Alexie Poem Inscribed In Tiles At Overlook Park
A poem by former Spokane resident Sherman Alexie has been installed at the Spokane Public Library’s Overlook Park at the south end of the Monroe Street Bridge.
“That Place Where Ghosts of Salmon Jump,” is the final installation of the library’s permanent art collection. It’s inscribed in polished granite tiles on a circular concrete platform used to view the falls.
The poem celebrates the legend of the creation of the Spokane River Falls. It also laments the passing of a way of life.
Once upon a time, before Grand Coulee and Long Lake dams were installed, the Spokane River flourished with salmon which played a significant role in sustaining area Native American tribes. With the salmon gone, the tribes disappeared.
Poetry, fiction contest
Clark College in Vancouver, Wash., is conducting a poetry and fiction contest open to all Washington and Oregon writers. Deadline is Feb. 5, 1996.
Poems - original, unpublished and not longer than 25 lines - can be written in either free verse or traditional form. Fiction writers may submit either a short story or a novel chapter of 2,500 words or less. Entries must be original and unpublished.
Two copies of the poems and fiction pieces are required, one blind (without identification) and the other with a name, address and telephone number.
Send poetry entries and a $3 reading fee to Arlene Paul, Clark College Poetry Coordinator, 4312 NE 40th, Vancouver, WA 98661-3535. Fiction entries and a $10 reading fee should be mailed to Lee Partain, Clark College Fiction Coordinator, 1800 E. McLoughlin Blvd., Vancouver, WA 98663-3598.
Winners will be notified by April 5 and announced at the 10th annual Clark College Writers’ Workshop on April 13. First prize in both categories is $200. Second- and third-place winners will receive $150 and $100, respectively.
For a brochure on the contests, workshop and awards ceremony, call Kay Marczynski at (360) 699-0277 or Arlene Paul at (360) 695-2777.
New exhibition
The Jundt Art Museum at Gonzaga University will open its new exhibition, “Contemporary Central and Eastern European Prints,” on Friday, Jan. 19.
The prints, noted for their social significance and aesthetic content, will be displayed through March 5.
Running concurrently will be “Paintings from the Permanent Collection” in the Arcade Gallery.
Area artists determine grants
Three noted Inland Northwest artists were among the panel members to select 15 artists state wide for the 1995 Artist Trust Fellowships in Crafts, Music, Literature and Media.
Harold Balaz, Spokane artist; James McAuley, poet, professor and director of the Eastern Washington University Press; and composer Charles Argersinger, Pullman, helped make the selections based on artistic merit and professional commitment to the artists’ fields.
None of the winning artists were from this area.