9 x 2 Exhibit

In honor of National Poetry Month,9 x 2 is a collaborative exhibit between nine poets from Cleveland, Ohio and nine mixed media artists from Hampton Roads. The exhibit hangs in the Meyera E. Oberndorf Central Library art gallery in Virginia Beach and will be there until the end of May.

From our press release" The exhibition features a framed poem beside its visual art interpretation. The art media employed varies from painting to printmaking, textile, metal/jewelry design and additional types of blended materials. The group's combine commitment is to experience, express, create and contribute poems and images informed by nature."

My poem is called Color and Field by Meredith Holmes
If not for the stand of winter trees
a twiggy thicket fading
to solid grey against a pewter sky,
I would have never noticed
the two mourning doves
arranged beak to beak
on a wire swinging
from house to garage
their abalone pink breasts
that day the only
warmth in the world.

Grey is definitely not in my color palette, but the poem reminded me of the long, cold, dreary winters I grew up with in New England. And the piece was an exciting stretch out of my comfort zone. My original idea somehow morphed into grey window screen with angular, abstract felt tree forms and two pink prayer flags. It is reminiscent of January in Massachusetts. The poets will be here the weekend of May 17th for a poetry reading, so will keep you posted on the details.