I am a poet, writer, performance artist and instructor who explores the absurd as well as the necessary to give voice to process, experimentation, and discovery.

The core of my work is a belief that art and community can transcend traditional categorizations and encompass a wide range of artistic practices.

I believe that the boundaries between art forms is fluid.  Artists can draw inspiration from and collaborate across multiple disciplines to influence and enrich each other’s creative process and practice.

Nicelle Davis is a California poet, collaborator, and performance artist. Her poetry collections include The Walled Wife (Red Hen Press, 2016), In the Circus of You (Rose Metal Press, 2015), Becoming Judas (Red Hen Press, 2013), and Circe (Lowbrow Press, 2011). The Language of Fractions was recently released from Moon Tide Press. Her poetry film collaborations with Cheryl Gross have been shown across the world. She has taught poetry at Youth for Positive Change, an organization that promotes success for youth in secondary schools, MHA, Volunteers of America in their Homeless Youth Center, and with Red Hen’s WITS program. She is the creator of The Poetry Circus and collaborator on the Nevermore Poetry Festival. She currently teaches Middle School.

This video was made with the help and support of: Anthony M Sannazzaro, Director and Mike O'Connor, Storytelling Coach

Selected C.V.

POETRY COLLECTIONS

The Language of Fractions, Moon Tide Press, CA, September 2023

The Walled-Up Wife​, Red Hen Press, Pasadena, CA, April, 2016

In the Circus of You​, Rose Metal Press, Brookline, MA, March, 2014

Becoming Judas​, Red Hen Press, January, 2013

Circe, ​Lowbrow Press /​ H_NGM_N Books, October, 2011​         

 

POETRY CHAPBOOKS 

Elephants​, Business Bear Press, Van Nuys, CA, August, 2017

 

POETRY PUBLICATIONS

"The Dying: What does heaven look like to plants?" 2River, 2023

“Will flowers grow if they’re watered with tears or blood?” Broadside, 2023

“—This Poem Isn’t Finished” Lucky Jefferson, 2023

“Ars/Ours: Honey Pot” Rattle, 2023

“When you Travel do you miss your plants more than you miss people?” “Do the grow light in your house remind you of the warmth from your circle of friends?...”“Ars/Ours as Destination,” Verdad, 2023 (Nominated for Best of the Net)

“Without Sky,” “The Map Game Rule Book,” “The New Winning: the Map Game Explained by Ages 10, 8, and 6,” “The Map Game Obstacle One: The First Dangerous Thing That Ever Lived on Earth,” “The Map Game Obstacle Two: The First Harmless Thing That Ever Lived on Earth,” “The Map Game Obstacle Three: The Children Imagine De-feeting the Evil Centaur or Confronting Fears of Absolute Freedom,” “The Map Game Obstacle Five: The Floating Baby-Head of Doom or Confronting Fears of Consumption,” and “A Single Mother's Map,” A Dozen Nothing, 2023

“After Coffee with My Nurse Friend” Rattle, Fall 2018

(indefinable):” and “My Little Box Head Responds / Objects to Found Poetry and the Rewriting of The Ballad of Walled-up Wife,” ​Cultural Weekly,​ 2016

“Hairstylist Sam Villa—Premiere Orlando Main Stage,” ​Beloit Poetry Journal​, Vol. 64 No. 2, Winter 2013-14

“My Understanding of Love between Women—or—La macchina da cucire,” “My Understanding of Love from a Man—or—The Rubber Boy,” “My Understanding of Love for Self—or—What I can Recall from the Film, The New Sideshow” ​PANK​, 2011

“The Middle School Scab Eater” ​Slab Magazine, ​2010     

“1970,” “Jesus Judas Boys,” “When I was a Boy,” and “The Woman Who Cut Judas Down”  PANK​, Fall 2009

 

