feature: black americana – reclaiming the beauty within our stories

I am a visual and creative griot following in the afrikan tradition. I’m a storyteller and I focus on telling stories that redefine, re-appropriate and explore “BLACK AMERICANA,” highlighting and finding the beauty in both the contributions, contradictions, pain and pride within “our stories”, and thus hoping to discover and re-claim the beauty within my own. I use my acting, creative writing, photography and visual art as modalities for making sure my creative vision and voice are seen, heard and most importantly FELT. To me the art and the artist are one. As I seek to unlock and express what is contained in my own heart and to heal and celebrate my own beauty and spirit as a BLACK woman in America, the art will speak to who it needs to.

By Tanisha Lynn Pyron (Prettyfire), AFROPUNK Contributor *

I tell stories through various characters.

(FIRST CHARACTER: THE. BLACK BIRD.)
THE. BIRD. UNCAGED.
A. PRETTY. FIRE POEM.
Photo Credit: Jared Tyler
MUA: Jrae Kilpatrick
Model/MUSE/STYLIST: Tanisha Lynn Pyron l PRETTY FIRE l
See…..She was the RAREST breed of black bird. Due to the rarity of her beauty SHE was CAGED. Solitarily confined. Feathers FLEW. She knew there was more out there for her….. but little she could do. So she withdrew to the smallness of her cage. Sometimes she pecked, squawked and plucked and clawed at ANYBODY who got close to her, but she couldn’t break through. SEE she was caged for HER protection cause the worlds not safe for black birds. It was for her own good. All her feathers and finery NEEDED to preserved by the bars of limitation……SHOOT. She was to fine a bird to FREE. So she had to be Caged. Trained to sing with a MUTED voice. BIRDS LIKE HER needed to be tamed. Til they sing a new song, a familiar song, ONE WOMEN ARE ALLOWED TO SING. Preserved within an artificial habitat she was to MUCH to be released into the WILD. SEE she was sexy and smart richly adorned and colorful, full breasted; covering an oversized heart. that made her dangerous. An endangered species, hunted and preyed upon in her natural habitat. DAMAGED by the coarse hands of careless handlers who already had been give the instruction to handle with care or not to handle her at all. She was SOOoooooo small and yet grand in her beauty. It was somebodies duty to CAGE her. TAME her. Put her in a BOX on a shelf, and to teach her to sing on QUE like good little birdies do. She was too fragile in her softness. Her hollow bones broke easily……..SEE She just wanted to be free. To sing. To soar. To explore. To engage the WIND, the WILD. To fly HIGH. TO TOUCH HEAVEN in her divinity, her humanity, her smallness, her splendor, her grandness, wretchedness and her beauty.

(SECOND CHARACTER SHOOT: THE RATCHET HOUSEWIFE)
SHE’S EQUAL PARTS 1950’s happy house wife & 2013 Baby Mama drama. F*ck.dem.kids. F*ck.dem.dishes. F*ck.dat.housework. F*CK. DAT!!!!!
Photo Credit: Anna Longworth Photography.
MUA/MUSE/STYLIST/CONCEPTUAL ARTIST Tanisha Lynn Pyron l PRETTY FIRE l

(CHARACTER THREE: THE KEPHERA/BLACK PHOENIX)
A. PRETTY. FIRE POEM.
Photo Credit: Jared Tyler
Model/MUSE/STYLIST: Tanisha Lynn Pyron l PRETTY FIRE l

I AM A STORYTELLER; my creative pseudonym is PRETTY FIRE. In my heart there is FIRE and that which fire represents. The passion, the beauty, the danger of my flame. PRETTY FIRE explores the combustible unpredictable nature of fire. Fire as subtle as the flicker of a candle and as ravenous as an inferno. My passion; my warmth; my light; my energy. The elemental drive of fire. I FLICKER; I DANCE: I BLAZE; I FLASH; INFLAMED; I SMOLDER

(CHARACTER FOUR: BLACK AMERIKANA)
AFRIKA THE GREAT – AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL
Photo Credit on Black Amerikana is Saddi Khali
AMBIVALENCE : The coexistence of opposing attitudes or feelings, such as love and hate, toward a person, object, or idea. I put myself in conversation with the flag.

(CHARACTER FIVE: NUBIA: WONDER WOMAN)
Photo Credit: Jared Tyler
MUA: Jrae Kilpatrick
Model/MUSE/STYLIST: Tanisha Lynn Pyron l PRETTY FIRE l

* Connect with Tanisha Lynn Pyron:
https://www.facebook.com/PRETTYFIRE
https://www.facebook.com/theafrocentricpinupgirl
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tanisha-Lynn-Pyron-Photography/372025549569727
http://www.tanishalynnpyronisprettyfire.com

https://soundcloud.com/tanishalynnprettyfire