Book Notes: Artist Trust bringing workshops to east side
It’s no secret that more Artist Trust grants go to artists on the west side of the state than waft over to this side of the Cascades.
So it behooves all writers and painters and sculptors and photographers, etc., who live in the more rural parts of central and Eastern Washington to pay attention when Artist Trust comes calling with advice.
And advice is what you would call free workshops that carry the title “How to Build a Strong Grant Application.”
Beginning Dec. 5, such workshops – which are aimed at “artists working in all disciplines” – will be held, respectively, in the following regional cities: Walla Walla, then Spokane (Dec. 12), Twisp (Dec. 13) and Wenatchee (Dec. 18).
The Spokane workshop will run from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Spokane Art School, 920 N. Howard St. It’ll be presented by Heather Joy Helbach-Olds, Artist Trust’s director of programs.
To register, call (866) 218-7878, ext. 10, or e-mail heatherjoy@artisttrust.org.
Artist Trust, which was founded in 1987, describes itself on its Web site as “a not-for-profit organization dedicated exclusively to supporting Washington State artists working in all creative disciplines.”
For further information, go online at www.artisttrust.org /events/artist_workshops.
Poets who know it
For the second time, I was honored to serve as judge for the Poetry Scribes of Spokane.
Winners of the Amy Woodward Fisher World Day of Poetry Contest, which I chose through a blind selection, were as follows:
“Rhymed poetry: 1, Neil L. Clemons; 2, Florence Boutwell; 3, Alberta A. Murray.
“Free verse: 1, Teresa L. Vanairdale; 2, Molly Saty; 3, Hilmi Mavioglu.
Honorable-mention awards, which were chosen by Poetry Scribes officials, went to Patti Richardson and Mary Klienholz (rhymed), and Anita Pederson and Darlyn Lamb (free verse).
Poetry Scribes of Spokane, which welcomes guests, meets monthly. November’s meeting will occur at 1:15 p.m. Tuesday at the Riverview Retirement Center, 1801 E. Upriver Drive. Call (509) 489-0544.
For writers only
Traditional four-year colleges and universities aren’t the only organizations that offer accredited degrees in the arts. It turns out that one Pacific Northwest writer’s group is offering a freestanding master’s of fine arts degree in creative writing.
And, apparently, it’s a good one. The Whidbey Writers Workshop MFA Program, which has been around since 2005, has been named “one of the nine distinctive” MFA programs in the country by Poets & Writers magazine.
“To be included in this list with well-established university departments is a genuine milestone for our young program,” said MFA Program Director Wayne Ude. “This distinction reflects well on our independent status operating outside the university system.”
To learn more about the program, go online at www.writeonwhidbey. com/mfa.
Unless noted, all events are free and open to the public.
Book talk
“Gay & Lesbian Book Group (“Geography Club,” by Brent Hartinger), 7 p.m. Tuesday, Auntie’s Bookstore, Main and Washington. Call (509) 838-0206.
“Literary Freedom Book Club (“The Elegant Gathering of White Snows,” by Kris Radish), 1 p.m. Saturday, Auntie’s Bookstore.
The reader board
“Phil Kiver (“182 Days in Iraq”), reading, 7:30 p.m. Monday, Auntie’s Bookstore.
“Patrick F. McManus (“Kerplunk!: Stories”), reading, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Auntie’s Bookstore.
“Swami Lalitananda (“Light and Vibration”), reading, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Auntie’s Bookstore.
“Stephen F. Arno (“Northwest Trees: Understanding and Identifying the Region’s Native Trees”), slide-show presentation, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Auntie’s Bookstore.
“Frank F. Tobie (“The Bridge Knows the Way: Seeing America Through Covered Bridges”), signing, 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Auntie’s Bookstore.
“Therese Marszalek (“Extraordinary Miracles in the Lives of Ordinary People: Inspiring Stories of Divine Intervention”), signing, 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Shadle Hastings, 1704 W. Wellesley. Call (509) 327-6008.