| I first met Rochleigh Z. Wholfe at Freida L. | | | | were denied proper burial by King David. Rispa sat |
| Wheaton Salon 53 grand opening "Home is where | | | | there day and night graciously dealing with the |
| the art is" and fell in love with her bold work, | | | | elements, fighting the wild beasts from the air and |
| spirit-infused life, and clear view of art as a | | | | the ground to protect the remains of her two |
| business. | | | | dead sons. All she had was a sack cloth to sit on |
| Janet: Rochleigh, what does the "Z" stand for in | | | | during the day to cover her at night. King David |
| your name? Not too many of those around. | | | | was so moved by Rispa's dedication that he |
| RZW: "Z" stands for motivation towards receiving | | | | ordered her sons to be removed and given |
| true information. My name was given to me | | | | proper burial. Rispa is is one of the women who I'll |
| based on an ancient system of astrology and | | | | include in the installation I'm planning called "Seven |
| numerology from one of my first spiritual | | | | Women." |
| mentors in Los Angeles in 1975. | | | | The third body of work is "The Legacy of the |
| THE QUESTION OF PLACE: ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI | | | | Dress" which could be subtitled, "If this dress could |
| TO ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA | | | | talk." Can you imagine a dress worn by Princess |
| Janet: Rochleigh, you came to St. Louis from the | | | | Diana? Can you imagine what a dress might have |
| Washington D.C. metropolitan area in May 2005. | | | | felt and seen from being on the body of |
| Can you say what this time-about two and a half | | | | phenomenal women worldwide? I'm currently |
| years-has been like for you? | | | | researching women who aren't well-known, but |
| RZW: Janet, my move back to St. Louis was a | | | | have made major influences all over the world. |
| return...a 360 degree turn from where I | | | | Janet: And to be on the verge of creating this |
| began...where I was born and raised. I needed to | | | | work...how does that feel? |
| do some ancestoral work in St. Louis and take | | | | RZW: It's very humbling and exciting at the same |
| care of my father's estate. | | | | time. Whenever new creative ideas come to me |
| However my assignment here in St. Louis is | | | | that invoke critical thinking, it's like becoming |
| completed. My creative spirit is calling me to | | | | pregnant that you have to take care of this |
| expand and to move out to continue my | | | | baby, this embryo, and bring it forth, bring it to |
| exploration of the world. I'm ready to share the | | | | life. It has to be well researched, meditated on. I |
| gifts that I have received here in St. Louis and | | | | have to concentrate on how I want to present |
| well as my previous gifts that I received from | | | | these concepts to the world in a way that truly |
| my experiences in graduate school at New College | | | | honors who these women were. |
| of California in San Francisco. | | | | Janet: Your work is rich with African, especially |
| I've closed the book on this part of my life, and | | | | Egyptian, images. Where does this come from? |
| going to Asheville is opening a brand new chapter | | | | RZW: I'm an initiated priestess in the Temple of |
| in a brand new book. | | | | Isis out of Geyserville, California and a priestess |
| Janet: You have strong ties and feelings about St. | | | | of the Temple of Het Nefer out of New York |
| Louis and you've powerfully expressed some of | | | | City. Since I can remember I've been interested in |
| these in your painting "Revisioning St. Louis." How | | | | ancient cultures including India, Egypt, West Africa, |
| did this painting come about and what response | | | | and Asia. |
| have you gotten from it? | | | | INTERTWINING ART FORMS: LIKE A GOURMET |
| RZW: This piece was in a show last year called | | | | DESSERT |
| "The Girls of Summer." It came out of a | | | | Janet: You are an all-around creative person |
| meditative experience focused on the healing of | | | | having been trained in theater and having a strong |
| St. Louis. Through this healing arose this healing | | | | career there before plunging into painting in 2001. I |
| angel who helps bring unity throughout the | | | | also know you're fascinated by music. How do the |
| metropolitan St. Louis community. I see it as | | | | arts intertwine for you? |
| embracing the diverse religious, ethnic, racial, | | | | RZW: Janet, that is one of the main goals of the |
| cultural groups that call St. Louis home. | | | | work that I am doing now: to incorporate and |
| Quite often the paint brush takes on a life of its | | | | bring together all these disciplines within my work. |
| own. As I am creating images, it appears I am | | | | After being in theater for 25 years and working |
| creating one thing and when I am finished | | | | with world-class jazz musicians, I find that each |
| something totally different appears on the canvas. | | | | genre its own special gifts to offer. |
| This is what happened in "Revisioning St. Louis." I | | | | When they are intertwined, it is like receiving a |
| thought I was going to be painting the skyline of | | | | gourmet dessert. |
| Downtown St. Louis with the arch in the | | | | I've done this incorporation on a small scale with |
| background. That is part of the painting, but there | | | | pieces I've performed. But the one I feel I've had |
