| Written by Reet Taylor and Breanna R. |
| Linked to “Alumni Stories: Watu Moja” post |
Just a year after earning his Bachelor of Arts in Digital Media & Society, Reet Taylor has become a rising star in Camden’s ever-expanding arts community.
A National Art Honor Society inductee and Pennsauken poetry contest winner, Reet had been inspired by the arts for the years. As a Rutgers–Camden student, he designed graphics for Rutgers Camden’s annual student publication, the Scarlet Review, rekindling the flame. Creating and re-imagining images was his reliable pastime in the year of soul-searching that followed graduation.
Last December, a conversation with longtime friend and fellow Rutgers–Camden alumni, Ayinde Merrill, led to the now-duo hosting an art showcase, Ujamaa Art Showcase, at Camden FireWorks this past February. A fundraiser for their nonprofit organization, Watu Moja, the event featured a variety of crafts and talents, including Reet’s spoken word debut with his poem Inheritance.”
The event’s success opened new avenues for Reet Taylor, also known by the pseudonym Reet Starwind. He was invited to exhibit his artwork at FireWorks’ We Love Camden gallery and to perform at University of Penn’s Poets United Poetry readings, part of their Whitman at 200 celebration.
Reet’s great run extended into the summer, being one of eight Camden artists chosen to have their work featured in the halls of the new 11 Cooper Street Apartments. A collaboration with friend and esteemed local artist, William Butler, the display is a visualization of Reet’s poem, ‘=”I Used To Hate Superman.”
Moving forward, Reet aims to return to Rutgers–Camden and earn his M.F.A while continuing to experiment with his artwork and promote his nonprofit. Read more about Reet here: https://taylorreet.wordpress.com/.
