>>> I TRULY LOVE TO COOK.

IT´S SOMETHING THAT I´M REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT.

IT IS SOMETHING I´M GOOD AT.

IT COMES NATURAL.

>> IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO STAY WITH SOMETHING THAT THE IMMEDIATE GRATIFICATION ISN´T RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU RIGHT?

>> YEAH.

>> YOU CAN´T SEE FIVE MORE YEARS DOWN THE LINE WHERE YOU HAVE A BIGGER RESTAURANT OR BIGGER STORE FRONT OR MORE CLIENTELE.

>> IT TAKES MORE THAN JUST COOKING TO RUN A BUSINESS.

>> YEAH.

>> DEFINITELY HAVE A BUSINESS PLAN.

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SOME SORT OF CAPITAL AND IF YOU DO GET A BUSINESS LOAN YOU ARE ABLE TO FOLLOW THROUGH AND STAY ON TOP OF THAT.

>> IS THE CUSTOMER ALWAYS RIGHT?

>> NO.

I CANNOT SAY THAT VERY QUICKLY.

YOU KNOW?

VIRGIN ISLANDS ARE NOT THE BEST ON CUSTOMER SERVICE AND NOT THE BEST CUSTOMERS.

>>> THE UPCOMING PROGRAM WAS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED.

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ON THIS PROGRAM ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF WTJX, ITS BOARD, STAFF, OR UNDERWRITERS.

>>> WELCOME TO "THE BOOK CASE."

I´M YOUR HOST SHAWNA RICHARDS A SOMETIME WRITER AND LONG TIME READER.

I INVITE YOU TO JOIN ME AS WE EXPLORE THE BOOKCASE AND CELEBRATE VIRGIN ISLANDS AUTHORS AND THEIR TALENT.

EACH WEEK WE´LL MEET A NEW AUTHOR AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THEM AND THEIR WORK.

A STORY TELLER LIVES IN EACH OF US.

I AM SO EXCITED TO GIVE OUR HOME GROWN STORY TELLERS A CHANCE TO TELL THEIR STORY.

TONIGHT´S SELECTION, I AM SO EXCITED TO WELCOME THE AUTHOR DANICA DAVID.

WELCOME TO "THE BOOKCASE" AND THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

I APPRECIATE IT.

IT IS AN HONOR TO BE HERE.

>> THANK YOU.

YOUR BOOK, IS THIS YOUR FIRST BOOK?

>> YES, THIS IS MY FIRST BOOK.

YOU KNOW, I WAS INSPIRED BY JUST THE CULTURE AND THINGS I HAVE LEARNED FROM MY GRANDMOTHER BUT I WANTED TO ALWAYS WRITE A BOOK BUT MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE AND CREATIVE.

>> SO FOR SO MUCH OF OUR COMMUNITY THEY KNOW YOU AS THE ARTIST, THEY KNOW YOU AS THE PAINTER, THE ART TEACHER.

WHEN DID YOU FIRST START SAYING, I´M A WRITER?

>> YOU KNOW WHAT?

IT´S ALWAYS BEEN IN ME.

YOU KNOW, YEARS AGO EVEN WHEN I WAS LIKE PROBABLY 20 YEARS AGO I BOUGHT THIS BOOK, HOW TO BECOME AN AUTHOR, A CHILDREN´S BOOK AUTHOR.

THAT WAS ALWAYS A PART OF ME.

I READ IT AND I READ BOOKS ABOUT WRITING.

AND, YOU KNOW, HOW TO WRITE, HOW TO BECOME AN AUTHOR AND ALL OF THAT.

AND I JUST DID IT.

YOU KNOW?

>> SO IT´S SOMETHING WHEN YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO PEOPLE DO YOU SAY I AM DANICA DAVID THE WRITER?

>> NOW I DO.

ARTIST, AUTHOR, AND EDUCATOR.

>> SO THIS WAS JUST AN EVOLUTION.

>> YES, IT WAS AN EVOLUTION.

YOU KNOW, I HAD TO REALLY SHOWCASE, I WANTED A WAY TO SHOWCASE MY ART, PERHAPS, YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO DO LIKE A RETROSPECTIVE OF MY BOOK SO I DECIDED TO WRITE A BOOK.

