Last Friday, about the time my Fraiku posting, I was reading two of my poems to over a hundred art lovers at the opening night of an exhibit in my town of Hillsborough, North Carolina.
Coalesce, A Collaboration of Poetry and Art, is sponsored by the Orange County Arts Commission. They paired ten poets with ten visual artists. Each poet offered a poem as inspiration for a new piece of visual art and each visual artist offered a piece as inspiration for a new poem thus creating twenty new objets d’art.
I was fortunate enough to have been paired with Theresa Arico, a mosaicist based in Chapel Hill who has done everything from stunning public art to gorgeous handheld trinkets.
Theresa asked me to write a poem based on her mosaic above, entitled “I Wanna Ride My Bicycle”. Click the pic to get a full resolution image for a better look at her craftsmanship and to read my response, “Freedom”.
I asked her to do her magic on my poem “Self Portrait”. (Long time readers may remember that it was recently published in Panoply.) Definitely click the pic below to get a close up view on what she created. Wow!
The opening party was crowded and noisy so, feeling overwhelmed, I left once the show was over to enjoy the winter night sky under a full moon.
I went back Saturday afternoon when I assumed it’d be less busy to relax and absorb the poetry, paintings and sculptures. If any of my dear readers live nearby, I strongly encourage a visit. It is a wonderful, immersive art experience which I’m having trouble articulating. And that’s my job as poet!
The exhibit is open Tuesdays through Saturdays 12pm to 5pm until January 28th.
Bartholomew Barker, Poet 
Would have loved to attend – sounds magical! ❤️
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It truly is. Might even be worth the drive from the ocean.
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Most definitely! Is this a repeating event Bartholomew?
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I don’t know if the Arts Commission will do another one next year or not but I can recommend visiting this exhibit this month.
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I love the collaboration. I love that the cabin is so tall that you can keep going down another level like the descending stanzas, starting from the top.
Bravo to both of you!
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Thank you, M! She did a great job interpreting my poem.
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She really did!!
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Congratulations! Your poem and her mosaic both capture the other’s work so beautifully. I am so proud of you.
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Thank you very much, JM!
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An exceptional pairing for sure!
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Thank you, Tre. I got lucky being paired with Theresa.
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You’re most welcome!
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What a wonderful collaboration!!! Love both art forms. Thanks for sharing!
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Thanks for reading, CB!
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Here I go again……
http://www.spanglefish.com/berniesblog/blog.asp?blogid=16091
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Thanks for reposting my poem, Bernie!
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Ho lovely! What a lovely combination and honor to read. Lot the picture as well. ❣️
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It was a fun project and I’m still stunned by what Theresa produced for my poem.
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I can imagine.❣️
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