Art & Life with Cynthia Wheeler

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cynthia Wheeler.

Cynthia is a 20-year valley resident who writes and tells stories gleaned personal experiences growing up in the Ozarks. Her self-deprecating yet humorous style is based on a family tradition that the best stories are ones you tell on yourself. By day, she is a registered client associate for a major financial firm. Cynthia lives in Mesa in the Garden of Gratitude house with her partner, Bob Leesley, 2 cats and a desert tortoise. Her goal is to encourage her grandchildren to write their own stories.

Can you give our readers some background on your art?
A lot of people who write personal narratives/essays say it is cathartic like a purging or crying or self-exorcism. That can be true but for me once I have the story running onto the page it takes on a life of its own. I may pull in other elements or embellish, that’s part of the tradition. When it is finished, I discover elements of myself have emerged I can identify and appreciate. It is usually in a small detail I remember in the telling or a comment from an audience member after the show. For example, one of my essays is Math Envy. I exploit my struggle with algebra for laughs, ultimately using the one formula I can memorize to my advantage. When I actually performed Math Envy, I realized whatever math shortcomings I thought I might own, I have managed handily in a math rich environment on a daily basis. The real take away comes from sharing a vulnerability that everyone can relate to on some level. My hope then is that my story stimulates someone else to tell their story and so on.

What responsibility, if any, do you think artists have to use their art to help alleviate problems faced by others? Has your art been affected by issues you’ve concerned about?
Our current zeitgeist is a compelling stimulus to commentary. I feel almost obligated to speak but moreover to say something meaningful. But that’s not really the point, is it? Because once the lesson takes over the story, then it is a lecture. I find when I stick to my story and let the audience draw their own conclusions, we bond. Only when we begin to bond to we begin to listen with comprehension. Most of the time, my audience is clear about where I stand on the issues. The may cock their heads and puzzle about an element in my story but for the most part, I’m talking about something that’s happened to all of us. It is easy to lose control of the narrative. When my story starts to sound like a rant, I know I’ve lost control. Time to edit. I love the time constraints posed by live story telling event because it forces word economy. Now the question becomes what affects your art more, time constraints or issues of the day?

What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
I have been performing at Word Play Cafe at the Nile in downtown Mesa. Word Play Cafe welcomes spoken word artists, poets, and story tellers, the second Thursday of the month. The second season will start again in September. Word Play Cafe is an initiative of Creative Catalyst and the Mesa Arts Center if you are looking for further information. The valley is a hotbed of open mic opportunities for story tellers and spoken word artists. I hope to find time to get on the mic in some other locations around the valley soon.

Contact Info:

• Phone: 480-310-6762
• Email: artacyn@gmail.com
• Instagram: artacynaz
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cynthia.wheeler.31
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/artacyn

Image Credit:
Jennifer Gastelum, Creative Catalysts.

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