AND SHARE, JUST, YOU KNOW, TIPS AND TID BITS I HAVE LEARNED FROM MY GRANDMOTHERS GROWING UP.

>> WHAT ARE SOME OF THE TIDBITS?

BECAUSE YOU HAD CO-AUTHORS.

>> YES.

>> IN THE BOOK.

YOU HAD MARK DAVIS AND YOU ALSO HAD WIN FRED WHO WE´VE BEEN SO EXCITED TO FEATURE ON "THE BOOKCASE."

WHAT LED YOU TO DECIDE YOU NEEDED A LITTLE, NOT I WOULDN´T SAY A LITTLE HELP BUT THAT YOU WANTED OTHER PERSPECTIVES TO SUPPORT YOUR WORK?

>> I JUST REALLY WANTED TO CREATE A BOOK THAT WOULD BE UNIQUE.

FIRST, THE BOOK WAS JUST SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT POETRY.

YOU KNOW, POETRY AND ART.

AND IT IS SO AMAZING WHEN I ASKED THEM TO JOIN ME, I MEAN, SHE WAS LIKE, YES.

YOU KNOW?

OUR FRIENDSHIP REALLY DEVELOPED MORE AS WE WORKED THROUGH THIS PROJECT.

AND IT WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, IN A GOOD RELATIONSHIP.

IT WAS A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH HER.

A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH MARK.

AND, YOU KNOW, I LOVE FOOD.

I LOVE POETRY.

I LOVE ART.

I LOVE WRITING.

SO PUT IT TOGETHER.

>> SO WHAT CAME FIRST, THE POETRY OR THE ART?

>> OKAY.

>> BECAUSE IN READING IT, IT SEEMS SEAMLESS HOW THE POETRY AND THE ART JUST MESH.

>> YOU KNOW, I READ HER BOOK "SPONTANEOUS" AND WHEN I WAS READING IT, IT´S LIKE I SAW MY ART WORK IN HER WRITING.

SO THEN I ASKED HER, I WAS LIKE -- AND SOME OF THE POEMS SHE ACTUALLY WROTE BASED OFF OF THE ART WORK.

BUT IT WAS JUST SO AMAZING, YOU KNOW?

HOW IT JUST GELLED TOGETHER.

AND I LOVE FOOD.

AND MARK DAVIS IS MY COUSIN.

HE IS A CHEF.

CAN I JUST A PLUG, A NEW RESTAURANT, DOWNTOWN.

>> SO DID HE -- DID YOU SAY TO HIM, I WANT ALL RECIPES BASED ON YOUR MEMORIES OF YOUR GRANDMOTHER AND OBVIOUSLY THE BEAUTIFUL ART TO SUPPORT THE PAINTINGS OR DID HE SAY HERE ARE RECIPES AND THEN YOU CREATED THE ART TO SUPPORT THE RECIPE?

>> YOU KNOW, IT IS INTERESTING.

HE CAME UP WITH SOME OF THE RECIPES.

ACTUALLY THERE ARE TWO RECIPES OF MINE IN THERE ALSO.

SO HE CAME UP WITH THE MAJORITY.

THEY ARE 11 RECIPES IN THE BOOK.

IT IS A RECIPE BOOK.

IT´S NOT A COOKBOOK.

BUT YEAH.

HE JUST, I DON´T -- YOU KNOW, LIKE A GOOD, WORKING RELATIONSHIP.

AND THAT IS SO HARD TO FIND.

YOU KNOW?

I MEAN, ONCE WE JUST DECIDED TO WORK ON -- I INVITED THEM.

FIRST IT WAS OYOKO AND I AND THEN I SAID, MARK, COME ALONG AND IT WAS GREAT.

>> SO YOUR MEMORIES OF YOUR GRANDMOTHER INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE THIS BOOK?

>> YES.

MY GRANDMOTHER, WHICH IS ESTHER DAVIS, AND THEN MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER, THOSE WOMEN WERE THE MATRIARCHS IN MY FAMILY AND REALLY TAUGHT ME A LOT OF GOOD LIFE LESSONS.

