There are many Ed Bakers in USA and when I googled against that name, I found a lot of persons including both male and female and interestingly enough all are claiming as artist,poet and writers.
The Ed Baker, I am telling here was born on Washington, D.C. April 19,1941 and now resides at Takoma Park , Md .Passed his BA in English/History from University of Maryland, 1967 and MA degree from Johns Hopkins University in 1971 , has published a poetry book The City from Red Ochre Press, 1974 .But after a stroke his writings were dropped out from 1975 to 1998 and after that he erupted with his art AND poetry .He published Restoration Poems Country Valey Press, 2007, Hexapoems 1, 1972/2008 Stone Girl E-pic 5 volumes (tel let 2003, book 1, and 2)Full Moon (10,000 haiku re: "full moon) tel let, 2001Wild Orchid (Sumi-e Fay Chin, poems, Ed Baker) tel let 2002 .
My latest novel THE DARK ABODE is a collage presentation with Ed's sketch book Uma . where the publisher has chosen 23 sketches . Both my novel The Dark Abode and Ed's Uma is on sexual power of woman and it is obvious we both think about the topic in same line .Ed is also cover artist of my two books The Dark Abode as well as Waiting for Manna
It is interesting for me to know that Ed, who thinks himself as a "self-taught" or Outsider 'artist', has dreamt once the sketches and he knows very little about Eastern Philosophy of sexuality . This gives me a support to build my ideas on sexuality and creativity .
Here is a conversation between me and Ed .
Q How did this idea of Uma come to your mind?
A I don't know. It begins in a dream and then an image is born. I am not aware of that image until my pen/brush/crayon puts it onto paper. The image -- here, Uma is a symbol of many things of a life/pleasure-giving nature – well, I just wait for 'her' to 'get into the way' and I just do as 'she' bid and produce images of her.
How do the images, thoughts, etc. come into my mind? I just don't know. Magic? I just watch and wait for something to happen…and something always does.
Q Do you have any idea about the 'Prakriti/Purusha' concept of the
Samkhya Philosophy of India?
A I begin from an 'emptiness of mind.' What is this? I will have to look them up in a book or on the internet.
'Prakriti' and 'Purusha' as you call them are new names to me. Maybe this image of Uma is at the bottom a universal and basic human manifestation? The goddess of regeneration, etc.
Q What is the relation of 'sexuality' with art?
A I don't think in terms of an absolute definition. Just describe or produce a poem or a piece on paper or in stone/wood/clay and then, and only after the fact can I have a conversation with what is in my mind that I could otherwise have and make love for/with/to "her."
As far as sexuality in art? Well, male and/or female do 'art,' – yang/yin as one…
As Picasso frequently said, "All art is erotic." Are sexuality and eros the same? I cannot separate this 'thing' out of my mind so my imagination leaps. What it is...in the moment and just-as-it-is is adequate? 12,000 images of Uma and all the different manifistations/names/images/positons of "her."
Q Don't you think that sex is a private matter for an individual and it
should not be discussed either in art or in literature?
Well, 'make love, not war.'
Religions and Politics have made sex a dirty word or have made copulation, both inside and out, a sin. This is done for several reasons: power, greed, anger, ignorance. Well, do you know the No. 1 industry in the entire world is now pornography, which is not what we are here either discussing or doing? What is it that is most viewed on the 'net? As if anything virtual is real.
Q What is your idea on 'shakti' and do you think this 'shakti' should be
adhered to sexual energy?
A 'Shakti' is the other side of the male principal [not sure of where he's at here, sorry] as he is manifested in 10,000 forms/images/symbols…undifferentiated.
After all, everyone is here because a male and female had sex – in private…in public!
When he/she wants to be born…asks to be born (or reborn), the sperm gets to the proper egg via a moment of pleasure…our human condition also.
