Meet Chemine Sharpe | Multidisciplinary Artist & Author

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

Hi Chemine, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I wouldn’t say I pursued a creative path. I would say a creative path pursued me. When something so innate is a part of you, it’s hard not to follow it through to the letter. I am fortunate enough to have been endowed with many artistic gifts, and in a way, I think, my spirit recognizes the spirit in God’s expressiveness, and so I wholeheartedly embraced it with all its facets.

In addition, I went to a Jesuit school where two of our core values were cura personalis, care of the whole person, and the magis, doing more and doing better in order to do more for the community. Writing and sharing it with the world is how I am able to achieve both, and I can’t imagine life without it.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Such a loaded question! Thank you for asking.

Harper Nightingale, how the pseudonym and brand I write under came to be, has quite the ironic and funny tale to it. In college, I studied Writing (and Theatre), but the one form I didn’t want to dabble into was poetry. As luck would have it, there weren’t a lot of writing courses (that I knew I’d enjoy and excel in) to choose from, and so I stuck myself in poetry classes while loudly proclaiming to everyone who could hear me that I absolutely hated the form.

During my Junior/Senior year, my heart and mind process started to change. I thought to myself, if I was going to call myself a well-rounded writer, I might as well dive into the form. 8 years, 50,000+ IG readers, and 2 books later, I’m proud to call myself a poet and author.

How I got to where I am today professionally is through prayer, consistency, and channeling my Type B mindset into a Type A one. It started out as an easy journey. I joined the Instagram poetry community at a time when poets such as Rupi Kaur, Amanda Torroni, Tyler Kent White, and Tyler Knott Gregson were prevalent, and the numerous prompts and poetry challenges they hosted/words they posted, were of great assistance to me as I was navigating unfamiliar terrain. They championed what it means to be a Modern Poet, and I owe my gratitude to them.

2020-2021 was the hardest. It was when the world was at a standstill and so the words stopped coming. It was difficult to be inspired when I was no longer close to the sources I was getting inspiration from. The burnout from writing something new every single day was seeping in, and I could no longer keep up with the platform. That, combined with several algorithm changes, led me to throw numerous pity parties for myself over the year, until I decided to choose myself and remind myself that I am exactly where God wants me to be, and my books are in the hands of those it needed to reach.

There’s more to it, but if I went further, I could be here all day haha. I will say, that God will never tell you to do something and not give you the tools to do it. I needed to temporarily lose words in order to find the right ones, lose readers in order to remember my impact is more than just the people following my journey, and lose myself in order to root myself more firmly in my calling in life.

I want the world to know that they are not alone, they are so much more than they give themselves credit for, and God loves them. I hope that everyone who reads my work finds that it is applicable to them because of how deeply infused it is in nature. The nature around us and the nature inside us, and how that knowledge can inform the way we live our life.

Change starts with you. How will you live out your redeemed self?

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oof! That’s a hard one. I’ve only been in LA for 3, shy of 4 years, and in 2 of those I was a real homebody because of the pandemic. But putting that good imaginative mind of mine to use, if my best friend was visiting the area and it was a week long trip, our itinerary would look like this- Church, because I think it is important to start your day with Jesus, brunch, because it has the best foods a human could possibly eat, and trips, to all the museums, galleries, and bookstores I could possibly find.

I love Blu Jam Cafe. Their French Toast Churros are to die for. And The Broad holds some of my favorite art pieces and installations. Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirrors in particular. My favorite bookstore is Skylight Books! Look for my second poetry collection, “This Is The Nature Of All Of Us” on their shelf!

There is so much to do in LA, and I’m still finding it as I go, but I love how vibrant, creative, and colorful it is, and it’s a joy to be among likeminded spirits. I’m sure whatever we end up doing will be beneficial and enlightening for the both of us!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My goodness! So many people deserve a whole lot of credit and recognition in my story! It is because of them I got to where I am today. I might be the vessel, the poet that strings together all the words and holds space for them, but it is because of their experiences and stories that the words exist in the first place. To them I say, thank you.

I would love to especially shoutout my Mom, grandmother, and siblings, whose faith and perseverance are a shining testimony to how fruitful life can be when you hold on tightly to God.

Lastly, to my best friends. Kendal Marie, and Jessie Di. Their support, love and encouragement are unparalleled.

Website: harpernightingale.com

Instagram: @harpernightingale (poetry) @toexistamonginfinity (books) @asharpebelle (personal)

Image Credits
Tobe Okocha