YOU KNOW?

LIKE MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER TAUGHT ME ABOUT SEWING.

MY GRANDMOTHER ESTHER DAVIS, SHE TAUGHT ME ABOUT, LIKE, BEING KIND AND CONSIDERATE.

NOT THAT MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER DIDN´T.

BUT IT´S JUST A MERGE OF THE TWO WOMEN, THINGS THAT I´VE LEARNED FROM THEM.

HOW TO BE GENEROUS.

HOW TO BE KIND.

HOW TO BE SUPPORTIVE.

YOU KNOW, AND HOW TO BE CREATIVE.

BECAUSE MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER.

I REMEMBER EARLY ON ONE OF MY CREATIVE -- MY INTRODUCTION TO CREATIVITY WAS WHEN I HAD DOLLS AND SHE WOULD SHOW ME HOW TO USE A SCISSORS TO MAKE DOLL CLOTHES.

>> OKAY.

>> AND SHE ALSO INTRODUCED ME TO KNITTING.

BUT I DIDN´T REALLY TAKE UP THAT BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS TOO TIME CONSUMING.

>> IN LOOKING AT YOUR ART WORK, AND WHAT IS A COMMON THEME IN YOUR ART WORK?

YOU FEATURE A LOT OF WOMEN, A LOT OF FEMALE IMAGERY.

WAS THAT A CONSCIOUS THEME THAT YOU WANTED TO CARRY THROUGH?

>> YES.

I REALLY WANTED TO FOCUS ON FEMALE EMPOWERMENT AND JUST THE BEAUTY OF WOMEN IN OUR CULTURE.

I LOVE, LOVE FOCUSING ON WOMEN.

YOU KNOW, WHO ARE DARK COMPLECTED BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE NOT REALLY -- WELL, NOW WE ARE BEING MORE REPRESENTED, BUT, YOU KNOW, DARK, MEDIUM COMPLEXION AND JUST TO CELEBRATE THE BEAUTY OF WOMEN AND PEOPLE IN OUR CULTURE.

MY ART WORK, ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS I TRY TO SHOWCASE IS COLOR.

I LOVE COLOR.

AND PLAYING WITH THE BRIGHT, VIBRANT COLORS AND LAYOUTS AND CREATING INTERESTINGLY, DYNAMICALLY IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME WHEN I CREATE ARTWORK.

THEN THE LAST I WOULD SAY PROBABLY TEN YEARS I HAVE BEEN PAINTING ROOSTERS.

>> OKAY.

>> YES.

>> WELL, THERE IS CERTAINLY LOTS OF INSPIRATION AROUND FOR ROOSTERS.

>> YES.

THEY LIVE IN, NEAR MY HOME.

AT FIRST THEY WERE VERY ANNOYING AND I DECIDED TO JUST EMBRACE THEM BY PAINTING THEM.

YOU KNOW?

SEEING THE BEAUTY IN THEM.

>> WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE KEY MESSAGE OF YOUR BOOK?

>> THE MESSAGE WOULD BE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

TO STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD.

YOU KNOW?

THAT´S WHY I INCLUDED THE ART.

I INCLUDED THE POEMS.

I INCLUDED THE RECIPES.

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, EVEN WHEN THEY WERE LABELING IT ON AMAZON IT HAS TO BE LABELED AS A COOKBOOK BECAUSE IT HAS THE RECIPES.

SO THERE IS NOT REALLY A NICHE FOR IT.

I WANTED TO ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

I WANTED JUST TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE, WHEN YOU ARE -- IF YOU ARE WRITING A BOOK DO SOMETHING A LITTLE EXTRA.

>> SO BASICALLY THERE IS ART IN MANY FORMS.

ART IN COOKING.

>> DEFINITELY.

THE CULINARY ARTS.

CREATIVE ARTS IN WRITING AND VISUAL ARTS WITH ART WORK.

DID YOU WORK WITH A PUBLISHER OR SELF-PUBLISHED?

