>>> THE UPCOMING PROGRAM WAS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED.

>> Announcer: THIS PROGRAM IS UNDERWRITTEN IN PART BY -- >>> AS 2021 DRAWS TO CLOSE, WE AT THE WOULD LIKE TO WISH THE VIRGIN ISLANDS A YEAR OF PROMISE, OPPORTUNITY, AND PROSPERITY IN 2022.

>> AND VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

>> THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ON THIS PROGRAM ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF WTJX, BOARD, STAFF OR UNDERWRITERS.

♫♫ ♫♫ >>> WELCOME TO THE BOOK CASE.

I´M YOUR HOST SHAWNA RICHARDS, A SOMETIME WRITER AND LONGTIME READER.

I INVITE TO YOU JOIN ME AS WE EXPLORE THE BOOK CASE AND VIRJ WILLING ISLANDS AUTHORS AND AND WE WILL INTRODUCE TO YOU A LOCAL MORE AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THEM AND THEIRWORK.

A STORY TELLER LIVES IN EACH OF US.

I´M EXCITED TO HAVE OUR HOME GROWN STORY TELLERS A CHANCE TO TELL THEIR STORE.

TON´S SELECTION IS CREATIVE CAL BEAU.

DANNICA DAVID.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, SHAWNA FOR HAVING ME.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

IT´S AN HONOR TO BE HERE.

>> THANK YOU.

SO YOUR BOOK CREATIVE KALALOU?

YOUR FIRST BOOK.

>> THIS IS MY FIRST BOOK.

YOU KNOW, I WAS INSPIRED BY, YOU KNOW JUST THE CULTURE OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS, THE CULTURE AND THINGS I LEARNED FROM MY GRANDMOTHER.

I ALWAYS WANTED TO WRITE A BOOK BUT WANTED TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE AND CREATIVE.

TO CREATIVE CALALOU.

>> SO FOR SO MUCH OF OUR COMMUNITY THEY KNOW YOU AS THE ARTIST.

THEY KNOW YOU AS THE PAINTERS, THE ART TEACHER.

WHEN DID YOU FIRST START SAYING, I´M A WRITER?

>> OH, YOU KNOW WHAT, IT´S ALWAYS BEEN IN ME, YOU KNOW, YEARS AGO, EVEN WHEN I WAS, LIKE, PROBABLY 20 YEARS AGO I BOUGHT THIS BOOK, HOW TO, LIKE BECOME AN AUTHOR, A CHILDREN´S BOOK AUTHOR.

AND THAT WAS ALWAYS PART OF ME.

I READ IT.

I READ BOOKS ABOUT WRITING.

AND, YOU KNOW, HOW TO WRITE, HOW TO BOOKO BECOME AN AUTHOR ON ALL OF THAT.

AND I JUST DID IT, YOU KNOW.

>> SO IT´S SOMETHING -- SO WHEN YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO PEOPLE, YOU SAY I AM DANNICA DAVID, THE WRITER.

>> NOW I DO.

NOW I DO.

I SAY ARTIST, AUTHOR AND EDUCATOR.

>> CREATIVE CALALOU WAS JUST AN EVOLUTION.

>> YES, AN EVOLUTION.

AND I HAD TO REALLY SHOWCASE -- I WANTED A WAY TO SHOWCASE MY ART, PERHAPS, YOU KNOW I WANTED TO DO LIKE A RETROSPECTIVE ON MY WORK SO I DECIDED TO WRITE A BOOK APPEAR SHARE, JUST TIED BITS -- TIPS AND TIED BITS I LEARNED FROM MY GRANDMOTHERS GROWING UP.

>> SO WHAT ARE SOME OF THE TIED BITS?

BECAUSE YOU HAD CO-AUTHORS.

>> YES IN YOUR BOOK UPPER-LEVEL MARK DAVIS AND WINIFRED OYOKO LOVING WHO WE ARE EXCITED TO FEATURE ON THE BOOK CASE.

SO WHAT LED YOU TO DECIDE THAT YOU NEEDED A LITTLE -- I WON SAY A LITTLE HELP -- BUT THAT YOU WANTED OTHER PERSPECTIVES TO SUPPORT YOUR WORK?

>> I JUST REALLY WANTED TO CREATE A BOOK THAT WOULD BE UNIQUE.

AND FIRST THE BOOK WAS JUST SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT POETRY, YOU KNOW, POETRY AND ART.

