Tower Poetry Society

Promoting poetry sine 1951

POET: ALSHAAD KARA & GOLDSMITH and PRECIOUS METALS SCULPTURE ARTIST: LUCY ERSKINE

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A DANCE OF POETRY & ART…

  • Click on poem and art to view clearer:

“Beyond” by Lucy Erskine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

POET: ALSHAAD KARA

ABOUT THE POET:

Alshaad Kara is a Mauritian poet who writes from his heart. He won the 2023 “Zheng Nian Cup” Literary Award Third Prize. His latest poems were published in “The BeZine”, “Men Matters Online Journal” and “Slamming Bricks Anthology 3rd Edition”.

Instagram usernames: @alshaadkara1, @teamalshaadkara

 

 

When did you start writing poetry?

I started to write when I was 19 years old after a heartbreak.

Why do you write poetry?

I do not write ‘poetry’, I just write words of my heart and they build into poems. These accompany the melodies of the soul.

What is the best advice you have ever received and would share with new poets?

The best advice is to always write and speak from your heart. Remain authentic.

Can you comment on your process?

My process is a long journey in itself. Sometimes I just need to listen to Bollywood romantic songs since they are filled with pathos. Sometimes just watching a scene from a movie or a show can inspire me too, but the essential key is to experience life.

Anything else you wish to share?

Poetry is a journey that is different and charming. To be a poet is to breathe the truth of life and splash the spiritual peak into words and thoughts.

More poems to read here:

Poems by Alshaad Kara on Poetry Soup

Q&A with Alshaad Kara (The Suburban Review)

Poem: Multiverse – Alshaad Kara

 

GOLDSMITH & PRECIOUS METALS SCULPTURE ARTIST: LUCY ERSKINE

About the Artist:

The avenue I have taken in my work with precious metals has been directed toward artistic expression, sculpturally and in narrative concepts. Because of choices of Art rather than simply adornment, it has continued to be an enjoyable and challenging endeavour for me. The experimentation never stops, even after four plus decades. Experiences from living in urban, suburban and rural locales in Canada, from Montreal to Vancouver plus Sydney, Australia and London, UK have combined to shape a philosophy influenced by intense love of art, nature and living. What comes through my mind and hands has fortunately brought happiness and comfort to many people which is what I could only hope for.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THAT POEM?

As a good poem does, this conveys so much emotion within the limitation of words.  I have not had this experience directly.  My parents did when I was just over a year old, meaning it probably had an effect on me. I responded when I read it and felt I could do it justice using my form of art.

HAVE YOU DONE THIS KIND OF PROJECT BEFORE? WOULD YOU DO IT AGAIN?

I have not done this particular type of project before but I have definitely had in mind narratives that I had wanted to convey by creating pictures using silver, gold, and gemstones before. Yes, I enjoy the challenges of this type of work.

WHAT WERE THE CHALLENGES? WHAT WAS EASY?

The challenges involved the very small scale and the linear depiction on a flat surface, such as a pencil drawing might be, only using a jeweler’s saw to cut them out. Again, the quality of the poem was such that I wanted to treat it with reverence so that, too, was a challenge. What was easy is the fact that I have worked in this medium for over 46 years so while envisioning what could be done, my experience (of failures, since I am self-taught) provided me the answers to guide what could possibly be achieved. I did try some new techniques on this piece though.

CAN YOU TELL US A BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR PROCESS FROM IDEA TO FINISHED WORK? WHY THOSE COLOURS AND SHAPES?

This piece called for a background, which I have been exploring recently, of Suminagashi ink on mulberry paper. I used that right in the shadow box frame behind glass. I cut out some cloud shapes that are affixed as well. Because my field is jewelry, I made it into a neckpiece, although it can stay in the frame as is. The sterling chain was pinned into the foam core to hang. The beads are of clear quartz crystal stones which add to the cloud element I wanted. The baby in a basket-type of stamped impression of sterling silver is on a cloud shape and it is all done in layers sawed out and then soldered together with a small torch. That is considered Construction Technique, very old methods, as opposed to any melting down or casting.

SIZE OF THE PIECE.  PRICE IF FOR SALE. WHERE IS IT AVAILABLE?

$300 — contact artist, Lucy Erskine, @ideabyersk on Instagram.

ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE?

My first Solo show was at the Carnegie Gallery in Dundas and was called “Narratives Through an Unexpected Medium” which included some of these pieces (below). My later solo was Sept 2022 which also had some of these pieces pictured. I have a continuing display case there too. Check her out on the Carnegie’s Website. Enjoy some of her pieces below:

Oak Longstanding

Sculptural Amethyst

Protected Egg

On the Road Again

Sculptural Persistence

Bird’s Eye View of City and Bridge

 

WE HOPE YOU HAVE ENJOYED THIS 9th DANCE OF POETRY AND VISUAL ART.

ARTISTS, there are poems still available to choose from and time to get in on the project… https://towerpoetry.ca/po-art-ry-poems/

This is an organic project, and we are thinking of a possible exhibit or publication. Who knows?! What we do know is that we have a lot of exciting work by talented poets and artists to share with you each month!

 

DID YOU KNOW?     YOU CAN POP OVER TO OUR TOWER POETRY FACEBOOK GROUP FOR DISCUSSION!

POET: TONY GIANATTI & JEWELERY ARTIST: MARIE SINCLAIR

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A DANCE OF POETRY & ART…

  • Click on poem and art to view clearer:

Hamilton-theme Jewelry by Marie Sinclair

POET: TONY GIANATTI

ABOUT THE POET:

This poet remains a mystery to me.