>> I WORKED WITH A MAN WHO HAS A PUBLISHING COMPANY AND HE PUBLISHED SOME OF THE BOOKS FOR THE READING CHALLENGE, AND HE SAW MY BOOK AND WAS REALLY IMPRESSED.

WE WERE WORKING ON A BOOK AND HE WAS LIKE MAYBE SHOW IT TO ME.

I MAY BE INTERESTED IN PUBLISHING THIS.

IT WAS COOL.

>> CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT.

WHAT WOULD YOU -- WE HAVE A LOT OF VIRGIN ISLANDS WRITERS AND HAVE BEEN SO FORTUNATE TO FEATURE THEM HERE ON "THE BOOKCASE."

NOW THAT YOU HAVE JOINED THIS CREATIVE FAMILY OF VIRGIN ISLANDS WRITERS, TELL ME MORE ABOUT YOUR EXPOSURE TO VIRGIN ISLANDS WRITERS WHEN GROWING UP.

>> OKAY.

WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, ARONA PETERSON, I HAVE HER BOOK, PROVERBS, AND YOU CAN´T REALLY FIND THAT BOOK ANYWHERE.

SO I TREASURE IT WITH MY HEART.

I HAVE IT IN A LOCK.

IT IS A PRECIOUS BOOK.

SHE IS ONE OF THE INFLUENCES TO BE HONEST AND MARIO MOORHEAD.

SOME OF HIS WORK.

HONESTLY, THEY ARE VIRGIN ISLANDS WRITERS BUT WHAT INSPIRED ME TO WRITE WAS IN COLLEGE I HAD TO WRITE ALL OF THESE LONG PAPERS.

AND I HAD TO EDIT THEM MYSELF AND IT HELPED ME BE A BETTER WRITER AND EDUCATOR.

EVEN THOUGH I TEACH ART, I AM AN ART EDUCATOR, I ALSO EXPECT MY STUDENTS -- I GIVE THEM LESSONS ABOUT WRITING AND I DON´T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK THAT I DON´T WANT THEM TO THINK THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU´RE AN ARTIST YOU´LL FORSAKE GRAMMAR AND ALL OF THAT.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU GET OLDER, YOU´RE WRITING A RESUME, A JOB LETTER, YOU KNOW?

IT IS IMPORTANT.

>> WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE THAT PERSON OUT THERE WHO THINKS THEY MIGHT BE A WRITER BUT THEY´RE REALLY NOT SURE?

>> I LOVE TO DO RESEARCH.

BEFORE I WROTE THE BOOK I ACTUALLY BOUGHT BOOKS THAT WERE KIND OF SIMILAR I DID SOME RESEARCH AND WENT ONLINE AND RESEARCHED VARIOUS TYPES OF BOOKS LIKE THE COOKBOOKS, POETRY BOOKS.

RESEARCH IS VERY IMPORTANT.

EVERYTHING I DO, I DO RESEARCH BECAUSE OF COURSE YOU HAVE THAT CREATIVE IDEA BUT ONCE YOU DO THE RESEARCH THEN YOU UNDERSTAND THE MARKET AND UNDERSTAND YOUR COMPETITION.

YES THERE IS COMPETITION.

YOU ARE GOING TO WRITE A BOOK BUT YOU WANT TO SELL IT NOT JUST SIT ON A SHELF SO YOU HAVE TO DO THAT RESEARCH AND SEE WHAT´S GOING ON OUT THERE.

>> THAT IS VERY MUCH A PART OF YOUR WRITING PROCESS, SO ONCE YOU DO ALL THIS RESEARCH ARE YOU A PEN-AND-PAPER WRITER, SIT AT THE COMPUTER WRITER?

HOW DO YOU GET THE THOUGHTS DOWN ON THE PAGE?

>> I JOURNAL AND THEN I ALSO TYPE ON THE -- I DO BOTH.

YES.

I DO BOTH.

YOU KNOW, THE INTERESTING THING, TOO, I CREATED THE BOOK.

I LAID OUT THE BOOK IN A DESIGN -- I USED THAT PROGRAM.

MY BACKGROUND IS GRAPHIC DESIGN.

I USE PHOTO SHOP AND ILLUSTRATOR.