AND IT´S SO AMAZING WHEN I ASKED OYOKO LOVRG.

WINIFRED "OYOKO" LOVING SHE WAS LIKE, YES.

OUR FRIENDSHIP REALLY REALLY DEVELOPED MORE AS WE WORKED THROUGH THE PROJECT.

IT WAS LIKE IN A GOOD RELATIONSHIP, YOU KNOW.

IT WAS A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH HER.

A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH MARK.

AND I -- YOU KNOW, I LOVE FOOD.

I LOVE POETRY.

I LOVE ART.

I LOVE WRITING.

SO, YOU KNOW, PUT IT TOGETHER.

>> SO WHAT CAME FIRST, THE POETRY OR THE ART?

>> OKAY.

>> BECAUSE IN READING IT IT SEEMS SEAMLESS HOW THE POETRY AND THE ART JUST MESH.

>> YOU KNOW, I READ OYOKO´S BOOK SPONTANEOUS.

AND WHEN I WAS READING IT IT WAS LIKE I FOUND MY ARTWORK IN HER WRITING.

SO I ASKED HER -- I WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW -- AND SOME OF THE POEMS SHE ACTUALLY WROTE BASED OFF OF THE ARTWORK.

BUT IT WAS SO AMAZING, YOU KNOW, HOW IT JUST GELLED TOGETHER.

AND I LOVE FOOD.

AND MARK -- YOU KNOW, MARK IS MY COUSIN, MARK DAVIS.

SHE IS A CHEF AT GUAN MANJE CAN I DIFFICULT THE PLUG FOR THE RESTAURANT.

DOWNTOWN CHRISTIAN SAID MAYBE I´M SAYING IT WRONG.

>> DID YOU SAY TO HIM, I WANT ALL RECIPES BASED ON YOUR MEMORIES OF YOUR GRANDMOTHER, AND OBVIOUSLY THE BEAUTIFUL ART TO SUPPORT THE PAINTINGS?

OR DID HE SAY, HERE ARE RECIPES, AND THEN YOU CREATED THE ART TO SUPPORT THE RECIPE?

>> YOU KNOW, IT´S INTERESTING HE CAME UP WITH SOME -- ACTUALLY THERE ARE TWO RECIPES OF MINE IN THERE ALSO.

SO HE CAME UP WITH THE MAJORITY.

BECAUSE THEY ARE 11 RECIPES IN THE BOOK.

YOU KNOW, IS A RECIPE BOOK, NOT A COOK BOOK.

BUT, YEAH, HE JUST -- YOU KNOW, IT´S LIKE A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP.

AND THAT IS SO HARD TO FIND, YOU KNOW, WHEN -- ONCE WE JUST DECIDED TO WORK ON -- I INVITED THEM.

FIRST IT WAS OYOKO AND I AND THEN I SAID, MARK, COME ALONG.

AND HE CAME ALONG.

AND IT WAS GREAT.

>> SO YOUR GRANDMOTHER, YOUR MEMORIES OF YOUR GRANDMOTHER INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE THIS BOOK?

>> YES.

MY GRANDMOTHER, WHICH IS ESTHER DAVIS.

AND THE MATE TYRIQUES OF MY FAMILY TAUGHT ME A GOOD LOT OF LIFE LESSONS.

MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER TAUGHT ME ABOUT SEWING.

AND MY GRANDMOTHER ESTHER DAVIS, SHE TAUGHT ME ABOUT, LIKE, BEING KIND AND CONSIDERATE, NOT THAT MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER DIDN´T.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IT´S JUST A MERGE OF THE TWO WOMEN, THINGS THAT I´VE LEARNED FROM THEM, HOW TO BE GENEROUS, HOW TO BE KIND, HOW TO BE SUPPORTIVE, YOU KNOW.

AND HOW TO BE CREATIVE, BECAUSE MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER, SHE -- I REMEMBER EARLY ON ONE OF MY CREATIVE -- MY INTRODUCTION TO CREATIVITY WAS WHEN I HAD DOLLS AND SHE WOULD SHOW ME HOW TO USE A SCISSORS TO MAKE DOLL CLOTHES.

>> OKAY.

>> AND SHE ALSO INTRODUCED ME TO KNITTING.

BUT I DIDN´T REALLY TAKE OFF THAT BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS TOO TIME CONSUMING.

>> IN LOOKING AT YOUR ARTWORK.

>> UM-HUM.

>> AND WHAT IS THE COMMON THEME IN YOUR ARTYOWORK?