You can check out 9 more of his poems:

https://www.poemhunter.com/tony-giannotti/

 

JEWELRY ARTIST: MARIE SINCLAIR

About Marie

I’m an artist, and on top of Emotional Clutter I also work for 2 incredible organizations @recreateartstudio and @k33ping6

I’m a big fan of my dog 🐶, Hamilton, and authenticity.
My favourite poet is Emily Dickinson.
My favourite author is Jodi Picoult.
My favourite artist is Vincent Van Gogh because what a story right? Relatable.
My favourite dessert is Peanut Butter chocolate anything.

Why did you choose that poem?

I chose the poem about Bayfront Park because this specific place in the city is  mere minutes from my apartment and has been a healing space for me over the past few years. I also feel much joy for my Hamilton home, despite the many struggles we are facing today, and feel the Poem celebrated and shared this sentiment. The imagery in the poem really stood out to me and gave me concrete ideas for how to turn this piece into a collection of jewelry.

Have you done this kind of project before? Would you do it again?

I’ve never participated in anything like this before and I loved the exercise of it. I look forward to future PoARTry projects.

Can you tell us a bit more about your process from idea to finished work? Why those colours and shapes?

There’s a juxtaposition at Bayfront of nature and man-made and I tried to capture this grit and grace in the series. I used Colours reflective of the water and sky, but also various shades of grey for cement, fog, and factories. There are even bits of burning red embers glinting out from the dark shapes of the factory structure.

Anything else you’d like to share?

This collection was one of a kind and is sold, I will be remaking a similar collection although due to the handmade nature of the pieces, no two are ever exactly alike.

Marie is also a Tower Poetry Member and her poetry was featured in May’s PoARTry post. You can find out more about Marie:

Website: www.emotionalclutter.ca (Many lovely pieces for sale.)

Instagram: @emotional_clutter_jewelry

Here is a sampling of her Art and jewelry…

 

 

WE HOPE YOU HAVE ENJOYED THIS 8th DANCE OF POETRY AND VISUAL ART.

ARTISTS, there are poems still available to choose from and time to get in on the project… https://towerpoetry.ca/po-art-ry-poems/

This is an organic project, and we are thinking of a possible exhibit or publication. Who knows?! What we do know is that we have a lot of exciting work by talented poets and artists to share with you each month!

 

DID YOU KNOW?     YOU CAN POP OVER TO OUR TOWER POETRY FACEBOOK GROUP FOR DISCUSSION!

 

 

 

POET: GERTRUDE OLGA DOWN & MOSAIC ARTIST: HEATHER VOLLANS

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A DANCE OF POETRY & ART…

  • Click on poem and art to view clearer:

 

       

“An Orchard of Oaks” by Heather Vollans

POET: Gertrude Olga Down

About the Poet:

Gertrude (Trudi) Olga Down has been writing and reading poetry since she was a young child. She began to write with more commitment after joining The Tower Poetry Society in 1981.

Typically using a free verse style, Trudi’s poetry offers personal insights on the human condition, and on nature and love. She strives to present these word pictures in poetry that is accessible to all readers.

When did you start writing poetry?

I was quite young when I became interested in poetry and, like most children, enjoyed the rhythm and rhyme of the poems which we read in public school. From an early age I also was fascinated by the sound of words and intrigued by how a word’s meaning could change based on where words were placed in a sentence or how emphasis could change the meaning. My first poems were mostly about nature and animals. When I started reading a variety of poetic styles in high school and university, I began to move towards a freer style of writing, and expanded and diversified themes to include philosophy, relationships, and politics.

Why do you write poetry?

I write poetry to explore a theme or expand upon a “word picture” in my mind that I feel does not translate well into prose. I like the challenge of working with the theme or picture, shaping the poem so that the ideas flow and the imagery is clear. I write poetry because I truly believe it is a wonderfully unique style of communication; the poet has to get his or her “message” across in a few words, in short lines, and in a manner that is both engaging and informative. To me, poetry is very different from prose. That’s why I don’t write “prose poems” – I don’t see the point! Over the years I’ve learned that a poem can “speak” to the reader in different ways. What I try to communicate through a poem may be understood very differently by a reader; I think that’s fascinating!

What is the best advice you have ever received and would share with new poets?

Other than school and workshops, I’ve never taken any formal writing courses. One thing I can mention: over the years I’ve learned that poets need to realize when a piece is overwritten. Poetry is not like prose; the poet should not tell or explain everything. In poetry, it’s important to use language, metaphor, and simile to give the reader an insight into the poem, without being absolutely clear. I really like the advice provided by a former Editor-in-chief of Tower Poetry who said, “Be obscure, clearly”! Because workshops are done with a group of like-minded writers, they can provide great insight for the poet as to whether the poem “works”. The comments that arise out of these group sessions benefit not only the poet/poem under discussion, but everyone in attendance. I’ve received many excellent tips and suggestions from TPS workshop sessions that have helped me improve as a writer of poetry.

Can you comment on your process?

I enjoy the challenge of putting into verse what someone else might write as prose. It is exhilarating to work similes and metaphors into a poem and realize that they are working well, providing the mind pictures that help the reader understand the poem. I also like to play around with sounds and alliterations. It’s also important to me that the shape of the poem fits the theme or mood. I don’t mean that I write “shaped” poems; I mean that the stanza breaks are consistent; that lines are a suitable length and include a rhythm that continues throughout the poem; that the lines read such that they provide direction to the reader as to what the focus of the poem is all about. I’m not a fan of line breaks that jar or seem inappropriate to the flow of the reading of the poem. I write a poem from a particular point of view, but I also try to write the piece so that it can have universal appeal and be appreciated by a wide readership. I rarely “put myself” into my poetry.

More Gertrude Olga Down poems:

https://towerpoetry.ca/poetryplus/f-Trudi.html

She has poetry in this collection: https://www.lummoxpress.com/lc/product/tamaracks/

MOSAIC ARTIST: HEATHER VOLLANS

About Heather’s Artwork (from her website): “The biggest influence in my work is texture – my upbringing in Australia, my years travelling, especially in the Middle East and Europe have stayed with me and play a major role in my work.  Working in construction for years I saw so much texture – metals, ceramics, wood, concrete etc – but also much waste and too much going to landfill!  Since my teenage years I’ve had a passion for making things from discarded materials.  I tried my hand at many things, including decoupage, paper mache, wood finishing, patchwork quilting – always giving new life to old materials.  My passion for mosaic is influenced from these beginnings and continues to fire me.”

