Marietta art store coming in Clutch for Poindexter
Poet slates book signing as part of First Friday event
Poet Christopher Poindexter will be at the Clutch Collective art shop, 152 Front St., from 5-7 p.m. Friday during First Friday in Marietta. (Photo Provided)
Christopher Poindexter, a poet from Marietta, will sign his book, “English Leather,” during a First Friday event at Clutch Collective, 152 Front St., Marietta. (Photo Provided)
Poet Christopher Poindexter will be at the Clutch Collective art shop, 152 Front St., from 5-7 p.m. Friday during First Friday in Marietta. (Photo Provided)
Christopher Poindexter, a poet from Marietta, will sign his book, “English Leather,” during a First Friday event at Clutch Collective, 152 Front St., Marietta. (Photo Provided)
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MARIETTA -- A poet from Marietta will be featured Friday at an independent art shop in Marietta.
Christopher Poindexter will be at Clutch Collective, 152 Front St., from 5-7 p.m. during the Marietta Main Street First Friday program where Poindexter's book, "English Leather," will be available for purchase and he will sign them.
Poindexter, also an aspiring musician, moved to Marietta last spring from Pittsburgh. He is originally from Camden, Ark.
"We moved here because we were simply yearning for more of a quiet life," he said.
Poindexter's partner is from West Virginia.
"I had spent the previous years living all over the place, from L.A. to Atlanta to Manhattan. When we met, I think we both wanted to try the big city thing one last time, but we both felt a soulful calling toward quiet," Poindexter said. "She showed me Marietta once while I was visiting from New York, and honestly, I fell in love with it. Quiet, charming, artistic and more than enough to do. We love it here so much."
Poindexter is among other artists who have been featured at the Clutch Collective, owned by Sarah Arnold. The events have been popular, Arnold said.
"Generally we have had quite a lot of interest," she said.
Other artists who have appeared at the shop were: Nevada Tribble, a fiber artist who demonstrated on a bicycle-powered sewing machine; Tim Bennett, a ceramics artist who exhibited his paintings; and mixed media artist Joe Ryckebosch.
Among the artists in the future will be Evie Schaffer, a local singer and songwriter, and Nicole Reblando of Pot Head Pottery in Cincinnati.
As an artist, Poindexter said he tries to indulge in different forms and cultures for inspiration. He loves nature, coffee, animals and solitude.
"I believe it is essential for us to keep growing ourselves and our art. To work forward a better self and world," he said.
Poindexter also is the author of"Naked Human," "Lavender" and "Old Soul Love."
"English Leather" is Poindexter's first book of full-length poetry. It is a collection of poems from 2016 to 2020 he wrote for the project "As I listen to Jazz," which he called an exploration of voice within poetics inspired by his heroes and being open and honest about things he couldn't say to anyone, other than the white blank page.
He wrote most of the poems listening to jazz or being inspired by the spontaneity of jazz.
Poindexter said he found poetry at the age of 18 and clung to it as an outlet and a means of escape.
"Growing up in a small town in the south, I was always drawn to what I didn't see in front of me. Poetry was longing. I think that still rings true for me. I'm very drawn to the human condition, but also to the abstract world," he said.
Poets who inspired him include Carl Sandburg, Arthur Rimbaud, Adrienne Rich, Mary Oliver, Allen Ginsberg, Sylvia Plath, Billy Collins, Bob Kaufman and Lucille Clifton, among others.
"I have many," he said. "I try to read to learn, listen, and just hope my voice grows naturally."
"English Leather" was published in June 2020. His published works are available at www.christopherpoindexter.org, and through Jack Wild Publishing.
Jess Mancini can be reached at jmancini@newsandsentinel.com.