Guerrilla Artist 
By her own words, artist Lavanna Martin stares at people. At times she refers to herself as a “Guerrilla Artist,” setting up in one of several local coffee shops in Austin, Texas. A possible subject of interest catches her attention, and she creates a quick portrait – a sketch or painting – achieving more than a likeness, but an essence of the individual.
When I stumbled across Lavanna’s story, I was intrigued. I could relate to her need to escape four walls, to work from life in the midst of it, while remaining unobtrusive in doing so. Those who recreate the world – on the canvas or the page – need to participate in it, even if from the sidelines.
Not only do I admire this artist’s work, but her process: I can only imagine the initial discomfort of packing up supplies, heading out the door, and feeling her way into the role of Guerrilla Artist.
It’s worth noting that Lavanna generally works freehand, on the spot, and without her subjects realizing. This is certainly not all that Lavanna does, but the spontaneity and speed required in this challenging process yield compelling results.
I invite you to explore her site and her work. Not only does she paint and sketch, but she adds text to accompany her portraits. It is illuminating and enjoyable to read.
Guerrilla Writer
As a writer, I’ve been struggling with issues of inspiration, needing a change of pace and location. Leaving town isn’t logistically possible very often, but that doesn’t mean I need to remain inside my house either. While I have a store of experiences to tap into, these days, they feel insufficient. And I’ve been thinking about Lavanna for some time, wanting to borrow a page from her (sketch) book, and hoping to become an occasional “Guerrilla Writer.”
Doesn’t the imagination need care and feeding? Don’t we write from life, taking mental notes and snapshots to provide the expressive details that transform our narratives into lively prose?
Lavanna started close to home at first. So did I, last week, which is how I found myself Friday evening at a neighborhood bar with notebook and pen in hand, surrounded by interesting characters…
We’ll see how my forays into the larger world progress, and what might bubble onto these pages for discussion, or simply as quick verbal sketches. Don’t we all need the opportunity for interesting encounters? To stretch ourselves – creatively and socially? To observe as well as to participate, pushing the boundaries of our comfort zones?
I have sat in coffee shops and other local places many times to write. I love to see the people and do best when sitting with my laptop but on occasion, will just jot down quick notes. These are coming together now as I am trying desperately to write more often.
@Nicki – I do love a great coffee shop! (Not only is the people-watching inspiring for writing, but the aroma is heavenly.)
@Amber – Especially when you’re closed in with little ones, sometimes a bit of time off for good behavior helps the creative juices flow.
@Kristen – Do check out Lavanna’s site. I love her descriptions of the people she draws as well as the energy she captures in her portraits, and her palette.
This is a fabulous idea. Often our best inspiration comes from “people watching.”
Wolf, I’ve been struggling with trying to find inspiration in my fiction writing. I am blocked a/k/a I am not spending much time working on my fiction. Perhaps I should do what you suggested, get out of my local environment and try to inject some new characters into my novel.
There have been things I’ve been trying shake loose for weeks, Rudri. I found that getting out really helped. I loosened my own stranglehold around the words, by taking the pressure off myself – watching, listening, talking – and found the words coming back. With more open ideas. Try it. Worst case, you have some fun!
Thanks for the introduction to Lavanna Martin. Next time we’re in Austin, I (a guerrilla tourist?) might go looking for her.
Feeling like a guerrilla writer was one of the scariest and most exciting parts of being a reporter, thanks to that social stretching. But you’re right: The interesting encounters (creating them or recreating them) are what it’s all about.
I can’t get myself to stare but I watch people all the time. My favorite subjects of late seem to be fathers and sons. They just tug at my heartstrings.
In my professional world, I have so much raw material out of which I could maybe fashion a few books. Ambitious politicians, wealthy donors, bleeding heart activists. They are rich characters any of which could possibly be the main character. The intrigue, the love and the lies, the acts of kindness that don’t make the media circuit.
I just have to do it…
Belinda – it sounds like you have a great deal of material to work from! (Yes, the Nike commercial: “just do it.”)
Really cool artwork, BLW, thanks for introducing us to her. I’m eternally a wannabe artist but always am taught through my attempts that I need to stick with writing.
I think a change of scenery is a great idea but I would like this change the best: the complete quiet of a library for a few hours a day just to plug away at a long-term project. I think being out and about is a great idea for generating ideas for essays, being alone is great for working on a book. Somehow, what I’m doing right now never seems to be the right thing!
I watch and watch… collect ideas… even write…but only a very few make it to the ultimate published page. Is that okay? I wonder. When I write about life outside my four walls I always want it to rise to a higher standard. I want to honor that person and I often feel trapped by that desire.
Yet this is often my best ideas. I want more discipline.
Rebecca (and Linda) – For me, dependent upon the location, I am generating ideas and absorbing details. As for the desire to write to a higher standard that you mention, Rebecca, this is a good thing as long as it doesn’t become paralyzing. If daily writing is (necessary) practice writing, that should include days that are more lax, and days that also push us to better work on the way to our best work, which will push us yet again to new standards.
What I “accept” of myself in daily writing here – in this place – is by virtue of the venue and also the time constraints I set. Certain essays (here) I hold to higher standards (and more time), while other sorts of writing I certainly recognize as requiring enormous time, rumination, research, revision, revisiting. The tough part is allowing for both ends of the spectrum, and everything in between. I have no magic formula; I only know that I need people for an injection of vibrancy into the work, and isolation (still around people) for the drudgery that accompanies better writing for what is most important to me.
To your point, Linda – at a place of relative solitude for the purpose of writing, I am both freer and more disciplined about the quality of the writing itself.
Amen! As you know, I recently found myself at a creative crossroads – full of the desire to write, but lacking in time and material. And part of what I was missing was getting out to explore and observe. Awfully hard to write about life, I found, when I wasn’t remembering to actually live it. For me, taking time to look around has made the writing flow again.
Thanks for the introduction to Lavanna Martin. She sounds like a writer’s artist for sure.
Very interesting, I’m always intrigued by the creative process. I hope you find the kick start you crave. But you must be doing something right, because we already enjoy your writing. Keep up the great work.