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THAT POEM?

The idea of the oak trees as sentinels drew me in.  I have such beautiful memories of wandering through oak orchards and feeling their awesome wonder, ancient-ness and connectedness with us.  The poem truly spoke to this.

CAN YOU TELL US A BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR PROCESS FROM IDEA TO FINISHED WORK? WHY THOSE COLOURS AND SHAPES?

I knew immediately I wanted to use the long slivery shards of slate to portray the oak branches, and to keep the design simple to emphasise the trees.  I also wanted it soft, not blingy to befit the subject of the poem.  My initial experiment was with small rounds of coloured glass to give the idea of the graves next to the pathway, but glass was way too strong and took away from the texture of the slate.  So, I eventually settled on the white sand background and the simple pathway with tiny pebbles.

WHAT WERE THE CHALLENGES? WHAT WAS EASY?

It was quite the journey. I guess it is new concept for me, but I kept my materials familiar. I usually work in abstract but wanted to represent real oaks. It was tough! The shape did not work for sooo long. Trying to portray the trees’ long majestic hanging branches was really difficult – mostly because I usually work not ‘picturely” I’m sure. Responding to any subject I find incredibly hard and ‘picturely‘, almost impossible.  But again I ‘enjoyed’ the challenge; wanted to push myself out of my own self-imposed boundaries.

Have you done this kind of project before? Would you do it again?

I did this project last year thanks to Lorraine and I wanted the challenge again.

Anything else you’d like to share?

I love everything about this collaboration between artists.  Finding common ground between artists is truly valuable and we should do more of it!  We all also need to be challenged and for me at least, this kind of collaborative project certainly does that.  Working through this artwork also brought back many beautiful memories of wanderings through oaks and I thought a lot about how precious they are to us and how emotionally connected we are to trees.  Aaah, that beautiful process!  My thanks to Gertrude Olga Down for being inspired to write such a beautiful poem and to Lorraine Roy for facilitating such a wonderful collaborative project.

SIZE OF THE PIECE. HOW IS IT MOUNTED?  PRICE IF FOR SALE. WHERE IS IT AVAILABLE?

It’s mounted on wediboard which is a lightweight Styrofoam product sandwiched between thin layers of cement.  Great for working on projects that can end up quite weighty.  Price $150  Available at Dawning Décor Studio, in Brantford.  905 667 4271

Title: An Orchard of Oaks

Size:  8”x8”

Materials: slate and pebbles.

 

More Heather Vollans…

Here are some more works…

  1. “North Shore Breezes”
  2. “Red Gold”
  3. “take those chances”
  4. “Undercurrent”

 

     

 

 

WE HOPE YOU HAVE ENJOYED THIS SEVENTH DANCE OF POETRY AND VISUAL ART.

ARTISTS, there are poems still available to choose from and time to get in on the project… https://towerpoetry.ca/po-art-ry-poems/

POETS, stay tuned… we will open up submissions towards the end of 2023. As for what will happen with PoARTry, we don’t know.

This is an organic project, and we are thinking of a possible exhibit or publication. Who knows?! What we do know is that we have a lot of exciting work by talented poets and artists to share with you each month!

 

DID YOU KNOW?     YOU CAN POP OVER TO OUR TOWER POETRY FACEBOOK GROUP FOR DISCUSSION!

Note to Tower Poetry Members — You are invited to head over to the Carnegie Gallery in Dundas to choose art from the Members’ Exhibit that may inspire you to create a poem for Artwalk, part of Arts Dundas Week 2023. Please submit your poems no later than SEPTEMBER 12th. Complete details are found in the email sent out on Aug. 5. * Note: if you aren’t a member, it’s easy to become one. Simply head on over to our Membership page!

“In Other Worlds” – A Carnegie Gallery Exhibit – Safe havens for a weary soul

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This exhibition features the colourful textiles of established Hamilton artist and Carnegie Gallery Artist Member, Lorraine Roy. Beyond her well-known imagery of trees and the Canadian wilderness, these new imaginary landscapes also include charming cottages, fanciful islands and cheery animals. They suggest a more lighthearted and uplifting approach to provide “safe havens for a weary soul”. The exhibition also features the poetry of Jennifer Lynn Dunlop.

 

Lorraine Roy website: lroyart.com to view the artworks alongside the poetry.

 

 

 

Wow! – See websites in this post for a closer look!

 

Poet, Jennifer Lynn Dunlop

Being familiar and a fan of both textile artist Lorraine Roy and the poet that inspired many of her current works, Jennifer Lynne Dunlop, I knew I was in for a treat when I viewed the current Carnegie Gallery exhibit “In Oher Worlds – Safe havens for a weary soul.” I was certainly not disappointed, and, in fact, I was even more impressed than I even imagined – I was blown away. At first glance, the pieces are a stunning cornucopia of vibrancy; colours beckoned me into Roy’s world. Upon a closer look, I noticed the precise stitching details of each piece of fabric that comes together to form each whole gorgeous piece. As a mixed media artist, I am awestruck that Roy manages to achieve such detailed representations of nature through her medium of textiles. (I mean, I even struggle to sew on a button, but I can fussy cut!)

About Lorraine Roy

From Lorraine Roy’s Artist’s statement, I learned that Roy has a formal education in Horticultural Science, so it makes sense that she creates pieces featuring nature. She “creates imagery that evokes the intimate connection we have with the natural world.” Drawing viewers attention to “the intimate webs that connect trees, fungi and animals, revealing that our earth is a living breathing organism” has become more and more vital in these current times. Roy is a true Earth Hero! (As is Dunlop through her poetry!) Lorraine Roy states, “With all my work, my intention is to arouse emotional connection by shining a warm light on Nature’s unseen forces.”

