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| C.D. Collins |
Kentucky native CD Collins follows the storytelling
traditions of the South, both as a solo artist and when accompanied by
musicians. Her short fiction collection Blue Land was published by Polyho Press,
her poetry collection by Ibbetson Street Press. As one of the originators of
the resurgence of spoken word with live music, her work has been archived in
four compact discs: Kentucky Stories
(winner Best Spoken-Word album Boston Poetry Awards) Subtracting Down, and Carousel
Lounge. Her most recent disc, Clean
Coal/Big Lie, is currently being released in a series of one-woman shows. Afterheat
is her first novel.
Collins has performed in a variety of venues including
Berklee College of Music Performance Hall, Boston Public Library, Club Passim,
Boston’s Institute of Contemporary Art and the New York Public Library. Collins’ fiction has appeared in numerous
literary magazines including StoryQuarterly,
Phoebe, Salamander and The
Pennsylvania Review.
Collins has received grants and awards from Massachusetts College of
Art, Somerville Arts Council, the St. Botolph Club, The Kentucky Foundation for
Women, the Cambridge Arts Council, and Women Waging Peace.
Collins holds a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from the
University of Kentucky where she studied with author and activist Wendell
Berry.
She was recently a guest
at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for a pilot conference to advance the development of innovative technologies that
support the inclusion of people with disabilities.
Her
recent projects include:
A book
of essays, titled Blue Folks of Troublesome to
be released in a limited edition letter press format with original artwork as
well as in multimedia tablet display. This
book is a project of MHM Fine Art Studios in Lowell, MA and Dutch artist and
designer Markus Haala.
A
collaboration of spoken-word and music with Russian-born Santon, a blind,
autistic musical savant and
recent
graduate of Berklee College of Music. With a grant from the Malden
Cultural Council they are currently recording a compact disc titles Night Animals.
Praise for Blue Land:
“CD Collins has the voice of a natural-born
storyteller. Original and
unforgettable.” Stephen McCauley, novelist
“Altogether brilliant collection...” Ray Olson, Booklist.
Praise for CD Collins
“Laurie Anderson meets William Faulkner.”
more
info at www.cdcollins.com