LOVELLA CALICA

Lovella Calica is the multi-talented founder/director/catalyst of Warrior Writers.

This project would not exist without her vision, dedication, creativity, sensitivity, editorial savvy, organization, compassion, spirit and humanity.

Thank you, Lovella!

I create because I must. I create because at every corner inside myself and on this earth there is destruction. In our creation we can find truth, beauty, life and a connection to each and every other. I use words, metaphors, photographs, captured sound, a mixed-media that tries to re-create moments and people so that they can be explored further. Grandmothers, strangers, hands, children, veterans, communities, trees and shadows find their way into my work because they are woven into my veins as I am woven into their branches and wrinkles. I tell the truth because it must be told amidst a world of hiding, lies and distractions. I intend to show the real faces and colors of pain, while also documenting and creating the honest joy of smiles and community.

I am a writer, photographer and multi-media artist interested in developing creative, collaborative ways of organizing and communicating. I am the founder and director of the Warrior Writers Project, edited Warrior Writers two anthologies of Iraq era veterans' writing/artwork, and continue to write grants and organize writers workshops for vets around the country. I am also a co-founder of the Pilipino-American artist collective, Tatlo Mestiz@s. I am on an adventure: transforming my life and the spinning galaxy, exchanging computer screens for more face to face interactions, building deeper connections with loved ones to inspire healthier, creative rituals, beliefs and bodies.