Tower Poetry Society member, Jennifer Lynn Dunlop’s poetry is always a delight to read. Through her words, she can transport the reader to the place in nature where she stood to compose her poems; to the place that Lorraine Roy depicts in her visual interpretations of the poems.

I spoke with Jennifer, “It (the process) was interesting.” She told me that Lorraine created about half of the pieces of art based on Dunlop’s poetry, and she wrote some new poems based on the art that Roy created. What a connection; a symbiotic relationship; a truly beautiful thing when artists and their mediums collide and it leads to a boom of creativity! Collaboration at it’s finest!

Speaking of collaboration… this past year, Lorraine Roy has worked with Tower Poetry Society to present, PoARTry – a dance of visual art & poetry – an online exhibit with a new artist/poet pair featured in the TPS Blog on the first Saturday of each month. Poets created poems, as poets do! Then, artists each selected a poem that called to them and inspired artwork in their medium of choice. Artists, there are still poems left if you want in on this fun project. Check it out here!

I certainly hope we see a book out from these two talented ladies! Check out the “In Other Worlds” Exhibit at Carnegie Gallery in Dundas for yourself and get transported into the magical world of nature in this “safe havens for a weary soul”.

The exhibit is on until July 30th, so there’s still time!

In August, Tower Poetry members are invited to select an Artwork from the Carnegie Gallery members exhibit for Artwalk (part of Arts Dundas Weekend) in November. Details will be along soon, members! Learn how you can become a member, too.

Written by Nicola Schneider.

POET: STELLA MAZUR PREDA & artists (one + others?)

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A DANCE OF POETRY & ART…

 

“Garden Dance in the Moonlight” by Nicola Schneider

POET: STELLA MAZUR PREDA

When did you start writing poetry?

I began writing poetry rather late in life. When I was 42, my father passed away. After his death, as I would walk my little dog, I would have words and phrases playing games in my mind. I began to carry a pen and small notepad in my pocket and would stop in our walks to jot down thoughts and phrases as they came. When I got home, I found myself trying to organize these thoughts into lines that would eventually become a poem.

It wasn’t until 1999, when I discovered and joined Tower Poetry, that I found that a lot of what I wrote was gibberish! Over the years I learned a lot at Tower, most of all you write and then edit, sometimes several times.

Why do you write poetry?

I write poetry because it gives me a sense of satisfaction to be able to control all the words that play in my mind. I have always loved “words” as I was an elementary school teacher for 33 years. Poetry writing became a release for me after a day of teaching, a calming influence, a time to contemplate the world around me, a voice different to what I used every day.

What is the best advice you have ever received and would share with new poets?

Read! Read! Read! Reading is as much a part of poetry as writing!  And then Edit! Edit! Edit! Secondly join a poetry group such as Tower. Feedback from fellow poets is invaluable to your writing process.

Can you comment on your process?

I look for ideas that are often sparked by a phrase or quotation in a book that I am reading. Also, I often find my writing inspired by images that I see whether it be art, paintings or  nature. I jot down ideas as they come, even if it is while I am in bed for the night. I keep a pen and notepad handy in the night table drawer. I guess my process of writing can best be described by a poem I wrote:

Poet’s Garden

dig for thoughts
plant words     prune phrases
weed out redundancy
cultivate creativity

revisions nurture growth
we listen — voices spark the mind
imagery and metaphors thrive
produce early buds

blossoms open     blend together

colours of language

the poems within revealed

© Stella Mazur Preda

 

We didn’t hear back from the Artist that was scheduled for July, so I, your humble TPS Web Coordinator & Blogger, have supplied a mixed-media piece created in response to Stella Mazur Preda’s stunning poem, “The Garden.” As I’ve already been featured, you can read more about my process here.

 

ARTIST: Nicola Schneider

Did you know?!

PoARTry is based on an event that the Tower Poetry Society does each year. Poets pick an artwork on display, created by members of the local art gallery — Carnegie Gallery —  that inspires them to write poetry, which is a thing called – EKPHRASTIC POETRY…. Ek What? Ekphrastic means a “description” in Greek. An ekphrastic poem is a colourfully written description of a piece of art. This can be anything from ancient poet Homer describing Achilles’s ornate shield in The Iliad to Ode to a Grecian Urn by John Keats. Ekphrastic poetry may include literal descriptions of a work of art, the poet’s mood in response to a work of art, metaphorical associations inspired by a work of art, or personal memories about a work of art.

Five ways to write an Ekphrastic poem or story. 

  • Describe what you see
  • Describe what’s happening beyond the frame
  • Write from the perspective of the artist
  • Give voice to a major or minor character in the image
  • Explain your response to the art

(source: https://www.quinlanartscenter.org/ekphrastic-art.html)

During Covid, TPS in collaboration with Carnegie Gallery decided to spin this process a different way… instead of words describing art, poets were invited to submit poems for artists to select from to inspire visual art… Ekphrastic Reversed.

We decided to try again with PoArtry and have been running this series since February; each month featuring a Poet and a Visual Artist… and we now introduce the 6th poet…

Using ‘Five ways to write an Ekphrastic poem or story’ as a guideline, I have created…

Five ways to create an Ekphrastic visual art piece:

  • Depict what you see in your mind’s eye. (What image unfolds in your imagination as you read the poem aloud. Yes, poems are best read out loud!)
  • Depict literal, implied, and personal connections and meanings.
  • Create from the perspective of poet or any other character/object in the poem.
  • You might even consider a series of pieces inspired by the levels of meaning in a poem.
  • Depict your response to the poem.

