Initiated by The Crossings in Zumbrota, Minnesota, in 2001, the Poet-Artist Collaboration has been continued under the aegis of Red Wing Arts since 2020.

Back in 2010, I learned of this collaboration when I saw a flyer posted at the Northfield Public Library, and I was lucky enough to have had five poems selected to be re-interpreted by visual artists between 2010 and 2017. (Here are some posts I did in 2017 on the event, before and after.)

This year, I was pleased to hear that my poem, “Echo from Hug Point,” was selected for the 2022 Poet-Artist Collaboration. I am happy to be part of this celebration of literary and visual arts again in a new setting. It is especially nice to be included in a group of thirty-six poets, many of whose fine work is already known to me, including Rob Hardy, Diane LeBlanc, D.E. Green, Becky Bolling, Mac Gimse, Marie Gery, and Larry Gavin of Northfield, and Emilio DeGrazia, Ken McCullough, and Scott Lowry of Winona, Minnesota, as well as Joyce Sutpen, (whom I was able to hear reading her work at Content Bookstore a few years ago.) I look forward to the seeing the visual art created from all of the poets work (the art works are on exhibit at the Red Wing Depot Gallery) and to hearing everyone read at the St. James Hotel on April 29. Many of the poets are also participating in small readings during April. For a full list of who, when, and where, please see the website for Red Wing Arts.