YOU FEATURE A LOT OF WOMEN, A LOT OF FEMALE IMAGERY.

WAS THAT A CONSCIOUS THEME YOU WANTED TO CARRY THROUGH IN CREATIVE CALALOU.

>> I WANTED TO FOCUS ON FEMALE EMPOWERMENT AND THE BEAUTY OF WOMEN IN OUR CULTURE.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, FOCUSING ON WOMEN WHO ARE DARK COMPLECTED, BECAUSE, WE ARE NOT REALLY -- WELL NOW WE ARE BEING MORE REPRESENTED.

BUT, YOU KNOW, DARK, MEDIUM COMPLEXION AND CELEBRATE THE BEAUTY OF WOMEN IN OUR CULTURE.

THE ARTWORK ONE FORTUNATE MAIN THINGS I TRY TO SHOWCASE IS COLOR.

AND PLAYING WITH THE BRIGHT, VIBRANT COLORS, AND THE LAYOUTS, CREATING INTERESTING, DYNAMIC LAYOUTS IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME WHEN I CREATE ARTWORK.

AND THEN THE LAST, I WOULD SAY, PROBABLY TEN YEARS, I HAVE BEEN PAINTING ROOSTERS.

>> OKAY.

WELL THERE IS CERTAINLY LOTS OF INSPIRATION FOR ROOSTERS AROUND.

>> YEAH, BECAUSE THEY LIVE NEAR MY HOME.

AT US FIRST THEY WERE ANNOYING AND I DECIDED TO EMBRACE THEM BY PAINING THEM.

SEEING THE BEAUTY AND THEN -- >> WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE KEY MESSAGE OF CREATIVE CALALOU.

>> CREATIVE CALALOU IS THE -- THE MESSAGE WOULD BE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, TO STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD.

THAT´S WHY I INCLUDED THE ART.

I INCLUDED THE POEMS.

I INCLUDED THE RECIPES.

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, EVEN WHEN THEY WERE LABELING IT ON AMAZON, IT HAS TO BE LABELED AS A COOK DUKE BECAUSE IT HAS THE RECIPES.

THERE IS NOT REALLY A NICHE FOR IT.

SO I WANTED IT TO ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

JUST TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO WHEN YOU -- IF YOU ARE WRITING A BOOK, DO SOMETHING A LITTLE EXTRA, YOU KNOW.

>> SO BASICALLY THAT THERE IS ART IN MANY FORMS.

>> YES, ART.

>> ART IN DUKEO COOKING.

>> DEFINITELY THE CULL THEY´RE ARTS, YOU KNOW, CREATIVE ARTS AND WRITING, AND VISUAL ARTS WITH THE -- WITH THE ARTWORK.

>> SO ARE YOU SELF-PUBLISHED?

OR DID YOU WORK WITH A PUBLISHER?

IN BRINGING CREATIVE CALALOU.

>> PROBABLY CAMPENA I´M PROBABLY MARIO PICAO HE HAS A PUBLISHING COMPANY HE PUBLISHED SOME OF THE BOOKS FOR THE READING CHALLENGE, THE GOVERNOR´S READING CHALLENGE.

>> UM-HUM.

>> HE SAW MY BOOK AND WAS IMPRESSED.

WE WERE WORKING ON A PROJECT TOGETHER.

>> OKAY.

>> AND HE SAW MY BOOK WHEN I WAS WORKING ON IT ON THE COMPUTER.

AND HE WAS LIKE, WOW, WHEN IS THIS FINISHED?

SHOW IT TO ME.

I MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN PUBLISHING IT.

>> OKAY.

>> YOU KNOW, HEY, FIRST TIME AUTHOR AND FIRST-TIME BEING SIGNING A PUBLISHING CONTRACT.

AND THAT WAS -- THAT WAS COOL.

>> AND CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT.

SO WHAT WOULD YOU -- WE HAVE A LOT OF VIRGIN ISLANDS WRITERS.

AND WE´VE BEEN SO FORTUNATE TO FEATURE THEM HERE ON THE BOOK CASE.

SO NOW THAT YOU HAVE JOINED THIS CREATIVE FAMILY OF VIRGIN ISLANDS -- OF VIRGIN ISLANDS WRITERS, TELL ME MORE ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCES OR YOUR EXPOSURE TO VERGEN ISLANDS WRITERS WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP.

>> OKAY.