 

Why don’t you give it a try? Take another read through Stella’s Poem and create! Make some art, write a response poem, quick doodle, whatever! Share your work several ways and we will feature it later in the month:

 

If you’re in the neighbourhood…

WE HOPE YOU HAVE ENJOYED THIS SIXTH DANCE OF POETRY AND VISUAL ART.

ARTISTS, there are poems still available to choose from and time to get in on the project… https://towerpoetry.ca/po-art-ry-poems/

POETS, stay tuned… we may open up submissions towards the end of 2023. As for what will happen with PoARTry, we don’t know.

This is an organic project, and we are thinking of a possible exhibit or publication. Who knows?! What we do know is that we have a lot of exciting work by talented poets and artists to share with you each month!

 

DID YOU KNOW?     YOU CAN POP OVER TO OUR TOWER POETRY FACEBOOK GROUP FOR DISCUSSION!

POET: D. Le DOAN & TEXTILE ARTIST: BECKY MENZIES

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A DANCE OF POETRY & ART…

 

“Falling to Pieces” – Becky Menzies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

POET: D. Le DOAN

Dinh Le Doan

About the Poet:

Dinh Le Doan is a Canadian residing in Beaconsfield, Québec. He has worked as an engineer and manager at a high-tech company in Montréal. He now devotes his time to writing poetry. His poems have appeared in Tower Poetry Publications, Montréal Serai, and Devour: Art & Lit Canada.

When did you start writing poetry?

I started writing poetry in 2006—but only after I had learned words and syntax from the novel “Brideshead Revisited” in 2005, and from literary books in the local library later.

Why do you write poetry?

I would like to quote the article by Halyna Koba in the Tower Poetry Newsletter dated January 2023…

WHY Dinh Le Doan WRITES POETRY

By Halyna Koba…

When Dinh Le Doan retired, his wife, Phung, suggested out of the blue that he is a poet. This was not the first time. While they were both students in Sydney, Australia, 33 years ago, Phung read a piece written in Vietnamese by Le (as he is usually addressed). She hadn’t known who had written it, since a pen name was used. She thought the writing carried feelings and sounded like poetry.

With her encouragement, Le, who had worked as an engineer in Sydney and Montreal, began writing poetry and was published by Tower Poetry. He commented, “That encouraged me a great deal to continue on this path.”

What is the best advice you have ever received and would share with new poets?

I can’t imagine any writing without reading, reading, reading.

Can you comment on your process?

Keep writing and a miracle will happen.

More Dinh Le Doan poems:

https://montrealserai.com/article-tags/dinh-le-doan/

My wife took this photo of Tower Poetry’s poets listening to the “Colours of Grey” poem, which was read by the author, at the 60th anniversary in 2011. I wish to share this photo as it may have special sentimental values to some.

(You can view more archived photos and content, here.)

 

 

TEXTILE ARTIST: BECKY MENZIES

Becky Menzies is a Canadian artist living in Thorndale, Ontario. Inspired at a young age by the artistry and academia of her mother, Becky’s relationship with creativity continues to this day as she explores her imaginative nature through various medium such as textile art, mobile (digital) art, fused glass art, and painting (En Plein Air).

Becky has recently begun to experiment with ways of incorporating two or more types of art medium and use vintage family photos to reflect her views of a reimagined world, often through her abstracted representations. Her art attempts to capture her responses to the environment and the people she meets along her life’s journey.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THAT POEM?

The title of D. Le Doan’s poem “Colours of Grey” initially suggested an image filled with various calming tones and textures of the colour grey. However, once I dove into the poem, I was swept up by the great movement and rich colours, beyond grey, that Le Doan incorporated into the poem.

My husband and I recently moved to a small rural town and into a home that has ready access to a creek and wooded area. During the winter seasons, I have been intrigued by how much of nature’s colours can actually be seen through the overwhelming amount of white and grey.

For me, Le Doan’s words seemed to capture this winter intrigue of mine, and I began to wonder whether I could capture the same in a piece of textile quilt art.

CAN YOU TELL US A BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR PROCESS FROM IDEA TO FINISHED WORK? WHY THOSE COLOURS AND SHAPES?

The initial part of the creative process included outdoor walks, taking photographs, some very loose sketching of possible ideas, and hunting for fabrics, trim, etc. that might work well together. The “hunting grounds” included my own collection of items, as well as thrift stores and fabric stores.

I had also just completed an online stitching course that included the use of fabric paints, mark-making and stitching to create a small abstract. Using some of the same techniques from the online course, I created small individual grey and white abstract-shaped pieces and used them in the background.

The leaves and flowers were cut out from two different fabrics and appliquéd to the piece. With more time and practice using fabric paints, I might consider in the future painting the leaf and flower images onto fabric myself.

The different layers used included batting, the individual stitched pieces, the leaf and flower appliqués, multiple layers of different tulle, and coloured stitching.

The entire piece was sewn together using free motion stitching.

Buttons were finally added for additional visual interest.

Close Up 1

Close-Up 2

WHAT WERE THE CHALLENGES? WHAT WAS EASY?

Creating for me is like riding a series waves. These waves undulate between “aha” moments during which a sense of ease flows for a while until a wave of “hmmm, that’s not working for me” arrives and off-project experiments begin which help me find the next “aha” moment.

Colours can become quite muted and dull when grey is added. The challenge was to create an image that attempted to show the impact of slow, wet snow on nature’s colours, as Le Doan described, without completely losing the colour and depth of nature’s shapes.

In terms of ease, I enjoy working in layers. I am also a mobile phone artist. In this medium, I use multiple layers of digital effects to create hidden backgrounds, or double exposures to manipulate the colours of an original photograph. Using a quilt art approach to create this piece, I was easily able to work with different layers to achieve the dimension and depth I was seeking.

Have you done this kind of project before? Would you do it again?