I WOULD ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE I DESIGNED THE BOOK.

THE ONLY THING, FROM THE COVER TO THE BACK THE ONLY THING I DIDN´T DESIGN WAS THE SPINE.

THE MORE YOU COULD LEARN HOW TO -- AND LAY OUT IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU WANT A BOOK THAT IS APPEALING AND CATCHING.

>> RIGHT.

>> WHEN YOU TURN THE PAGES.

AND THEN ALSO ANOTHER THING THAT I DID WAS I SENT MY BOOK OUT TO A COMPANY THAT REVIEWS BOOKS BEFORE THEY´RE PRINTED.

AND I GOT FEEDBACK FROM THAT COMPANY, TOO.

>> SO FOR THE ASPIRING WRITER OUT THERE YOU WOULD TELL THEM, RESEARCH?

>> YES.

>> THEN WHAT, WRITE?

>> WELL, WRITE, AND RESEARCH.

DO BOTH.

YES.

BUT YOU HAVE TO LIKE REALLY UNDERSTAND YOUR MARKET AND THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU´RE GOING TO -- WHY ARE YOU WRITING THIS BOOK?

>> OKAY.

>> AND REALLY PUT YOUR HEART AND SOUL INTO IT.

YOU KNOW, I PUT MY HEART AND SOUL INTO THIS BOOK, AND I WAS LIKE, DAY AND NIGHT, YOU KNOW, JUST WORKING ON IT AND JUST TRYING TO MAKE IT THE BEST IT COULD BE.

AND ALSO GET A GOOD EDITOR.

OKAY?

>> LET´S TALK ABOUT EDITING.

YOU HAVE 11 RECIPES.

HOW MANY POEMS?

>> OKAY.

THAT IS A THING.

I FORGOT HOW MANY.

>> OKAY.

BUT HOW MANY OF YOUR PAINTINGS ARE FEATURED IN THIS BOOK?

>> ACTUALLY IT IS, I DIDN´T EVEN NUMBER THE PAINTINGS.

THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION, SHAWNA.

THANK YOU.

>> OKAY >> I HAVE TO DO THAT RESEARCH.

>> GET BACK TO ME.

SO WAS THERE ANYTHING THAT ONCE THE BOOK WAS COMPLETED FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION THAT YOU THOUGHT, GOSH, I WISH I HAD LEFT THIS IN OR TWEAKED THIS SOME MORE?

WAS THERE ANY WAY YOU FELT YOU COULD HAVE, YOU.

>> IMPROVED WHAT YOU PUT OUT?

>> HONESTLY, NO.

I REALLY PUT MY HEART AND SOUL INTO THE BOOK AND THE PAINTINGS ARE PAINTINGS THAT SPAN MY CAREER FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS.

BECAUSE THE BOOK CAME OUT SEVERAL YEARS AGO BUT IT SPANNED, FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS, YEAH.

I CALLED THE RECIPES BECAUSE, YOU.

>> JUST TO JUSTIFY IT´S A RECIPE BOOK I NEVER REALLY -- >> RIGHT.

SO WHAT ARE YOU READING RIGHT NOW IS A QUESTION I ASK EVERY AUTHOR WHO VISITS "THE BOOKCASE?"

>> I AM READING A BOOK ABOUT HOW TO CREATE NONFUNGIBLE TOKENS.

I´M LEARNING ABOUT THAT.

BECAUSE THE ART SCENE IS REALLY SHIFTING.

IT IS GOING TO THE METAVERSE.

I´M REALLY THINKING ABOUT HOW AM I GOING TO GET IT TO THE BLOCK CHAIN.

I AM REALLY THINKING ABOUT THAT.

ABOUT EXPANDING.

YOU KNOW, DIGITAL ART IS MY PASSION RIGHT NOW.

>> SO DIGITAL ART IN TERMS OF MAKING ART MORE ACCESSIBLE.

>> JUST THE CREATIVE LEVEL LIKE USING PHOTO SHOP DOING MORE DIGITAL COLLAGES NOW.

I AM WORKING ON SOME -- I´LL BE WORKING ON SEVERAL CHILDREN´S BOOKS IN THE FUTURE.