WHEN I WAS GROWING PUP RONA PETERSON, I HAVE HER BOOK, PROVERBS, AND HER BOOK ABOUT HERBS AND PROVERBS.

ACTUALLY THAT IS -- YOU CAN´T REALLY FIND A BOOK ANYWHERE.

>> RIGHT.

>> I TREASURE IT WITH MY HEART.

AND HAVE IT IN A LOCK.

IT´S LIKE CARB IT´S A PRECIOUS BOOK.

SHE IS ONE OF THE INFLUENCES.

TO BE HONEST -- AND THEN ALSO I WOULD SAY READING SOME FROM MARIO MOOREHEAD, YOU KNOW, SOME OF HIS WORK.

HONESTLY -- TO BE HONEST WHAT REALLY GOT -- YOU KNOW, THERE ARE VRJ BEEN ISLANDS AUTHORS.

BUT I -- WHAT REALLY INSPIRED ME TO WRITE WAS WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE I HAD TO WRITE ALL OF THESE LONG PAPERS.

AND -- AND I HAD TO EDIT THEM MYSELF AND ALL OF THAT.

SO IT HELPED ME TO BE A BETTER WRITER AND BEING AN EDUCATOR, EVEN THOUGH I TEACH ART, EVEN THOUGH I´M AN ART EDUCATE ARE, I ALSO -- I EXPECT MY STUDENTS -- I GIVE THEM LESSONS ABOUT WRITING.

I DON´T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT RAY ARTIST YOU ARE GOING TO FORSAKE WRITING AND GRAMMER AND ALL OF THAT.

IT´S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU GET OLDER AND YOU FILL OUT YOUR RESUME, WHEN YOU WRITE A RESUME, WRITING A JOB LETTER, YOU KNOW, WRITING IS ESSENTIAL.

>> SO WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WATCHING THIS SHOW WHO ARE THINKING, I HAVE A STORY I´D LIKE TO TELL?

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THAT PERSON OUT THERE WHO THINK THEY MIGHT BE EYE WRITER BUT THEY´RE REALLY NOT SURE.

>> ONE THING I WOULD DPO IS RESEARCH.

I LOVE TO DO RESEARCH.

SO BEFORE I WROTE THE BOOK I ACTUALLY BOUGHT BOOKS KIND OF SIMILAR AND DID SOME RESEARCH.

AND I WENT ONLINE AND RESEARCH, YOU KNOW, THE VARIOUS TYPES OF BOOKS, LIKE THE COOKING -- THE COOK BOOKS, POETRY BOOKS, RESEARCH.

IT´S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.

EVERYTHING I DO, I DO RESEARCH, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE YOU HAVE THAT CREATIVE IDEA.

BUT, YOU KNOW, ONCE YOU DO THE RESEARCH AND UNDERSTAND THE MARKET AND UNDERSTAND YOUR COMPETITION, YES, THERE IS COMPETITION WHEN YOU ARE DOING THINGS.

YOU WANT TO WRITE A BOOK BUT YOU WANT TO SELL IT.

YOU DON´T WANT IT TO SIT ON THE SHELF.

YOU HAVE TO DO THAT RESEARCH AND LET´S SEE WHAT´S GOING ON OUT THERE.

>> THAT´S VERY MUCH A PART OF YOUR WRITING PROCESS.

ONCE YOU DO ALL THIS RESEARCH, ARE YOU A PEN AND PAPER WRITER, SIT AT THE COMPUTER WRITER?

HOW DO YOU GET THE THOUGHTS DOWN ON THE PAGE?

>> I JOURNAL AND THEN I ALSO TYPE ON THE -- I DO BOTH, YEAH.

I DO BOTH.

AND, YOU KNOW, INTERESTING THING TOO, I CREATED THE BOOK -- AND I LAID OUT THE BOOK IN ADOBE IN DESIGN.

SO I LEARNED THAT PROGRAM BECAUSE MY BRKTD IS GRAPHIC DESIGN, I USE ILLUSTRATOR.

I TELL PEOPLE I DESIGN THE BOOK -- THE ONLY THING FROM THE COVER TO THE BOOK, ONLY THING I DIDN´T DESIGN WAS A SPINE.

>> YEAH.

>> SO, YOU KNOW, THE MORE YOU COULD LEARN HOW TO -- AND LOIEOUT IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU WANT A BOOK THAT IS APPEALING AND ATTACHING, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU -- AND WHEN YOU TURN THE PAGES.

