Vivan Wise is not just a multimedia artist, poet, and songwriter, her very person is a work of art. Once described as having the personality and presence of Mary Poppins at Burning Man, she imbues all around her, from the clothes she wears to the colors she pours into her work, with her whimsical and wicked keen eye for detail. Vivian is famous in Houston for her fierce performance poetry, her pink hair, her nonprofit Texas Legacy Foundation, her custom couture shoe store The Velvet Slipper, and for bringing fashion week to Houston with Heart of Fashion, a three-day event for the benefit of multiple charities. Vivian can be found creating prolifically in the largest creative community in the country and at various Houston poetry events. She spends her summers making art at Anderson Ranch in Aspen and participating in literary events with Aspen Words. She is the on the national council for both.
Mixed media artist barely scratches the surface when attempting to define Vivian as an artist. She pulls from a wide range of mediums to create her wildly beautiful works. From fiery beaded hearts rising out of an encyclopedia entry for heart, to miniature glass bottles on an altar, to delicate ceramic roses juxtaposed with bullets in a giant collage, Vivian assembles works from whatever is at hand and whatever inspires. Her exquisitely inked flowers sit next to surreal self portraits. It is difficult to box her into a category, but her prolific output tells a story if you look carefully. Often tongue in cheek, sardonic, and slyly humorous, each piece stands alone even as it fits into her upcoming exhibition, Growing Up Wise. She constantly strives to perfect her technique, adding to her list of skills through diligent study at Anderson Ranch and daily creation.
Her presence on the stage is arresting. From the tips of her fiercely pink hair to the toes of her pointed cowboy boots, Notoriously VIV the performance poet demands attention. She reads her poems from journals that are works of art in themselves, looking up to the audience often to find those leaning into her words and resonating with the message. Bravely vulnerable about her survival and the healing journey she has been on, her clever wordplay, rhymes, and turns of phrase regularly wow Houston audiences even as her humor keeps the dark subjects she is willing to address from becoming nothing more than trauma porn. She is a fixture in the Houston performance poetry scene and can be found most Wednesday nights at Avant Garden for Write About Now Poetry nights.
Ever the poet, Vivian the songwriter delights in an unexpected rhyme and a cliche dumped on its head. In clever juxtapositions of dance music with lyrics that reach deep into the heart she creates songs that move the body and soul. For Vivian, each note is a color and her songs swirl in palates of cool and warm tones. With producer Arthur Yoria, she has created an album full of heartbreak and hope.