| is also Cahokia Mounds to the left and Forest Park | | | | the most success with to date is my "Chautaqua: |
| to the right with the universal symbols arched | | | | My Name is Harriet." The three faces of courage, |
| over like a rainbow.That was not what I originally | | | | integrity, and grace. This piece is about Harriet |
| envisioned. | | | | Tubman, Harriet Jacobs, and Harriet Powers. It |
| People asked if the angel was me or not. I said, | | | | was presented at the Smithsonian Institute in |
| "No, rather the angel is part of the Collective | | | | Washington, D.C. in 2004. It included 8 original |
| Consciousness here in St. Louis that represents | | | | paintings, and my performance portraying all three |
| our need for healing and unity." Quite often people | | | | Harriets. I wrote, directed, and performed the |
| say they can feel the spirit in my work. | | | | show. |
| PREGNANT WITH NEW WORK: THREE | | | | CAREER ADVICE FOR EMERGING ARTISTS |
| VISIONARY BODIES TO BE BORN | | | | BUILDING CAREERS |
| Janet: Rochleigh, you've said that you feel new | | | | Janet: You're extremely active and effective at |
| work coming, and some of this work may be in | | | | building your career. Some of this has been good |
| the form of installations. Women artists often | | | | timing and connections like the story you told me |
| voice this feeling as being pregnant with a body of | | | | about a friend of yours who is a docent at the |
| work. Could you tell us how this feels for you and | | | | Smithsonian Museum who referred you to just |
| how you'll pursue it once you get settled in your | | | | the right person at just the right moment that led |
| new home? | | | | to your presentation of "My Name is Harriet." But |
| RZW: Recently I had a conversation with an artist | | | | I know there's also an enormous amount of |
| friend in Washington D.C. Januwa Moja, a | | | | effort and strategy involved. What advice do you |
| well-known textile artist who designed many of | | | | have for emerging artists as they find a way to |
| the costumes for Sweet Honey and the Rock. | | | | make their work more visible? |
| We spoke about what it means to be at this | | | | RZW: First of all they need to have a clear idea |
| stage in our lives, which I refer to as "The | | | | of where it is they want to go. And then get |
| Empress." Women in there 40s, 50s, and 60s | | | | your name out there. Then, strategically, get you |
| begin to be aware of a new power within them | | | | work into galleries where your work can be seen |
| and we talked about Legacy Mode and what that | | | | by those who can help make a difference in your |
| really means for us at this time. What kind of | | | | career. I suggest that you do as many shows |
| legacy as women are we going to leave to the | | | | and exhibits as possible in major art cities. |
| world? It's a realization that not only have we | | | | Read as much as you can about the business of |
| have arrived at this place of power and knowing, | | | | art. Art is a business. You have to understand this. |
| and we take we're involved in more seriously. | | | | Some refer to it as "The Industrial Arts Complex." |
| That's how I am feeling now. | | | | This came home to me last December in Miami, |
| I'm pregnant with three bodies of work: "Gullah | | | | Florida, at Art Basel, the most prestigious art |
| Woman," "Seven Women," and "The Legacy of | | | | event in the USA. Four hundred million dollars |
| the Dress." | | | | worth of art was sold in three days. Artists were |
| A friend in Rock Hill, South Carolina just recently | | | | being represented from all over the world by top |
| opened a gallery; the focus of the work in this | | | | galleries who paid fifty thousand dollars per booth |
| gallery will be about women and the power and | | | | for the privilege of displaying the work of the |
| beauty that women have brought and offered to | | | | artists they represented. |
| the world. She too is an artist and we have talked | | | | I believe that it's important to follow the careers |
| about working collaboratively on a show called | | | | of recently successful contemporary artists such |
| "Gullah Woman." | | | | as Julie Mehrtu, Kerry James Marshall, and Kara |
| The second body of work "Seven Women" | | | | Walker. These three African-American artists |
| springs in part from thinking about a workshop I | | | | have been awarded the prestigious MacArthur |
| attended at St. Mary's College in Oakland, | | | | Fellowship. This demonstrates that the art world |
| California in 2003 where Barbara Ann Holmes, | | | | has become more open and receptive of |
| author of Race and Cosmology. She read a poem | | | | innovative contemporary African-American artists. |
| at the end of her presentation about a | | | | A small work of Julie Mehrtu's recently was sold |
| lesser-known Biblical Woman named Rispa (Samuel | | | | and appraised for $850,000. She has only been in |
| II) who was a concubine of Saul. | | | | the public eye for around 15 years or less. |
| Because of Rispa's humility, integrity and courage, | | | | Second, you must believe in yourself. And know |
| she influenced the decision of a king. Rispa sat | | | | what you have to offer is of great value. You |
| from April until October at the site where the | | | | must do whatever you need to expand and |
| bodies of her two sons had been left hanging and | | | | enhance your skills. That is a lifetime journey. |