 00:26:44,300 it's just that's how I look at life as I, I really look at, can 376 00:26:44,300 --> 00:26:47,300 I in my time while I'm here on this Earth? 377 00:26:47,600 --> 00:26:51,800 My goal is to make it a better place and that's well, that's 378 00:26:51,800 --> 00:26:56,500 all I think about my think you do, and I'm really appreciate 379 00:26:57,100 --> 00:27:00,900 you sharing these thoughts with me because I really resonate 380 00:27:00,900 --> 00:27:05,700 with how you look at the world at Earth itself, such as soil, 381 00:27:05,700 --> 00:27:08,000 and land, and art and storytelling. 382 00:27:08,100 --> 00:27:11,700 Telling so Karen. Thank you so much for joining us 383 00:27:11,700 --> 00:27:13,300 today. Thank you. 384 00:27:13,300 --> 00:27:16,700 This was really lovely. We're going to close again with 385 00:27:16,700 --> 00:27:19,700 just taking a deep breath to feel grounded and to bring us 386 00:27:19,700 --> 00:27:29,700 back. So taking your time Thank you so 387 00:27:29,700 --> 00:27:39,200 much, Karen. I think I could speak with Karen 388 00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:42,400 all the live long day, and I'm so glad that she shared just a 389 00:27:42,408 --> 00:27:44,400 few of her wonderful stories with us. 390 00:27:44,900 --> 00:27:48,600 And now, for today's tree takeaways, where I share a 391 00:27:48,600 --> 00:27:51,800 little bit more about the tree we met today, as mentioned 392 00:27:51,800 --> 00:27:55,000 earlier, many Native American communities view, the black 393 00:27:55,000 --> 00:27:58,700 walnut, as a symbol for Gathering new energy, Clarity, 394 00:27:58,700 --> 00:28:01,900 and focus indeed. Indigenous individuals have 395 00:28:01,900 --> 00:28:05,300 gained the benefits of walnuts long before European explorers 396 00:28:05,300 --> 00:28:07,400 arrived. While walnuts. 397 00:28:07,600 --> 00:28:10,500 Order term are said to date, all the way back to the Hanging 398 00:28:10,500 --> 00:28:13,800 Gardens of Babylon. The black walnut tree is native 399 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:17,300 to North America. So you might think that such a 400 00:28:17,300 --> 00:28:20,900 large tree immediately bears fruit, but that is not the case. 401 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:25,200 Black walnut trees take 10 to 15 years to produce fruit and they 402 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:27,900 are biennials meaning that they produce their Bounty. 403 00:28:27,900 --> 00:28:33,200 Every other year, Mary Oliver, one of my favorites has a famous 404 00:28:33,200 --> 00:28:35,700 poem titled, the black walnut tree. 405 00:28:35,900 --> 00:28:37,400 You can actually read it in the show. 406 00:28:37,500 --> 00:28:40,500 Show notes, which alludes to the fact that the wood of the tree 407 00:28:40,500 --> 00:28:45,500 itself is highly desired. It is indeed a hot prize easily 408 00:28:45,500 --> 00:28:49,500 worked, the dense and beautiful. Hardwood has long been valued by 409 00:28:49,500 --> 00:28:52,800 furniture and cabinet makers for its color and strength and the 410 00:28:52,800 --> 00:28:56,600 interior wood of the walnut tree fetches, a premium price on 411 00:28:56,600 --> 00:29:02,400 today's market so much so that there are walnut tree thieves. 