SO I WANT TO, YOU KNOW, IT IS EASIER TO CREATE THE BOOKS DIGITALLY.

ESPECIALLY WITH THE TIME THAT I HAVE.

>> ARE YOU A FULL-TIME WRITER?

>> NO.

FOR NOW I´M A FULL-TIME EDUCATOR, PART-TIME WRITER.

PART-TIME ARTIST.

>> SO HOW DO YOU MAKE TIME?

HOW DO YOU BALANCE THE DAY JOB WITH YOUR WRITING?

>> I BALANCE IT BECAUSE I JUST HAVE THIS STRONG PASSION.

>> HOW DO YOU BALANCE IT THOUGH?

>> LIKE IN TERMS OF THE DAY, LIKE WHAT DO I DO IN A DAY?

>> DO YOU CARVE OUT EVERY, LIKE IF I WERE TO CALL YOU AT 9:00 TONIGHT WOULD YOU SAY SHAWNA THIS IS MY WRITING TIME?

ARE YOU VERY, YOU KNOW, DISCIPLINED IN CARVING OUT THAT TIME JUST TO FEED YOUR CREATIVITY?

>> WHEN I WORK ON A PROJECT SATURDAYS OR WHEN I COME HOME FROM WORK I WORK ON THE COMPUTER OR WHATEVER.

YOU KNOW, JUST FOR YEARS I´VE BEEN DOING THAT JUST TRYING TO INCORPORATE IT.

INTO MY SCHEDULE.

OF COURSE I GIVE PRIORITY TO MY FULL-TIME JOB BUT THEN I HAVE THE PART-TIME JOB WHICH IS THE WRITING AND CREATING SECONDARY BUT SATURDAYS ARE SOMETIMES MY DAYS SOMETIMES SUNDAYS AND IT DEPENDS ON THE DEADLINE, TOO.

SOMETIMES I CAN BE UP LIKE REAL LATE AT NIGHT.

MY SLEEPING HABITS COULD BE A LITTLE OFF SOMETIMES.

>> WHAT TYPE OF FEEDBACK FOR THE TIME THAT "CREATIVE CALLALOO" HAS BEEN OUT TO THE PUBLIC, WHAT TYPE OF FEEDBACK HAVE YOU RECEIVED?

>> I HAVE RECEIVED REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK.

ACTUALLY AMAZON, I HAVE FIVE STARS.

>> AWESOME.

>> SO REALLY, REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK.

THEY LOVE THE COLORS.

THEY LOVE THE WRITING.

THEY LOVE THE PASSION THAT I PUT INTO THE BOOK.

YOU KNOW, OH, I REMEMBER ONE TIME I WAS READING IT TO ONE OF MY STUDENTS AND SHE WAS LIKE, WOW.

I DIDN´T KNOW, YOU KNOW, SHARING THE CULTURE, PARTS OF THE CULTURE LIKE WHEN I WAS SHARING ABOUT MY GRANDMOTHERS USING LIME TO HELP WITH THE COAL, YOU KNOW, TO WASH WOOD AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

JUST THINGS THEY DIDN´T KNOW.

IT WAS -- I FELT SO GREAT THAT I, YOU KNOW, ONE OF MY STUDENTS OF COURSE, A YOUNGER PERSON, THEY WERE LIKE REALLY DISCOVERING THE CULTURE, YOU KNOW, JUST DISCOVERING THESE DIFFERENT TIDBITS, YOU KNOW, NEW EXPERIENCES ABOUT THE CULTURE THAT THEY DIDN´T KNOW ABOUT.

THEY DIDN´T LEARN ABOUT.

YOU KNOW, AND FOR INSTANCE ONE OF MY FAVORITE RECIPES IS THE HIBISCUS PUNCH AND I LEARNED HOW TO MAKE HIBISCUS PUNCH WHEN I ATTENDED ST. CROIX CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL IN HOME-ECONOMICS WITH THE LATE MISS EVANS.

YOU KNOW?

AND OF COURSE I ADDED MY LITTLE FLAVOR AND TWIST TO IT.