Not having done this kind of project before, I had to keep reminding myself that it was okay to create my interpretation of the poem as opposed to creating something that I thought the poet or others had imagined.  It was a very good creative exercise, and I would do it again.

Anything else you’d like to share?

I’d like to extend a huge thank you to the Tower Poetry Society and Lorraine Roy for supporting this artistic collaboration. Participating in the event was thoroughly enjoyable! I look forward to seeing the remainder of this year’s joint artistic submissions and participating in next year’s PoARTry event.

SIZE OF THE PIECE. HOW IS IT MOUNTED?  PRICE IF FOR SALE. WHERE IS IT AVAILABLE?

The completed piece, “Falling to Pieces,” was stretched onto a 16″ x 20″ canvas and secured into a 1/2″ floating frame. The piece is not currently available for sale.

More Becky Menzies…

Instagram: @polarexpress.0

Facebook: Becky Menzies

Recent mobile art piece using a family vintage wedding photo: “Flower Girls”

 

WE HOPE YOU HAVE ENJOYED THIS FIFTH DANCE OF POETRY AND VISUAL ART.

ARTISTS, there are poems still available to choose from and time to get in on the project… https://towerpoetry.ca/po-art-ry-poems/

POETS, stay tuned… we will open up submissions towards the end of 2023. As for what will happen with PoARTry, we don’t know.

This is an organic project, and we are thinking of a possible exhibit or publication. Who knows?! What we do know is that we have a lot of exciting work by talented poets and artists to share with you each month!

 

DID YOU KNOW?     YOU CAN POP OVER TO OUR TOWER POETRY FACEBOOK GROUP FOR DISCUSSION!

POET: MARIE SINCLAIR & STAINED GLASS ARTIST: TERESA SEATON

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A DANCE OF POETRY & ART…

“Feathers for the Fallen III” Teresa Seaton

POET: MARIE SINCLAIR

About the Poet:

I’m a part of a writing group through Keeping Six Hamilton, a harm reduction action league where I work. Come check it out sometime.

Also, Marie is an artist. Spoiler alert: You will see some of her art in September when she will be featured as an artist in PoARTry.

 

When did you start writing poetry?

I started writing poetry when I hit puberty. I was struggling with mental illness and teenage angst, and it naturally became a way to express myself and cope.

Why do you write poetry?

Things didn’t get better for a long time, but along the way Poetry became even more important to me because in my poems I had a voice, and I could share my experiences and feel heard. In 2019, I began my recovery journey — poetry and I, hand in hand.

What is the best advice you have ever received and would share with new poets?

Progress not perfect – a mantra I live by.

Can you comment on your process?

My poetry process has evolved over the years as I learned more about myself, and poetry. When I am really inspired, really moved the words just pour out of me. I find if I am too busy my creativity is smothered, and the inspiration doesn’t come, or if it does, there isn’t time for the words to follow it. Pausing, pacing myself and mindfulness are so important to my creative process.

 

STAINED GLASS ARTIST: TERESA SEATON

Check out Teresa’s Website: www.TeresaSeaton.ca

 

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THAT POEM?

I am afraid my decision here wasn’t completely altruistic. I have an upcoming exhibition next Spring titled ‘Susurrations” in which I need to gear my current work towards. The exhibition speaks to my relationship to birds. However, I still wanted to participate in this worthwhile initiative and needed to find a poem that resonated with myself and the world of birds. Marie Sinclair’s Poem did just that.

CAN YOU TELL US A BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR PROCESS FROM IDEA TO FINISHED WORK? WHY THOSE COLOURS AND SHAPES?

I wanted the emphasis of the window to be inside the cage. Or in fact, inside the head of the birds in the cage. That is why the only real colour is the chaos of the feathers. For the rest of the window I chose texture and shapes but no colour per se.

WHAT WERE THE CHALLENGES? WHAT WAS EASY?

I saw the design of the window as soon as I read the poem. In fact, if I had any issues it was editing the design down to its essence.

Have you done this kind of project before? Would you do it again?

Yes I have and indeed, yes I would. I am a big supporter of artist collaborations.

Anything else you’d like to share?

Future Exhibitions…

Rose Window Exhibition
June 2023
Paul Elia Gallery Hamilton ON

Susurrations
Four artists interpret life with birds
Teresa Seaton, Mita Giacomini, Mary Philpott, D. Heather Moore
Spring 2024
Carnegie Gallery, Dundas ON

SIZE OF THE PIECE. HOW IS IT MOUNTED?  PRICE IF FOR SALE. WHERE IS IT AVAILABLE?

The piece is titled “Feathers for the Fallen III” part of an ongoing series that keeps coming back to this theme. I thought this piece fit into it nicely. The pieces in this series deal with humanity’s inherent nature to control or profit from their surroundings at the price of our avian species.

The art work is 14 x 27 inches and the cost is $915.00. It is available from myself but not until after the exhibition in the Spring of 2024.

Teresa Seaton Studio
755 Spring Gardens Rd., Burlington ON L7T 1J5
Studio open by appointment
Cell: (905) 510 5030
Email: teresa@teresaseaton.ca

 

WE HOPE YOU HAVE ENJOYED THIS FOURTH DANCE OF POETRY AND VISUAL ART.

ARTISTS, there are poems still available to choose from and time to get in on the project… https://towerpoetry.ca/po-art-ry-poems/

POETS, stay tuned… we will open up submissions towards the end of 2023. As for what will happen with PoARTry, we don’t know.

This is an organic project, and we are thinking of a possible exhibit or publication. Who knows?! What we do know is that we have a lot of exciting work by talented poets and artists to share with you each month!

 

DID YOU KNOW?     YOU CAN POP OVER TO OUR TOWER POETRY FACEBOOK GROUP FOR DISCUSSION!