ANTHOLOGIES

“If someone paints a plant, are they objectifying it” “When you eat a pepper, do you think about how it was once a living plant?” “Which soil improves your sex life?” “Do you want to be cut off from your leaf family?” Beat Not Beat, 2022

 

PLAYS

Course Content, Fringe Festival, The Other Space, Hollywood, California, 2023

The Walled Wife, ​City Garage Theater, Santa Monica, California, 2016

The Walled Wife, ​Academy of Style, Lancaster, California, 2016

On the Island of Caliban, ​Boston Court Performing Arts Center, Pasadena, California, October 21, 2015

On the Island of Caliban​, The Edison, Los Angeles, California, November 4, 2015

On the Island of Caliban, ​Underground Street Theater, Antelope Valley, California 2015

Being Human, ​Antelope Valley College, Lancaster, California, 2005

Hamster​, Antelope Valley College, Lancaster, California 2005

Fish Bowl​, Antelope Valley College, Lancaster, California 2004

 

BOOK REVIEWS AND INTERVIEWS 

 Nicelle Davis | Rattlecast 179

Jeremy Ra & Nicelle Davis: SoCal Poets Conversation

Open Forum #3: Nicelle Davis | Water + Walls

MOAH ON THE MOVE HOSTED BY NICELLE DAVIS

Art Hustle Presents Artists in Conversation with Cheryl Gross & Nicelle Davis The Poster Reads

EDITORIAL PROJECTS

The Living Poetry Project,​ Creator / Poetry Editor,​ ​2009-current

Los Angeles Review, ​Editor at Large,​ ​2013-2015

Connotations Press ​Poetry Editor, 2001-2013

Ellipsis…Literature and Art​, Westminster College, Reader, Spring 2001 

 

POETRY FILMS AND COLLABORATIONS 

Commit to Memory: The Precipice of Extinction​, with Cheryl Gross, 2019

The Poster Reads​, with Cheryl Gross and Willard Grant Conspiracy, 2016

Things, ​with Karyn Ben Singer, 2015

In the Circus of You​, with Cheryl Gross and Karl Preusser, 2015

In the Circus of You​ (book trailer), with Cheryl Gross and Karl Preusser 2015

The First Hour of Being Buried Alive in the Walls of a Half Build Cathedral​, with Anita Clearfield and Silk Ke, (created as a collaboration at The Room of Her Own Foundation Retreat at Ghost Ranch, NM), 2013

The Walled-Up Wife Retold​, with Joseph West and Jason Hughes, 2012

Becoming Judas​, with Cheryl Gross, Karl Preusser, Pavlina Janssen, and Denis Mecham

Circe​, with Cheryl Gross and Karl Preusser, 2011

Cuba and Coltrane​, with Dave Bonta, 2011

 

MOST RESENT POETRY FILM FESTIVALS AND AWARDS 

Like Festival Of Contemporary Literature, Kosice, Slovakia  2017

Festival Silêncio, Lisbon, Portugal 2017

JUTEBACK Poetry Film Festival 2017

Zebra Poetry Film Festival, Berlin, Germany, 2016

Ó Bhéal Poetry Film Competition, Competition Winner, Cork, Ireland, 2015

Open Air Short Film Festival, Dot Dot Dot, Vienna, Austria, 2015

Cooler Lumpur 2015, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 2015

Stadthaus Poetry Fesitval, 2015, Münster, Germany, 2015

Freies (Free) Museum, Berlin, Germany, 2015

International Poetry film festival, Oslo, Norway, 2015

 

POETRY FESTIVAL PRODUCER / ORGANIZER 

The Poetry Circus​, Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round, Los Angeles, California, 2015-2019

Nevermore Poetry Festival​, Van Nuys City Hall, Van Nuys, California, 2017

Poetry Protest Postcards, Beyond Baroque, California, 2017-2018

 

READINGS

Deena Metzger and Nicelle Davis May 22, 2022

Poets House (with Gregory Orr) New York, New York 

Litfest Pasadena, Pasadena, California 

Becoming Judas