We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lady Obsidian Rain a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Lady Obsidian, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
Like many, I grew up with pleasant and traumatizing experiences and for me, art was my safety, be it music, drawing, or writing. At one point, I wanted to be an artist, inspired by comics, mangas, and cartoons like X-Men, Gargoyles, Sailor Moon, and Ronin Warriors. I would draw and write storylines; I would journal my thoughts about life. I journaled to understand myself throughout the various places I’ve lived and events I experienced, like joining the military, becoming a mother, and battling with chronic health issues. In 2013, I attended a poetry slam hosted by Poetz Realm in Bridgeport Connecticut and up to this point, I hadn’t donned the title of being an artist of any kind. Through the encouragement of a poet who read my work and told me it was poetry and a simple smile of an invite to step into the light of the poetry cypher after the slam, I took a risk and read my poetry in front of others for the first time. It has been 10 years since, and I’ve shared my poetry throughout Connecticut and in New York. I had always doodled along with my writing, but I began painting as well after making a career choice of becoming an Art Therapist. I have published 3 books and have created empowerment workshops via Purpose of the Lotus, along with various poetry events and talking shows. The one thing that I know with certainty is that taking risks is the only way to find the truth of who you are because life is a series of chances and choices. Given the choices I’ve made, I won’t regret the risks I’ve taken allowing me to be who I am today.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
I’m a Carribean-American who has lived in various states of the US, attending more than several different schools, allowing me to have an interesting perspective of our world and the people in it. I got into Anime when I was younger and found myself drawn to Eastern philosophy but of course, I didn’t stop there and I went on to study Western philosophy and psychology mostly on my own before pursuing my degrees. My real name is Renee and due to my maternal grandmother’s island accent, Renee came out as Rain and the nickname stuck. When I was choosing my poetry stage name, I was really drawn to Obsidian. I had several items with the material in it and I looked it up. Obsidian in volcanic rock that is extremely sharp when fractured lending to the history of it being used as arrowheads and medical scalpels. I’ve been told I have a rather sharp tongue and felt it was fitting. My poetry can be pretty cutting but my goal is, like the rain that nourishes, to provide a space for understanding and healing that can be found between their lines. I’m mother to two amazing children and they drive me to do the work that I do. I hope for an emotionally healthier world for them leading me to create Purpose of the Lotus and to do the work I do.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
I got into a brief argument on TikTok, and I mean brief because I stated my position on the matter and let the choice to understand in their hands. I had left a comment on a video I saw. It was a black and white movie scene in where the man was lamenting to his mother the woes he had with the dating world. My comment stated that people, men and women, shouldn’t give up their power by allowing others to set their value. Someone claiming to be an engineer decided to tell me that I had no business speaking on the subject. I stated that through my study of psychology and philosophy, it was an understanding I solidified for myself regarding self-esteem. They stated that studying social sciences wasn’t a “flex.” What they fail to comprehend is that when the science of society-the study of humans-is ignored and devalued, we repeat the same missteps and we’re the worst for it. The same goes for the creatives and their journey. When it is devalued or ignored, we lose touch with the creative that lives in all of us. By nature, humans are creative. We formulate thought to solve problems; we decide on the best way to connect with others. Those of us who produce visual art are transferring our understanding of the world onto a space for others to see-to be challenged or to feel like they aren’t alone. We need art in ways that we need to stop denying…so pay artists fairly because not even making it is free.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
One lesson ingrained into me at an early age was that I wouldn’t be able to make a living with art and that I needed to be more practical. For a time, I believed that to be truth and abandoned pursuing art in kind of serious manner. I essentially tried my hand at everything else. When I first graduated from high school, I attempted to go to college but had to drop due to circumstance. I worked in restaurants and various stores (always seeming to be going out of business a few months after my arrival), joined the military, and worked customer service call centers. When I had my first child, I made the choice to return to school and attempted to become a social worker, worked as an administrative assistant and then rediscovered my passion for art through poetry. I learned about Art Therapy as a career, and it fit everything about my personality so well that it’s the goal I will reach. Needless to say, I will make a living with art. My advice to everyone is to never give up on what causes their soul to thrive and feel alive, even if you have to work a 9-5 on the side.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.purposeofthelotus.com
- Instagram: @ladyobsidianrain