AND THEN ALSO ANOTHER THING THAT I DID WAS I SENT MY BOOK OUT TO A COMPANY THAT REVIEWS BOOKS BEFORE THEY PRINT IT.

AND I GOT FEEDBACK FROM THAT COMPANY TOO.

>> SO FOR THE ASPIRING WRITER OUT THERE, YOU WOULD TELL THEM, RESEARCH.

>> YES.

>> AND THEN WHAT, WRITE.

>> WELL, WRITE AND RESEARCH.

BUT DO BOTH.

YEAH.

BUT YOU HAVE TO, LIKE, REALLY UNDERSTAND YOUR MARKET.

AND THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU´RE GOING TO -- WHY ARE YOU WRITING THIS BOOK.

>> OKAY.

>> AND REALLY PUT YOUR HEART AND SOUL INTO IT.

YOU KNOW, I PUT MY HEART AND SOUL INTO THIS BOOK, CREATIVE CALALOU, DAY AND NIGHT JUST WORKING ON IT, AND JUST TRYING TO MAKE IT THE BEST IT COULD BE.

AND ALSO GET A GOOD EDITOR, OKAY.

BECAUSE -- >> LET´S TALK ABOUT EDITING.

YOU HAVE 11 RECIPES.

>> UM-HUM.

>> HOW MANY POEMS?

>> OKAY.

THAT IS -- THAT IS A THING.

I FORGOT -- >> OKAY BUT HOW MANY OF YOUR PAINTINGS ARE FEATURED IN THIS BOOK?

>> ACTUALLY IT IS -- I DIDN´T EVEN NUMBER THE PAINTINGS.

THAT´S A GOOD QUESTION, SHAWNA.

I´LL DO THAT RESEARCH.

>> AND GET BACK TO ME.

SO WAS THERE ANYTHING THAT ONCE THE BOOK WAS COMPLETED AND FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION, THAT YOU FELT, GOSH, I WISH I HAD LEFT THIS IN?

OR I WISH THAT I HAD TWEAKED THIS SOME MORE?

WAS THERE ANY WAY THAT YOU SAW -- YOU FELT YOU COULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, IMPROVED WHAT YOU PUT OUT?

>> HONESTLY, NO.

I -- I REALLY PUT MY HEART AND SOUL INTO THE BOOK.

AND THE PAINTINGS ARE PAINTINGS THAT SPAN MY CAREER FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS.

WELL, THAT WAS -- BECAUSE THE BOOK CAME OUT SEVERAL YEARS AGO.

BUT IT SPANNED FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS.

>> UM-HUM.

>> AND, YEAH.

>> WOW.

>> NOW YOU GOT ME THINKING.

I DON´T KNOW WHY COUNT THE RECIPES BECAUSE JUSTIN JUSTIFIED THAT IT´S THE RECIPE BOOK.

I NEVER REALLY.

>> RIGHT, RIGHT.

YEAH.

SO WHAT ARE YOU READING RIGHT NOW?

THAT´S A QUESTION I ASK EVERY AUTHOR VISITING THE BOOK CASE.

SO WHAT ARE YOU READING.

>> HONESTLY I´M READING A BOOK ABOUT NFTs.

>> OKAY.

>> HOW TO CREATE NFTs, NON-FUNGIBLE TOKENS.

I´M LEARNING ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THE ART SCENE IS REALLY SHIFTING.

IT´S GOING TO THE META VERSE.

SO I´M REALLY THINKING ABOUT HOW AM I GOING TO, YOU KNOW, GET MY WORK, YOU KNOW, TO THE BLOCKCHAIN, ETHEREUM.

I´M STILL READING STUFF THOSE ARE THE KEY TERMS.

>> LOOKING INTO THAT.

>> I´M LOOKING INTO EXPANDING.

DIGITAL ART IS MY PASSION RIGHT NOW.

>> SO DIGITAL ART IN TERMS OF MAKING ART MORE ACCESSIBLE.

>> THE CREATIVE LEVEL.

USING PHOTO SHOP.

I´M USING MORE DIGITAL COLLAGES NOW.

>> UM-HUM.

>> AND I´M WORKING ON SOME- I´LL BE WORKING ON SEVERAL CHILDRENS BOOKS IN THE FUTURE.

I WANT TO -- IT´S EASIER TO CREATE THE BOOKS DIGITALLY.

AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE TIME THAT I HAVE, YEAH.

>> SO ARE YOU A FULL-TIME WRITER?

