Today, we’d like to introduce you to Atlese Robinson.
Hi Atlese, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I usually start my creative origin story by describing the time I recited my poetry for my peers in a theatre class at Saint Paul Central High School. I’ve told this story dozens of times: my adolescent self realized the power and relevance of my words and began pursuing theatre and performance art as a means of healing myself and connecting with others.
This story is very true, and it is the moment I came to know what was inside of me. However, just over a year ago, I found out who my biological father is, and in this journey to find him, grieving the fact that he is no longer in the land of the living but having the blessing to know his surviving relatives, I realize that I am an artist in blood and bone.
My father, Clarence William Lambert, was a rapper and, from the stories told by my Auntie and my cousin, quite talented. Even more, my grandmother Patricia Lambert (Swindell) was an opera singer who played piano and traveled through Europe as a young woman. So, I have the blood and memory of creativity in me. I am creative because I have to be. It is who I am. I just began to understand it as my calling when I was in that beginning acting class.
Currently, I am working a 9-5 that I enjoy, but it does take some time away from my practice which I want to find again. I do still write poetry and I have volunteered my time writing plays for youth with Pillsbury House + Theatre in Minneapolis. But I am eager for an opportunity to be in a rehearsal process again, or an intensive that helps me to hone my gifts for the next level.
When I put work out again, I want to be blown away by my process. I desire to reach a new level in my creative practice that serves not just to entertain or be thought provoking, but to be innovative and add something more to the world of Black aesthetic performance and theatre that leaves a mark on the practice in, should I say, legendary ways.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story. Has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
The real question is, what journey is smooth? I would say the road has always been ordained.
It has always been anointed, blessed, and guided. But it is never always smooth. To be honest, I am never interested in the “easy” way. Not because I want unnecessary struggles but because, realistically, life itself comes with challenges, and therefore, the creative life does as well.
I am interested in work that is timeless and grounded so it will come from a wrestling with self, life, the process, and collaborators that is imperative for the growth of the work.
My main challenges have been financial. Creatives are often exploited in even a post-industrial economy like the US or UK, but it is often even worse in emerging economies. Despite my experience level and accomplishments, when I was a full-time artist, I barely made $30,000 a year. That’s not sustainable, especially with the increasing cost of living pressuring even folks who have a full-time day job.
Earlier in my career, when I was, say, 19-23, I struggled with seeing the value of my work because of the competitiveness of grants and fellowships. When I didn’t get these opportunities, I took rejection personally. I had to overcome that and realize it wasn’t about my work. Often, it was about timing and alignment. Or it was honestly protection from organizations that would have had the funding but ultimately would have been exploitative or stifled my voice.
Now, my biggest challenge is carving out time to create consistently. I feel off-center, and I need to find my rhythm again.
Thanks. What else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a theatre-maker. That’s the easiest way to answer that question. I write for the stage (spoken word and plays). I’m a performer and actor, I am a director and producer. And I am always a student of the craft.
I am most proud of my commitment to theatre. The journey itself is an accomplishment, and I would be remiss if I said I had one “favorite” show or body of work. It’s all a part of my process and shaping my authentic voice.
I can’t say what others say I am most known for, but I believe most people would say, “Atlese carves her own path; she’s a trailblazer.” When I didn’t receive grant funding or fellowships, I began making my own spaces, which is how Ambiance Theatre was born. I refused to be stopped.
Until I am with my heavenly father I will get up and make opportunities for myself and others. I don’t wait on handouts because it’s not coming. When I began doing this, my career, and the careers of my closest collaborators, began to take off.
This knowledge I gained is why my focus now is honing my gifts and finding my consistency again. I already know how to make space to produce my work when I am good and ready to share again.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Tenacity, Tenacity, Tenacity. And knowing my why. If you’re easily discouraged at the first sight of resistance, you won’t last. And that’s for anything in life.
The other thing I would say is my community or mentors and peers. I have the honor and privilege of knowing some amazing people who inspire me and guide my process with their genuine feedback and questioning that brings me to a deeper level of understanding my work.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tealovinbookworm/
Image Credits
Dan Norman, Camera Girl, Chelsea Nimbus Theatre, and Tunde Alabi-Hundeyin II
