We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Gwendolyn Garth. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Gwendolyn below.
Gwendolyn, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
“When he came to his senses, he said…” Excerpt from “The Prodigal Son” Luke 15:17
I feel as though, my alcoholism and drug addiction took me to another dimension.
So, when I got some time of uninterrupted sobriety behind me, I began to really feel, to experience, and see pictorial definitions of the “Promises of AA”. I felt as though, “I had come to my senses.” And to be perfectly honest I still feel that way occasionally, as daily God reveals to me another layer of the Gwendolyn Garth that He created.
Alcoholics Anonymous is referred to as a program of recovery but for me these 26 years of uninterrupted sobriety has been a journey of self-discovery. I had been getting high and drinking since I was approximately 19 years old. I came from a family of workers and drinkers and that was their norm. And because I had no clue of Self drinking and drugging became my norm when I left home. At first my drinking and drugging was a party thing. The progression of the diseases of alcoholism and addiction is such a subtle thing that I did not know that I was slipping into darkness until I hit the bottom of the “rabbit hole”.
Being an alcoholic and an addict was not on my radar/one of my dreams. My childhood dreams were of becoming an artist, having my artwork displayed in the art museum, hanging in someone’s home or office. This was a dream that I tucked away into a corner of my soul and I carried this dream with me throughout the twists and turns of my life’s journey. My dis-ease of alcoholism and addiction took me to many unplanned places/spaces. I won’t mention all of them here because I am saving those for my book, but homelessness and the carceral system were two of those unplanned spaces.
There were occasions in my active addiction that I would have moments of clarity and I would take a break from my self-imposed prison. I would try to do something that would lift me up out of my drug catatonia. On one of those occasions I went back to school and took some sort of self-awareness class. The instructor asked us to take a few moments and answer this question “Who Am I?” So, right there on the spot I wrote:
Who the Hell Is Gwendolyn Garth?
I am the J in Joy, and the S in Sorrow.
I am your yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
I am the Woe in Woman and the Win in Wife
I am the Dark in Darkness. I am the Light in Life.
I am sometimes Love. I am sometimes Pain.
I am the Sun in Sunshine, and the Water in Rain.
I’ve played the Father and I am a Mother.
I’ve played the wife and for some men I’ve been their other.
I’ve played the scholar and got A’s, in school.
I’ve played the streets and got F’s as in Fool.
But wait…I am to be continued
for by God’s grace,
I am not finished… Yet!
I was 39 at the time I wrote this poem and like I said in active addiction where the getting to the next high was the “all that there was”. I felt at times much like Alice from “Alice in Wonderland” trying this drug or that man attempting to change my circumstances or me, so that I could fit in somewhere. I have come to see and understand that my drug usage was a mask. When I would come down from a high, I could see where I had taken my Self and at that time, I could see no way out and so to take away the pain of that view, of that look at Self, I would get high again. I would anesthetize my Self and put on another mask.
I thank God that even though the tolerance for pain is high, that there is an end. I am glad for the AA Program of Recovery. Each encounter with the AA program would leave me with something to hold on to even when I would relapse. It took me 7 rehabs and 2 penitentiary numbers before I got to these 26 years of uninterrupted sobriety. It took me that long because I had not looked inside of my Self. Looking inside my Self was such a scary place and I did not want to look at me!
Finding my Self in the penitentiary at the age of 47 for the second time, coupled with the desire to not die as my mother had with a drink in her hand, I “made a decision”, not to come back this away again, to give sobriety a chance. In order to reach that goal, I determined that I had to change some things. From previous experiences with the AA program I knew that the only thing that I could change was…Me!
And so, my second visit to the carceral system May 27, 1998 became my spiritual awakening. When I am sharing my story with others, I say that the only thing that I liked about the carceral system was it afforded me the opportunity to get with Gwendolyn Garth. Because I did not have to worry about food, clothing, or shelter for 2 years I was able to rigorously study Gwendolyn Garth much like a scientist does on a field study.
I was able to “Walk Inside My Self”. Dissecting and analyzing my thoughts and actions. Creating art and journaling became my norm and my way out of and through my darkness. I came to realize and to understand that before my physical incarceration I had been operating in a prison of “Self” long before I got to the physical one. I had been living by default, because, I had not a clue of who I was.
