We had the good fortune of connecting with Marcella Lewis and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Marcella, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
The first thing God did was create. Bringing things into existence is one of the ways that I reflect God. Creation is so natural and instinctive. It’s a prayer and a revelation. It’s a practice of my faith. It’s a way to seek, connect, and be a vessel for God. It allows for my expression, imagination, manifestation, discovery, and understanding of invisible and powerful forces; a way to make the unseen, seen. My life and my career as an artist are both one, under the umbrella of art. They are contingent upon each other. I chose this path because my womb is a vessel for creation and gives birth to many forms of life. I was born to be a vessel for creation. I chose this because it’s in my nature to be in a constant state of surrender to the sudden and unpredictable revelation of art. I chose this path of creation because, in the beginning, God created.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

One of the things I love the most is my ability to be open to my multiple streams of creative expression; from dancing, to creating assemblage art, to jewelry making, to owning businesses, to choreographing, to being a creative doula. I create work that starts with me first; tested, studied, experienced, loved and felt by me.

As a choreographer and dancer my relationship to God, black women and my womb are the root of my work. Our wombs hold vast and deep wisdom. They are masterly designed and intimately connected to God and all other wombs. I’m inspired by this invisible link. I utilize, listen, experiment, question and reveal its unseen power, while also maintaining the secrecy of this power.   The concealment and sacredness of what is to stay hidden is a crucial part of my artistry. I use these invisible forces as a foundation of what I create and allow it to manifest in movement with intimacy, intuition, guttural instinct, full emotive expression, confession, vulnerability, unfamiliarity, selected detail, and intention. I allow my womb, Black women and God to baptize me, heal me, forgive me, teach me, convict me, love me, bless me, see me, pray for me and anoint me. As a black ‘womban’ I am a carrier, protector and facilitator of this power and I hold it with deep honor and praise.

Performing is my love language. It is my greatest expression of love to God, myself and the witnesses. I aim to be an endless giver when I perform; allowing my very last drop to become an ocean. When I perform, I am whole, unjudged, seen, trusted, unhidden, forgiven, honest, courageous, free and holy.

As an owner of multiple businesses, I’m deeply interested in creating an unconventional market of business that can be more malleable, fluid and flowing for the creative mind. I utilize them to be a tunnel for my creative ideas and to help other artists and creatives. One of my companies, MERIDIAN Handmade Mystical Creations, is a platform where I make a unique collection of jewelry, art, clothes, accessories and other blessed goods, made to reflect our divinity. I started the company in the middle of the pandemic, when I was interested in discovering my other creative talents. In my healing journey, I started examining my relationship to water. Water holds many spiritual powers and has been connected to God, the feminine principle, healing, flow, intuition and much more. I wanted to literally carry it with me, so I began creating jewelry with water inside of it called “Water Carrier Jewelry.” These pieces are refillable and have become a signature piece in my business. They were personal items for me, but after wearing them and being overwhelmed by the amount of people admiring, connecting and desiring them, I began making them for others. I was also using dreaming as a tool for my healing and as a vivid and powerful dreamer, I always enjoyed the look and concept of dream catchers and started making custom-made art pieces called “Dream Rings.” Through these art pieces, I started recognizing the creative power of my hands and eventually created MERIDIAN Handmade Mystical Creations. MERIDIAN is a platform that gives me the opportunity to live in my creative fluidity. It’s a place where I can give birth to all my ideas and be in my intuitive flow. Every piece has a story and has helped me heal, beautify, build my confidence, or get closer to God, and my intention is to share this with others. I’m excited for MERIDIAN to grow into a platform for many more creative endeavors.

I also own a live scan business called Leimert Park Live Scan, which I started with my mother. We are growing and expanding quickly and we plan to train and hire black female artists who are either in college, between jobs, need experience, or just graduated. We hope to be a great side gig for black women to make money, gain business skills and experience, while also having the time and resources to work on their own passions and dreams.

In addition, I am a creative doula, I support and guide creatives in birthing their artistic projects in the best ways that serve them. This is accomplished through advice, research, feedback, questions, observations, ideas and conversation. I am a space holder, challenger, thought provoker, witnesser and listener.

All of these streams of creative expression, even if seemingly unrelated, all feel intrinsically linked by a silent and invisible thread. It’s an amalgamation of all of my many internal capabilities.