Poet: Jennifer Tan & Landscape Artist: Anna Kutishcheva

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A dance of poetry & art…

“The Reflection”

 

Poet: Jennifer Tan

Jennifer Tan has won the Short Works Prize for Poetry in 2016 and in 2020, and was long-listed for the Vallum Award for poetry in 2020. She has been published in the poetry anthologies of Tamaracks: Canadian Poetry for the 21st Century, and The Beauty of Being Elsewhere: Poems of Journey and Sojourn, and on the website of The Wild Word. Her haikus have found their way to the Asahi Haikuist Network. She is a regular contributing poet and member of the Tower Poetry Society.

 

 

When did you start writing poetry?

In my mid-teens I had to write two poems for an English class. It took me thirty years to recover from it to choose to write poetry and contribute to our local poetry magazines.

 

Why do you write poetry?

Writing poetry is something I dared myself to plunge into while knowing that the risk is not going to be catastrophic. It is quite a safe activity. It is an escape burrowing through words and then seeing the light. It is liberating when writing a poem evolves beyond what I started with and ended up as a surprise. Writing is a pleasant way to discover more of the self, nature, and understand the state of our world while indulging with words that chart their own melody.

 

What is the best advice you have ever received and would share with new poets?

I don’t recall any specific advice but you learn from listening to what other poets appreciate in poetry and their positive comments on yours.

(Like participating in a Tower Poetry Society workshop! More info here!)

 

Can you comment on your process?

I start with an image, or a situation, or a phrase I picked up that intrigued me. I would scribble lines on paper, choose an appropriate word to replace one that does not carry the mood to match the poem as best I can. I would rearrange the lines to the pace of the poem and remove words that stumble the flow. Some days later I will go through it again to make it better. I would not write if I were hungry.

 

Is there anything else you wish to share?

Be aware of the power of language and that you have access to it. Be easy on yourself in the process of writing. Read a variety of books. Be open to possibilities and ideas. If you want to write a poem it is probably that you know you can and you will write one.

 

 

More Jennifer…

Instagram: @

https://thewildword.com/poetry-jennifer-tan/

http://towerpoetry.ca/poetryplus/Poetry/60-2Tan.html

 

 

Landscape Artist: Anna Kutishcheva

“I was trained as an illustrator, and the process of reading, feeling and coming up with a visual representation of the author’s idea is a puzzle that never ceases to amaze me.”         https://landscapesbyanna.com

 

Why did you choose that poem?

The poem ( THE STUFF WE ARE MADE OF by Jennifer Tan) is simply beautiful, and for me, it was a love from the first read. The poem is very dynamic and reads like a spell; it has a deep and profound meaning. The water is such a fantastic element; it even remembers what happens to it. Just think that the water in your cup touched billions of sentient beings and witnessed innumerable events! The water is a stream, just like a stream of life. The water is a giver and a taker of life, and it is present as an allegory in many stories and teachings.

The poem reminded me of Sutras of Mountain and Water by Dogen:

“Water ascends to the sky as rain.” It mounts high heaven, it’s inside flame, in thinking, analysis, discrimination, in awareness itself, there’s nowhere it doesn’t get.

“Water descends to earth as rivers, whose marrow is the sages. Water’s not just rivers and seas, it makes rivers and seas from within water…Nonetheless, there is no water inside the lands, nor lands within water.”(From Abruptly Dogen, a recently published translation of the Zen master’s writing by Kidder Smith).

Also, I painted water many times: streams, lakes, waves, reflections and depth. So the poem called to me!

 

What were the challenges? What was easy?

My task of creating an illustration was both easy and hard. Every line is inspirational and creates so many visual associations, yet I had to choose only one, the most compelling image. My final choice was to paint an infinite opportunity and change; stillness.

 

Can you tell us a bit more about your process from idea to finished work? Why those colours and shapes?

The central work is landscape, acrylic on canvas, 24×36, inspired by a photo of North Ontario lake by my friend. I used a limited palette, mostly a mix of magenta and green, which can create many hues of blue and purple. There are many islands on this lake, and moonlight travels between and far beyond these islands, creating space and opportunity. Then I had a lot of fun with the frame, which was created digitally with adobe fresco. Here all movement happens.

 

Size of the piece. How is it mounted?  Price if for sale. Where is it available ?

acrylic on canvas, 24″ x 36″     $1,800       without frame (the frame is digital)

Available for sale from akutishcheva@gmail.com

@anna_kutishcheva –  https://www.instagram.com/tamara_h_campbell/

 

Anything else you’d like to share?

The best part of creating artwork is to become one with the subject. This time it was the magical water and its play. And I still don’t know what it is!

 

Other Projects/Art Available:

https://www.saatchiart.com/account/profile/96051

https://www.thespec.com/entertainment/art/2019/06/14/regina-haggo-nature-comes-to-life-in-anna-kutishcheva-s-landscapes-at-burlington-gallery.html

 

 

 

 

 

I published a whole book in this style – Singing Woods…

 

https://www.amazon.ca/Singing-Woods-Anna-Kutishcheva/dp/1990595065/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1674869753&sr=8-1

 

We hope you have enjoyed this second dance of poetry and visual art.

ARTISTS, there are poems still available to choose from and time to get in on the project… https://towerpoetry.ca/po-art-ry-poems/

POETS, stay tuned… we will open up submissions towards the end of 2023. As for what will happen with PoARTry, we don’t know.

This is an organic project, and we are thinking of a possible exhibit or publication. Who knows?! What we do know is that we have a lot of exciting work by talented poets and artists to share with you each month!

 

Did you know?     You can pop over to our Tower Poetry Facebook group for discussion!

Poet: Jennifer Dunlop & Painter: Tamara Campbell

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A dance of poetry & art…

“Anticipation of the Sun’s Illumination” by Mixed Media Artist Tamara Campbell

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Poet: Jennifer Dunlop

Jennifer Lynn Dunlop is the President of Tower Poetry and enjoys composing poetry while running on the Bruce Trail.