BUT JUST, YOU KNOW, SO MANY BEAUTIFUL HIBISCUS AROUND THE PLACE AND NOBODY KNOWS REALLY THAT YOU COULD, YOU KNOW, NOT TOO MANY PEOPLE KNOW YOU CAN MAKE PUNCH PR IT.

>> DO YOU HAVE, SO YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE RECIPE.

BUT IS THERE A PASSAGE OR ANYTHING IN YOUR BOOK THAT YOU COULD SHARE WITH OUR AUDIENCE?

>> YES.

MOST DEFINITELY.

ACTUALLY -- WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE BOOK AND I THINK ABOUT MY LIFE AND I THINK ABOUT MY YOUNGER SELF AND I THINK ABOUT THINGS THAT I WANT TO TELL MY YOUNGER SELF, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE TOLD MY YOUNGER SELF, SO IT IS STOP HIDING BEHIND THE MASK.

GET TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE.

YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL.

YOU ARE LOVED.

BELIEVE IT.

CLAIM IT.

WALK IN IT.

LIVE IT.

YOU.

>> I REALLY WISH, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN´T -- TIME IS SO PRECIOUS AND SO SHORT, YOU KNOW, AND A LOT OF TIMES WE SAY I WISH I COULD GO BACK BUT HONESTLY I WISH I COULD HAVE GONE BACK AND JUST TOLD MY YOUNGER SELF, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN DO IT.

YOU´RE BEAUTIFUL.

>> SO WORDS OF AFFIRMATION.

>> YES.

DEFINITELY.

YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WHEN WE´RE OLDER WE GET IT.

YOU KNOW?

AND NOT TO TAKE THINGS SERIOUSLY.

LIKE IF IT´S NOT GOING TO AFFECT YOU -- IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE THINKING ABOUT IT IN A WEEK IT IS NOT THAT SERIOUS.

>> RIGHT.

>> A YEAR, FIVE YEARS.

IT´S NOT THAT SERIOUS.

AND LET A LOT OF THINGS GO.

YOU KNOW?

>> SO WOULD YOU SAY THAT IS A KEY THEME IN YOUR BOOK JUST GROWTH?

>> YES.

LETTING THINGS GO.

NOT LETTING THEM FESTER.

I LIKE TO WATCH TIKTOK AND THIS GENTLEMAN, I DON´T KNOW HIS NAME, BUT HE SAID THIS.

WHENEVER YOU´RE ANGRY ABOUT SOMETHING, FUSS ABOUT IT FOR FIVE MINUTES.

AND THEN SAY, I CAN´T CHANGE IT.

>> SO IN "CREATIVE CALLALOO" YOU SAY IT IS A CREATIVE RETROSPECTIVE OF YOUR WORK SO WILL THE READER SEE THAT EVOLUTION IN YOUR WORK FROM EARLIER THEMES TO LATER THEMES?

WHAT, FOR EXAMPLE, WERE SOME OF THE EARLY THEMES IN YOUR ART?

>> OKAY.

THE EARLY THEMES WERE THE MARKET LADIES SERIES.

THAT WAS THE EARLY PART OF MY -- THREE WOMEN ON A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY, YOU KNOW, IN THIS CONNECTIVITY, WORKING, LIVING, YOU KNOW, JUST, HOW COULD I SAY?

THE MARKET LADIES SERIES.

I´M TRYING TO REMEMBER.

THE THREE WOMEN AND THEY ARE WORKING TOGETHER AND WALKING AND THEN THAT FRIENDSHIP, YES, DEFINITELY THAT FRIENDSHIP.

YEAH.

NOW, MY WORK HAS BECOME, YOU KNOW, MY WORK WAS MORE LIKE FOLK ART BACK WHEN I FIRST STARTED BECAUSE I REALLY -- I CALLED IT CONTEMPORARY FOLK ART.

BUT NOW I WANT TO DO MORE CONTEMPORARY ART FOCUSING ON BOLD SHAPES, ON COLOR, POP ART, SO I´VE REALLY EVOLVED AS AN ARTIST.

MY WORK IS MORE GRAPHIC ESPECIALLY SINCE I AM ON THE COMPUTER.