I’m excited to premiere my work “Spectacle of Ritual.” An evening length prayer featuring 4 black ‘womban,’ that I’ve been working on for a few years now. With the space as the altar, dancers as the prayer and movement as an offering, we allow for the ritual of prayer to guide us to revelation around faith, God and ourselves.

I got to where I am professionally by letting my God-given gift of dance guide me. Dance carried me, opened doors, created pathways, knocked down obstacles, and kept my path straight. In addition, my mother was the warrior spirit stewarding my talents, despite being a single parent with a chronic illness called Lupus. She was the light, water and nutrients that supported, encouraged, and guided me. Although times were challenging for her, she always kept a brave face to ensure my dreams came true. She has taught me the power and magic of a mothers love. She is proof that God exists and that God loves me unconditionally. Seeing me dance and live my dreams has kept my mom fighting for her life and opened doors that would have otherwise been inaccessible to both of us. I am deeply grateful that dance saved us both.

I’ve learned to never dim my light, to listen to my intuition, to be patient and present, to say “no” to what doesn’t resonate with or move in the direction of my purpose. I’ve learned to always be a student and to embrace being a beginner. I’ve learned to know my worth as an artist; I’m not just the auditionee, I am also the auditioner for the job or opportunity to see if it’s in alignment with me. I’ve learned that faith can take you to limitless places.

I pray to be a steward and space holder for other artists. I pray to intensify the truth inside others. I pray to use my art to bring myself, the artist I’m working with and/or the witnesses closer to God.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

I would mostly take them out to eat. I love eating good food. I would take them to some of my favorites spots; Yunami Handroll, BAGAN Burmese Food, Versailles Cuban Food, Mario’s Peruvian, The Boiling Crab and Ackee Bamboo Jamaican food. I would also take them for a walk through my neighborhood, the historical Leimert Park on a Sunday when the vendors are out. I would take them to a Krump session or battle. I would take them on a drive on the coastal line of Palos Verdes. I would take them to a dancehall class with Nina Flagg and to the Santa Monica Pier to ride my favorite ride there, the “Sea Dragon.”

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

My home dance studio, Lula Washington Dance Theatre is the grounding of who I am as a dancer, artist and person. My roots are in soil made of pride in my African heritage. I’m deeply planted in lessons on moving from my spirit and with joy, love, versatility, passion, vulnerability, and full emotive expression. One of the things that really took root in me was an emphasis on the importance of all forms of dance. Ballet wasn’t taught as the foundation of dance, like it is at many dance schools, institutions and companies. It was not put on a pedestal above other dance techniques. We were taught a variety of techniques including African, Hip-Hop, Modern(Graham, Dunham, Horton), Jazz and Tap, and they were all equally nurtured and respected. I am incredibly grateful for this because it allowed me to move with versatility, confidence, individuality and uniqueness. Studying many forms of dance also made me feel seen and capable in a dance world that would write you off after a ballet class, even before seeing you do anything else. It also made me feel capable of exploring and learning many dance styles. Another essential part of my roots is the pride, praise, teaching, honor and reverence of African Heritage and dancers. Growing up at the Lula Washington Dance Theatre we didn’t have the popular “Nutcracker” show, we had “The Kwanzaa Show.”  I knew the 7 principles of Kwanzaa before I knew who the “Sugar Plum Fairy” was. This celebration of African and African American culture, filled with drums, dance, singing, rituals, storytelling, history and community, all grounded me into a deeper understanding of who I am. I also had predominantly black dance teachers and seeing someone that looked like me at the front of the room took deep root in my psyche. In addition, the building was adorned with photos of prominent and influential black dancers in gorgeous movement all throughout the hallways and studios. Furthermore, since the age of 4, I got the opportunity to perform in and witness radical and controversial work that was unapologetic Black, expressive, honest, vulnerable, educational and this kept me inspired.

All of these vital components watered my roots, making their way deep into my blood, bones and breath. I’m an amalgamation of all that watered me at the studio. This firm planting has carried me throughout my dance career. Allowing me to move and grow with pride, wisdom, confidence, skill, versatility, joy, freedom, love, passion and energy wherever I go. What I acquired at the Lula Washington Dance Theatre is the essence I carry as a movement artist.

Website: Art Business: meridianmysticalcreations.com

Instagram: @marcella_thecosmicmirror

Other: Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/user128801589

Image Credits
Elizah Nikhaule Marcella Lewis Malachi Angel Origgi

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