When did you start writing poetry?

I began writing poetry when I was eight years old. I participated in a lesson on poetry in school and it really resonated with me.

Why do you write poetry?

I write poetry because I have always enjoyed words and reading, and I have a strong imagination.  I appreciate wordplay, and the art of creating visually interesting images through words alone. I am passionate about the natural world, and I have always felt compelled to attempt to describe it in the way I see it, and illustrate how meaningful it is to me.

What is the best advice you have ever received and would share with new poets?

The best advice I have received is to attend a workshop and obtain constructive feedback.  I believe many layers of editing are beneficial, and that we cannot be objective about our own work.  In addition, I believe it can be useful to put a poem away for a short period of time and then return to it with fresh eyes.

Can you comment on your process?

My process is to write down any idea I get in a google doc.  Often, I let it percolate. Sometimes poems are inspired as a whole, but more often, it is a small kernel of an idea that grows.  I will edit many times before I feel the poem is finished.

More Jennifer…

Instagram: @dunlopjenniferlynn

https://www.instagram.com/dunlopjenniferlynn/

 

Poems from Home/HPL videos:

Hooks https://youtu.be/zrF6Iqjlicw

Momentum https://youtu.be/h28BrSNQEWQ

 

From the New Quarterly (New Directions in Canadian Writing)…

Jennifer’s Writing Space https://tnq.ca/jennifer-lynn-dunlops-writing-space/

 

 

Painter/Mixed Media Artist: Tamara Campbell

Why did you choose that poem?

This poem, “Grace” – by Jennifer Lynn Dunlop, really speaks to me. I live in the woods, surrounded by nature. When I read Jennifer’s poem, I can see the details she is writing about, I can get lost in her words like I can get lost in nature. Nature is where I feel most whole, most at peace. I love getting lost in her wonderful details – the textures of bark, mushrooms, flowers, leaves, the wildlife – there is so much to get drawn into, to escape into, so much variety. I am also interested in the concept of grace and have been trying to be more grace-ful in my life. That can be hard sometimes 🙂

What were the challenges? What was easy?

“Anticipation of the Sun’s Illumination”

My biggest challenge for this project is the challenge I am always finding myself faced with – time! There is an old Yiddish adage – “Man plans, and God laughs.” That seems to apply to my life, as it does to many peoples’ lives I imagine – hence the saying! I have so many ideas and currently two streams of paintings/series that I am totally immersed in right now and, as many creatives know, once you get those creative juices flowing, new ideas keep being born. So this was easy in the sense that I knew what style of painting I wanted to do my response in and then I read the poem a number times and kept going back to it and thinking about it while I painted. I painted three pieces at the same time (I can’t ever work on just one – it is hard enough with a few to wait for things to dry!). Then the challenge was to choose one for this project. Since I had painted the three of them with this poem in mind, I can see elements of the poem in all of them.

Have you done this kind of project before? Would you do it again?

Yes, many years ago. For a few years I participated in an International Women’s Day in the town that I lived in then. There was a gallery there that put on a show each year. There would be a statement and theme for each year and you would create a piece of art inspired by that. I also once wrote a poem inspired by a photograph that I had taken. The photograph was of a house in ruins – it is a house that I had dreamed about and then found while out driving on back roads.
Yes! I would most definitely do it again!

Can you tell us a bit more about your process from idea to finished work? Why those colours and shapes?

I love colour. I love organic shapes. I am always exploring techniques and looking for new ways to make marks. I paint in layers, building them up until it feels right, then I go in with markers or paint and add the little details. Layers, layers, layers! I try to restrict my palette, but that doesn’t always happen. I grab things as I’m painting – my studio is an explosion of creative mess when I’m finished painting. The hardest part is having to walk away at times to let things dry so I can carry on.

Anything else you’d like to share?

I have always loved art and was raised with an appreciation of the arts. Over the course of my life, so far, I have always been dabbling in some form of art or another – woodworking, printmaking, pottery, photography, painting. I was very focused and showing for a few years up until about 12 years ago, when I became a first time grandmother and my studio became a nursery. I kept dabbling, but stopped showing until late 2019 when I started really focusing on my art again.

Size of the piece. How is it mounted?  Price if for sale. Where is it available ?

9″x12″     On paper, unmounted        $100

9″x12″     Matted and framed           $150

Available for sale from me tamarahcampbell@gmail.com

 

“Unfinished Dreams”

 

 

Tamara writes on Instagram: “There were 4 paintings to start, but a friend came for a visit and insisted that she needed one of them just as it was (before it was finished in my mind – but she’s a really good friend!) – so that one became “Unfinished Dreams” and I carried on with the remaining 3. They are titled, in order, “Anticipation of the Sun’s Illumination”, “The Dance is All” and “The Grace of Nature” – these are all words from the poem. “Unfinished Dreams” is last one. My eldest daughter helped me decide which one I’ll submit to the project. It was hard because all 3 were painted with the poem in mind, so I see elements in each that speak to me of the words and feelings that were inspiring me.”

@tamara_h_campbell –  https://www.instagram.com/tamara_h_campbell/

Other Projects/Art Available:

(Inukshuk Print)

https://www.internationalprintexchange.org/shop/prints/ipe-2017/inukshuk-by-tamara-h-campbell

https://www.sketchbookproject.com/library/S220594

 

We hope you have enjoyed this inaugural dance of poetry and visual art.

ARTISTS, there are poems still available to choose from and time to get in on the project… https://towerpoetry.ca/po-art-ry-poems/

POETS, stay tuned… we will open up submissions towards the end of 2023. As for what will happen with PoARTry, we don’t know.

This is an organic project, and we are thinking of a possible exhibit or publication. Who knows?! What we do know is that we have a lot of exciting work by talented poets and artists to share with you each month!

 

Did you know?     You can pop over to our Tower Poetry Facebook group for discussion!