412 00:29:02,500 --> 00:29:06,300 I read one story where in Oklahoma rustlers dressed as 413 00:29:06,300 --> 00:29:09,900 landscapers, I waited until a household went off to work, 414 00:29:09,900 --> 00:29:13,200 rolled up with trucks and heavy equipment outside the house, 415 00:29:13,500 --> 00:29:17,400 chop down the tree and left in the light of day. 416 00:29:17,700 --> 00:29:20,700 And the neighbors simply said, well, I thought you were just 417 00:29:20,700 --> 00:29:23,800 doing landscaping. So, yes, walnut trees are a hot 418 00:29:23,800 --> 00:29:27,700 commodity protect your trees, folks beyond the food and the 419 00:29:27,708 --> 00:29:30,200 wood, the tree has been used in other ways. 420 00:29:30,400 --> 00:29:33,500 The husks of the Walnut have been a source of ink for artists 421 00:29:33,500 --> 00:29:36,300 such as Leonardo da Vinci and Rembrandt. 422 00:29:36,400 --> 00:29:40,000 Maybe there's a bit of not in the Mona, Lisa, who knows? 423 00:29:40,300 --> 00:29:43,500 They've even served in Wars as airplane, propellers, that's how 424 00:29:43,500 --> 00:29:47,400 resilient they are walnuts themselves, sort of resemble the 425 00:29:47,400 --> 00:29:50,400 brain, the outside looking, like a membrane, the inside, like the 426 00:29:50,400 --> 00:29:53,800 brain itself and then fact, they are one of the best foods for 427 00:29:53,800 --> 00:29:57,700 brain Health and Longevity. Maybe all of this information 428 00:29:57,700 --> 00:30:01,200 together as why the Romans called walnuts the food of the 429 00:30:01,200 --> 00:30:05,500 Gods, I keep thinking about Karen's work. 430 00:30:05,600 --> 00:30:09,500 As an artist myself, I feel the For my work to be perfect and 431 00:30:09,500 --> 00:30:13,500 Polished. And Karen's work, is not 432 00:30:13,500 --> 00:30:15,300 concerned. With that Karen's worked 433 00:30:15,300 --> 00:30:19,600 absence, who the soul her work is rooted in connection, not 434 00:30:19,600 --> 00:30:24,300 Perfection, finding authenticity and beauty and Truth by leaning 435 00:30:24,300 --> 00:30:28,800 into our stories, which are big and bold and heart-wrenching, 436 00:30:28,800 --> 00:30:33,600 and playful, and messy. And I find such beauty in that 437 00:30:34,100 --> 00:30:36,300 even more. So that she feels that her 438 00:30:36,300 --> 00:30:40,700 ancestors chose Is her to do this work and I wonder what my 439 00:30:40,700 --> 00:30:44,800 ancestors may want me to do. Do you ever wonder that, what 440 00:30:44,800 --> 00:30:49,600 your ancestors, ask you? So as we go into this week, 441 00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:53,300 think about what you're planting maybe it's an idea of maybe it's 442 00:30:53,300 --> 00:30:55,700 a hope. Maybe it's an actual tree or 443 00:30:55,700 --> 00:30:58,700 flowers. What are you planting this week? 444 00:30:58,900 --> 00:31:00,800 Tell someone the story about that. 445 00:31:01,000 --> 00:31:02,900 Let's keep these conversations going. 446 00:31:03,300 --> 00:31:06,100 We are grateful to have spoken with care and Hampton during our 447 00:31:06,100 --> 00:31:09,600 Premier episode. You can learn more about her at 448 00:31:09,600 --> 00:31:15,600 www.ktdrr.org nets aham PTO n.com. 449 00:31:16,100 --> 00:31:19,400 This week's episode was recorded in Massachusetts, on the native 450 00:31:19,400 --> 00:31:22,400 lands of the wabanaki Confederacy, Penacook 451 00:31:22,400 --> 00:31:25,800 Massachusetts and Pawtucket people and was produced by 452 00:31:25,800 --> 00:31:28,100 Jonathan's out, Nur and a light theater. 453 00:31:28,100 --> 00:31:30,500 Guild logo designed by Mill Riot. 454 00:31:30,700 --> 00:31:33,200 Please join us for the rest of the spring season, as we 455 00:31:33,200 --> 00:31:36,100 continue to hear more about various trees from various 456 00:31:36,100 --> 00:31:39,200 voices. Most of all learn more about us 457 00:31:39,200 --> 00:31:43,600 at tree speech, podcast.com and on Instagram with the handle 458 00:31:43,600 --> 00:31:46,700 tree speech, podcast. I'm Dory Robinson. 459 00:31:46,700 --> 00:31:48,800 Thanks for joining tree speech today.