Brooklyn author challenges standard notion that literature is only words on paper.

Brooklyn, NY September 3, 2004 -- Brooklyn author and photoartist, Hudson Owen, turns to the Web with a well-rounded selection of artistic and commercial products for sale worldwide.

"I love doing this stuff," says Owen of his Cafepress.com products. The heart of his lineup is the poster poem or print, which combines his words, images and graphic art. Owen asks the question on his home page, "Should literature be confined to black type on white paper?" Obviously not. Can a T-shirt be literature? "Of course," Owen says. "Clothes are about identity. The kinds of words and images people wear on a T-shirt or sweatshirt reflect the way people see themselves and want to be seen. So before I fire off a slogan or bit of verse, I ask myself, who will wear this thing?"

Hudson Owen, a produced playwright and actor in New York City, has a special way of imagining his products. "I look at a coffee mug as though it were an actor in a play, and ask myself, what is this character trying to say? A cup of coffee is about waking up in the morning and facing the world. It doesn't say the same thing as a beer stein."

One section of his shop is devoted to New York Prayer items. New York Prayer is a non-denominational prayer for all New Yorkers.

The author was an eyewitness to the terrible events on Sept. 11, 2001 in New York. "I was climbing out of the subway in Lower Manhattan and saw the twin towers on fire. I didn't know what to think. Moments later the South Tower collapsed. New York Prayer was born out of that experience. It took a long time for the words to come to me."

A sub-section of his Brooklyn Goods features artwork of the famed Monk Parrots of Brooklyn. These tropical birds escaped from crates at JFK Airport years ago and make their home in south Brooklyn, in large twig nests atop telephone poles. "The funny thing is these creatures winter in Brooklyn. They're very affectionate and squawk a lot. Most people walk past the nests and have no idea what kind of bird lives there. I hope to promote Monk Parrot awareness in Brooklyn," says Owen.

The author/artist can be contacted via email through the website:
www.cafepress.com/essential _icons and by phone: 347-393-5118





This article courtesy of http://www.thepostertrader.com.
You may freely reprint this article on your website or in
your newsletter provided this courtesy notice and the author
name and URL remain intact.

Submit Your Article