>> NO.

>> NO.

>> I´M A FULL-TIME -- FOR NOW I´M A FULL-TIME EDUCATOR, PART TIME WRITER, PART TIME ARTIST.

>> SO HOW DO YOU MAKE TIME?

HOW DO YOU BALANCE THE -- THE DEMANDS OF YOUR DAY JOB WITH YOUR WRITING?

>> I BALANCE IT BECAUSE I JUST HAVE THIS STRONG PASSION.

AND I ALWAYS.

>> HOW DO YOU BALANCE IT, THOUGH.

>> HOW DO I BALANCE IT?

OKAY, LIKE IN TERMS OF LIKE THE DAY LIKE WHAT I DO I.

>> DO YOU CARVE OUT -- ARE YOU -- DO YOU CARVE OUT EVERY LIKE IF I WERE TO CALL YOU AT 9:00 TONIGHT, WOULD YOU SAY, SHAWNA, I´M WRITING.

THIS IS MY WRITING TIME.

ARE YOU VERY, YOU KNOW, DISCIPLINED IN LIKE CARVE OUT THAT TIME JUST TO, YOU KNOW, FEED YOUR CREATIVE.

>> WHEN I´M WORKING ON A PROJECT, SATURDAYS OR WHEN I COME HOME FROM WORK, I WORK ON THE COMPUTER OR WHATEVER.

I JUST -- FOR YEARS I´VE BEEN DOING THAT, JUST TRYING TO INCORPORATE IT INTO, YOU KNOW, MY SCHEDULE.

OF COURSE I GIVE PRIORITY TO MY FULL-TIME JOB.

BUT THEN I ADD THE PART TIME JOB, WHICH IS THE WRITING AND THE CREATING.

SECONDARY.

BUT SATURDAYS ARE USUALLY MY DAYS.

AND SOMETIMES SUNDAYS, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY -- IT DEPENDS ON THE DEADLINE, TOO.

OR SOMETIMES I COULD BE UP LIKE REAL LATE AT NIGHT.

OH, MY GOD.

MY SLEEPING HABITS COULD BE A LITTLE OFF SOMETIMES.

>> WHAT TYPE OF FEEDBACK FOR THE TIME THAT CREATIVE CALALOU BEEN OUT FOR THE PUBLIC WHAT TYPE OF FEEDBACK HAVE YOU RECEIVED ON IT.

>> I HAVE RECEIVED REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK.

>> OKAY.

>> ACTUALLY ON AMAZON I HAVE FIVE STARS.

>> AWESOME.

>> SO REALLY REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK.

THEY LOVE THE COLORS.

LOVE THE WRITING, LOVE THE PASSION THAT I PUT INTO THE BOOK.

YOU KNOW, SHARING -- OH, I REMEMBER ONE TIME I WAS READING IT TO ONE OF MY STUDENTS.

AND SHE WAS, LIKE, WOW, I DIDN´T KNOW -- YOU KNOW, SHARING THE CULTURE PARTS OF THE CULTURE LIKE WHEN I WAS SHARING ABOUT MY GRANDMOTHER´S USING LIME TO HELP WITH THE COLD, TO WASH AND STUFF LIKE THAT, THINGS THEY DIDN´T KNOW.

AND IT WAS SO -- I FELT SO GREAT THAT I -- YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY ONE OF MY STUDENTS, OF COURSE, A YOUNGER PERSON, THEY WERE, LIKE, REALLY DISCOVERING THE CULTURE FROM, YOU KNOW, JUST DISCOVERING THE LITTLE DIFFERENT TID BITS EXPERIENCES AND THINGS THEY DIDN´T LEARN ABOUT.

FOR INSTANCE OF ONE OF MY FAVORITE RECIPES IS THE SWEET HIBISCUS PUNCH WHEN I ATTENDED THE HIGH SCHOOL WITH THE LATE MISS EVANS.

OF COURSE I ADDED MY LITTLE FLAVOR AND TWIST TO IT.

BUT JUST, SO MANY BEAUTIFUL HIBISCUS AROUND THE PLACE.

NOT TOO MANY PEOPLE KNOW YOU CAN MAKE THE PUNCH.

>> OKAY.

>> YEAH.

>> YOU TAKE ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE RECIPE.

BUT IS THERE A PASSAGE OR ANYTHING IN YOUR BOOK THAT YOU COULD SHARE WITH OUR AUDIENCE?

>> YES.