The 12 steps of AA became my road map, and I came to know and understand that my alcoholism and addiction were symptoms of my spiritual dis-ease.
Coming to know Gwendolyn Garth, spiritually and mentally has been both a scary and a beautiful encounter. My art and my journaling are my medicine for maintaining my sobriety and working in the community is my fellowship. I live with intent now and because I do, I, now live my childhood dream:
Art is the name of my game.
Art is in the middle of my last name.
Art is in the middle of me,
and I have No Plan B.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am a Native Clevelander, Social Practice and Multimedia Artist of African descent, born 10/13/1951. I am a recovering Substance abuse user with 26 years of uninterrupted sobriety. I am also an alumnae of the carceral system.
My lived experiences are derived from being reared in 4 of Cleveland’s Eastside neighborhoods: Hough, Central, Fairfax and Glenville in that order. I currently reside in the Central Neighborhood. My hobbies are anything artistic, dancing, reading and travelling. I, Gwendolyn Garth, am an organic intellect and one hell of a Network Weaver and I will show up!.
Believing that I was called to be a champion for myself and other marginalized artists. I think of myself as the “Harriet Tubman of Black Artists” here in Cleveland. As I am shown, as I discover and create doors of opportunity, I am compelled to show others those doors of opportunity and bring them with me.
I specialize in the integration of fine art with computer graphics. I frequently combine techniques and mediums such as paints, pencil sketching mixed with marker, graphite, fabric, computer graphics, woodworking and creative journaling. I am widely recognized throughout Greater Cleveland for community-based collaborations, and as a Social Practice Artist I see my community as a canvas.
My personal mission is to encourage others towards “Overcoming Darkness and Defying Stereotypes”. I use the arts and creative placemaking as vehicles of healing, particularly for those who are healing from the traumas of incarceration, substance abuse and racism. My personal transformation is my message!
My Guiding Principle: My real work will always be about Reinventing Communities & Changing Perceptions about the people in those communities. I will always do so by employing the therapeutic value of art and by thinking and working holistically and engaging with others through collaboration and transparency.
I am Founder and Visionary leader of a grassroots Arts Service non-profit organization called Kings & Queens of Art (KQOA). I founded Kings & Queens of Art as my way of giving back to the community. KQOA is now 10 years old and going forward our intent is to take Art and Adult Literacy to the people “Take It To The Streets”!
We now have a bus that has been converted into a classroom our project is named “The Art Palace on Wheels” A Mobile Art Gallery and Classroom. What it is: A Mobile Art Gallery and Classroom, that displays artwork on the outside and teaches Art and Adult Literacy on the inside.
Our Overarching Theme: “Overcoming Darkness and Defying Stereotypes” This outreach project was conceived with “Recidivism Prevention” in mind and as a Literacy Campaign (we’ve taken cues from the 1961 Cuban Literacy Campaign https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_literacy_campaign https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gh2zTs5A7Uand from Malcom X http://faculty.gordonstate.edu/sraynie/LearningtoRead.pdf.
It is our intent to present exhibitions and classes (weather permitting) on the weekends of each month for the seven months of spring, summer & fall, traveling to accessible public spaces such as libraries, schools, park districts, parking lots and vacant lots throughout Cuyahoga County. Performing art programs will accompany the exhibit and will take place outside the mobile art gallery. The Art Palace on Wheels brings the Arts and Education “Outside” literally and metaphorically. It creates a public art gallery and educational platform that will reach Clevelanders who don’t frequent local cultural institutions and adults who want to continue their education.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Perseverance, Tenacity, Former Mayor Mike White said that I am a woman of indomitable spirit. I have written those words on the walls of my soul! My greatest area of knowledge is …Me. I’m working a Ph.D in Me!
My advice to the children of the village: Everyday plug into “The Source”. Keep your head to the sky and always give thanks for all things big or small!
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
My parents were part of the Great Migration and when they saw in me an excellent level of educational performance they insisted and encouraged me to learn more, to read. I have a voracious appetite for the written word and I remain open to learning whether it be in a schoolhouse or from Life!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kqoa.org
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKaK9YV27lOb3dB82K40P2Q
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
