Kristen Baumlier is a Petroleum Pop Princess

I met Kristen Baumlier, a Cleveland-based artist, either at a party held by the fabulous Kate Kerwin, or through artist Nathaniel Parsons (who definitely was at that party, and with whom I was lucky to meet and share art and words). I can't remember now, but when I learned she was doing a project called "Oh Petroleum!," my ears perked up, since I'd been in the early stages of conceiving a long poem called "Ode to Oil." Her photo-images of oil in its various manifestations became fuel for pieces of "Ode to Oil," which will be published this spring (along with the images) in the journal Artful Dodge. I discovered that her performances now have invaded YouTube, and she has transformed herself into a pop diva, spreading the oleaginous word. I have a feeling that "Ode to Oil" is going to get more oily and more kitschily epic before it's done...