MOST DEFINITELY.

ACTUALLY -- NOW WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE BOOK AND -- AND I THINK ABOUT MY LIFE.

AND I THINK MY YOUNGER SELF, AND I THINK ABOUT THINGS THAT I WANT TO TELL MY YOUNGER SELF.

I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE TOLD MY YOUNGER SELF.

SO IT IS STOP HIDING BEHIND THE MASK, GET TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE.

YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL.

YOU ARE LOVED.

BELIEVE IT.

CLAIM IT.

WALK IN IT, LIVE IT.

YOU KNOW, AND I REALLY WISHED, YOU KNOW -- YOU CAN -- TIME IS SO PRECIOUS AND SO SHORT.

AND YOU CAN´T -- A LOT OF TIMES WE SAY I WISH I COULD GO BACK.

BUT HONESTLY I WISH HAVE GONE BACK AND JUST TOLD MY YOUNGER SEVEN, YOU CAN DO IT.

YOU´RE BEAUTIFUL.

>> YOUR WORDS OF AFFIRMATION.

>> DEFINITELY.

AND SOMETIMES WHEN WE´RE OLDER WE GET IT.

AND NOT TO TAKE THINGS SERIOUSLY, LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF -- IF IT´S NOT GOING TO AFFECT YOU -- IF YOU´RE NOT GOING TO BE THINKING ABOUT IT IN A WEEK IT´S NOT THAT SERIOUS.

>> RIGHT.

>> A YEAR, FIVE YEARS, IT´S NOT THAT SERIOUS.

AND LET A LOT OF THINGS GO.

YOU KNOW.

>> SO WOULD YOU SAY THAT IS A KEY THEME IN YOUR BOOK, JUST GROWTH?

>> YEAH, LETTING THINGS GO AND NOT LETTING THEM FESTER.

I LIKE TO WATCH TIKTOK AND THIS GENTLEMAN -- I DON´T KNOW HIS NAME BUT HE SAID THIS WHEN WHENEVER YOU´RE ANGRY ABOUT SOMETHING, FUSS ABOUT IT FOR FIVE MINUTES AND THEN SAY, I CAN´T CHANGE IT.

>> SO WHEN YOU -- IN CREATIVE CALALOU YOU SAY IT´S A RETRORESPECTIVE YOUR WORK WILL THE READER SEE THAT EVOLUTION IN YOUR WORK FROM EARLIER THEMES TO LATER THEMES?

FOR EXAMPLE, WHAT WERE SOME OF THE EARLY THEMES IN YOUR ART?

>> OKAY, THE EARLY THEMES WERE THE MARKET LADY SERIES.

THAT WAS THE EARLY PART OF MY -- THREE WOMEN AND THE SPIRITUAL JOURNEY AND THIS CONNECTIVITY, WORKING, LIVING, YOU KNOW, JUST, YOU KNOW, HOW COULD I SAY, THE MARKET LADY THEORIES?

I´M TRYING TO REMEMBER THE THREE WOMEN, AND THEY ARE WORKING TOGETHER AND WALKING, AND THAT FRIENDSHIP, YES, DEFINITELY THAT FRIENDSHIP, YES.

NOW, MY WORK HAS BECOME -- YOU KNOW MY WORK WAS MORE LIKE FOLK ART BACK WHEN I FIRST STARTED.

>> UM-HUM.

>> BECAUSE I REALLY -- I CALLED IT CONTEMPORARY PHONECALL ART.

BUT NOW I WANT MORE KEMP RATHER ART, BOLD SHAPES, POP ART.

I REALLY EVOLVED AS AN ARTIST.

MY WORK IS NOW MORE GRAPHIC, ESPECIALLY SINCE I´M ON THE COMPUTER.

YEAH.

>> BUT WHO ARE SOME OF THE ARTISTS -- WE CERTAINLY HEAR ABOUT YOUR GRANDMOTHER INSPIRING YOU IN THE CULINARY ARTS.

AND THE SEWING ARTS.

WHO ARE SOME OF THE ARTISTS THAT HAVE INSPIRED YOUR OWN CREATIVE JOURNEY.

>> WELL I DEFINITELY HAVE TO PAY HOMAGE TO THE LATE BUZZ HAZARD AND RICHARDS TEACHERS AT CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL.

I GOT INTO THE ARTS WHEN I WAS IN TENTH GRADE.

>> UP OKAY.

>> AND GAIL WHITMER, THESE A THRIVING ARTIST ON THE ISLANDS DOING MAGNIFICENT WORK.