>> WHO ARE SOME OF THE ARTISTS?

CERTAINLY WE HEAR ABOUT YOUR GRANDMOTHER INSPIRING YOU IN THE CULINARY ARTS.

WHO ARE SOME OF THE ARTISTS WHO INSPIRED YOUR CREATIVE JOURNEY?

>> I HAVE TO PAY HOMAGE TO THE LATE BUD HASERT AND ACTUALLY I GOT INTO THE ARTS IN TENTH GRADE AND THEN GAIL WIDMER.

SHE IS A THRIVING ARTIST HERE ON THE ISLAND DOING MAGNIFICENT WORK.

I´VE LEARNED FROM THEM THE IMPORTANCE OF SHARING YOUR PASSION WITH THE STUDENTS AND A LOT OF MY STUDENTS, THEY GET IT.

>> SO THAT WAS YOUR -- THAT´S WHAT YOU GAINED FROM ALL OF THE MENTORS?

TO JUST BUILD YOUR WORK WITH PASSION?

>> YES.

NOT JUST LEAVE A LEGACY BUT START WITH THE YOUTH AND TRY TO ESTABLISH NEW LEGACIES WITH THEM.

I HAVE BEEN SO BLESSED FOR MANY YEARS.

I´VE DONE A SUMMER PROGRAM WHICH I AM NOT DOING ANYMORE.

BUT I DID IT FOR ABOUT 18 YEARS.

I WOULD WORK WITH THE SAME STUDENTS OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND THEY WOULD COME BACK AND FIRST WOULD START AS A STUDENT AND THEN END UP WORKING WITH ME AND THEN SOME OF THEM ARE ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, I AM WORKING WITH RIGHT NOW DOING PROJECTS WITH.

>> THAT IS EXCELLENT.

SO AS WE, YOU KNOW, GET TO THE CLOSE, WHAT IS NEXT?

FOR DANICA DAVID?

>> OKAY.

WHAT IS NEXT?

WHAT IS NEXT IS, YOU KNOW, SOME MORE BOOKS, DEFINITELY.

SOME MORE PROJECTS.

LIKE WITH SOME OF MY YOUNGER STUDENTS.

I CAN´T REALLY TALK ABOUT IT NOW.

AND THEN RETIREMENT.

THEN WHEN I AM RETIRING DOING REALLY NICE CREATIVE WORK.

>> WHAT DOES RETIREMENT LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?

MORE BOOKS?

MORE WRITING?

MORE PAINTING?

MAYBE NFTs ON THE MARKET?

>> DEFINITELY.

I AM LOOKING INTO THAT NEXT YEAR.

I AM WORKING WITH ONE OF MY FORMER STUDENTS WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, A COLLEAGUE.

>> ANY FINAL WORDS FOR OUR AUDIENCE?

>> I WOULD JUST LOVE ANYBODY OUT THERE WHO HAS, WHO FEELS -- WHO KNOW THAT THEY´RE CREATIVE TO JUST GIVE IT A TRY.

JUST DO, I KNOW WHEN YOU HAVE THIS IDEA IN YOUR MIND, THIS HAPPENS TO ME A LOT, YOU´RE EXCITED AND THEN YOU´RE SCARED.

YOU KNOW, LIKE OH, MY GOD CAN I DO THIS?

JUST DO IT.

JUST DO YOUR RESEARCH AND JUST DO IT.

AND IT´LL WORK OUT.

YOU´LL JUST BE BUILDING UPON YOUR CREATIVY.

OKAY?

>> THANK YOU.

IT´S BEEN A PLEASURE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT DANICA DAVID AND HER WORK "CREATIVE CALLALOO."

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ANY OF THE BOOKS FEATURED ON THIS PROGRAM, VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.WTJX.ORG.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT OF OUR LOCAL ARTISTS AND WE´LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK WHEN WE TAKE ANOTHER BOOK FROM "THE BOOKCASE."

♫♫ >> THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ON THIS PROGRAM ARE NOT NECESSARILY OF THOSE OF WTJX, ITS BOARD, STAFF, OR UNDERWRITERS.