In a world of instant messages, digital screens, and endless notifications, the rhythmic clatter of a vintage typewriter is enough to make someone stop and look. For Oklahoma City poet Clarissa Sharp, that moment of curiosity is often the beginning of something much more meaningful.
Through Arts Council Oklahoma City’s Art Moves program, Clarissa brings spontaneous, personalized poetry into everyday spaces, creating one-of-a-kind keepsakes inspired by the people she meets.
“The serendipity of turning up in everyday places has the potential to send someone’s day in a different (positive) direction,” Clarissa shares.
Sometimes that means writing a poem for a hospital security guard to take home to his wife. Other times, it’s offering encouragement to someone navigating a difficult chapter in life. Each interaction is different, but the purpose remains the same: creating an unexpected moment of connection.
From Visual Art to Written Expression
Clarissa’s artistic background spans both visual and literary disciplines. While pursuing studies in art and English, she developed a creative practice that included visual artwork, personal writing, and contributions to independent publications.
Although writing remained a constant in her life, a chance encounter with a typewriter poet in Colorado inspired her to bring her words into public spaces.
Already fascinated by vintage typewriters, Clarissa decided to give the practice a try.
In 2021, she set up beneath a streetlamp during Paseo’s First Friday Art Walk, armed with a typewriter and a willingness to see what might happen.
The response was encouraging, and what began as an experiment quickly became an evolving artistic practice.
The Art of Human Connection
Unlike poetry composed in solitude, Clarissa’s process depends on interaction. A conversation, a memory, or even a few words from a stranger can become the inspiration for a poem written on the spot.
While she initially tried practicing with prompts on her own, she discovered that something essential was missing.
“I’ve come to understand it is the human interaction, no matter how brief, that is the catalyst,” she explains.
Even when two people request poems about the same subject, their individual experiences make each creation unique.
And although the poems are spontaneous, Clarissa pays careful attention to the finished product. Her collection of vintage typewriters and increasingly rare correction supplies helps preserve the charm of an analog art form.
Still, she embraces the occasional imperfection.
“Typos are evidence of humanity,” she tells her audiences.
It’s a fitting philosophy for an art form built around the beauty of unscripted encounters.
Bringing Poetry Into Everyday Places
For Clarissa, Art Moves offers something especially valuable: the chance to reach people who might never intentionally seek out a poetry performance.
The distinctive sound of her typewriter draws curious passersby, while the process of composing and reciting a poem often attracts an audience of its own.
What begins as a personal exchange can become a shared experience, inspiring others to participate.
Clarissa also sees Art Moves as a reflection of what makes Oklahoma City’s creative community special.
“I’ve friends in other cities, assumedly ‘arty’ places, who are envious when they learn of Art Moves,” she shares.
To her, the program represents a community that actively supports working artists while making creative experiences part of everyday life.
While she hears stories of increasingly competitive or exclusive arts scenes elsewhere, Clarissa appreciates Oklahoma City’s welcoming and collaborative creative environment.
“It’s a good place to be creative.”
A New Chapter for an Old-School Art Form
Looking ahead, Clarissa hopes to establish a regular presence at a local café or coffee shop, creating a familiar destination where visitors can stop for a custom poem or simply enjoy the quiet rhythm of a working typewriter.
She also dreams of bringing Oklahoma City’s typewriter enthusiasts together through regular gatherings where collectors, writers, and curious newcomers can explore the machines and share their appreciation for analog creativity.
Inspired by a successful typewriter gathering previously hosted at Full Circle Books, she believes there’s an opportunity to build a community around this shared interest.
Until then, Clarissa continues to find inspiration in the strangers who become collaborators, if only for a few minutes.
Through Art Moves, her work offers a reminder that creativity doesn’t always require a stage, a gallery, or even an audience expecting to encounter art.
Sometimes all it takes is a typewriter, a conversation, and a few carefully chosen words.
Follow Clarissa Sharp: @typoetsharp