AS AN EDUCATOR IT´S SO -- I´VE LEARNED FROM THEM THE IMPORTANCE OF INSTILL, YOU KNOW, SHARING YOUR PASSION WITH THE STUDENTS.

AND A LOT OF THE MY STUDENTS THEY GET IT.

AND -- >> AND THAT WAS YOUR -- YOUR -- SO THAT´S WHAT YOU GAINED FROM ALL THOSE -- ALL THOSE MENTORS TO BUILD YOUR WORK WITH PASSION.

>> AND, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST LEAVE A LEGACY BUT CREATE -- START WITH THE YOUTHS AND TRY TO ESTABLISH NEW LEGACIES WITH THEM.

YOU KNOW.

I HAVE SO MANY -- I HAVE BEEN SO BLESSED FOR MANY YEARS, DIFFICULT DONE A SUMMER PROGRAM WHICH I´M DOING.

BUT I DID IT FOR ABOUT 18 YEARS.

AND SOME OF MY -- I WOULD WORK WITH THE SAME STUDENTS OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

AND THEY WOULD COME BACK AND THEY WOULD WORK -- FIRST IT WOULD START AS A STUDENT AND THEN END END UP WORKING WITH ME.

AND THEN SOME OF THEM ACTUALLY I´M WORKING WITH RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW.

DOING PROJECTS WITH.

>> THAT´S EXCELLENT.

>> RIGHT.

>> AS WE GET TO THE CLOSE, WHAT´S NEXT FOR DANNICA DAVIS.

>> WHAT IS NEXT.

>> UM-HUM.

>> WHAT IS NEXT IS, YOU KNOW, SOME MORE BOOKS, DEFINITELY.

SOME MORE PROJECTS.

LIKE COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS WITH SOME OF MY YOUNGER STUDENTS.

I CAN´T REALLY TALK ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW.

>> OKAY.

>> AND THEN RETIREMENT.

RETIREMENT AND THEN WHEN I´M RETIRED DOING LIKE REALLY NICE CREATIVE WORK.

>> WHAT DOES RETIREMENT LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?

MORE BOOKS?

MORE WRITING?

MORE PAINTING?

>> MORE BOOKS.

>> MAYBE SOME NFTs ON THE MARKET.

>> YES, DEFINITELY I´M LOOKING INTO THAT NEXT YEAR FOR SURE.

>> OKAY.

>> I´M WORKING WITH ONE OF MY -- ONE OF MY FORMER STUDENTS WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY A NOW A COLLEAGUE WITH THAT.

>> OKAY.

>> SO AS WE CLOSE, ANY FINAL WORDS FOR OUR AUDIENCE?

>> I WOULD JUST LOVE ANYBODY OUT THERE WHO HAS -- WHO FEELS WHO KNOWS THEY ARE CREATIVE TO JUST GIVE IT A TRY.

YOU KNOW, JUST DO -- I KNOW WHEN YOU HAVE THIS IDEA -- THIS HAPPENS TO ME A LOT WHEN YOU HAVE AN IDEA IN YOUR MIND YOU ARE LIKE EXCITED AND THEN YOU´RE SCARED, YOU KNOW, YOU´RE LIKE OH MY GOD CAN I DO THIS?

JUST DO IT.

DO YOUR RESEARCH AND JUST DO IT.

AND IT WILL WORK OUT.

YOU´LL JUST BE BUILDING UPON YOUR CREATIVITY.

OKAY.

>> THANK YOU IT´S BEEN A PLEASURE TO LEARN MORE WILL DANNICA DAVID AND HER WORK CREATIVE CALALOU.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ANY OF THE BOO FEATURED ON THIS PROGRAM VISIT OUR WEBSITE, WWW .WTJX.ORG.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT OF OUR LOCAL ARTISTS AND WE´LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK WHEN WE TAKE ANOTHER BOOK FROM THE BOOK CASE.

>>> THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ON THIS PROGRAM ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF WTJX, IT´S BOARD, STAFF OR UNDERWRITERS.

THIS PROGRAM WAS UNDERWRITTEN IN PART BY -- >> AS 2021 DRAWS TO CLOSE, WE AT THE -- WOULD LIKE TO WISH THE VIRGIN ISLANDS A YEAR OF PROMISE, OPPORTUNITY AND PROSPERITY IN 2022.

>> AND VIEWERS LIKE YOU.