As a Pacific Northwest poet and artist, I am passionate about eco-poetics, birds and animals, music and painting, equity and inclusion. I serve as the Clark County Poet Laureate 2018-2020

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Inheriting horse hair paint brushes and wooden paint boxes from both my grandmothers nearly a decade ago, I became more attentive to creative process as a spiritual practice. I made a commitment to tend to my writing and art work on a daily basis and participate in an artist/writing retreat each year.

As a child, I dreamed of being a naturalist, artist and writer. Returning to drawing and painting mid-life, I imagined creating realistic renderings of wildlife. Nonetheless, whimsical storybook animalitos emerged. After two solo and group shows, I am often asked about publishing children’s storybooks.

Although I dream of storybooks, my creative writing focus last year was the completion of Before the Sun Rises, my third book of poetry (Homebound Publications), which was launched in a collaborative event Summer Solstice. Together with artists, dancers, musicians, poets and writers, we co-created “An Evening of Dance, Music and Poetry” as a celebration of the arts.

Many regional arts organizations are supporting local artists including: Clark County Arts Commission, Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries, Humanities Washington, Washington State Arts Commission, Artist Trust, Artstra, and other local arts organizations, libraries, schools and colleges.

One of my goals as the Clark County Poet Laureate is to lift up diverse poetic voices in our community. I am grateful for another community collaboration with local tribal leaders, Native Nations poets, and musicians to co-create “Honoring Women’s Voices” for Indigenous People’s Day event at Old Liberty Theater in Ridgefield this past month.

“Emerald Lake” watercolor by Susan Bourdet

The immense changes sweeping our natural landscapes impact us as individuals, communities and as a global family far more than we imagine and our gift of art as medicine for the world is more critical than ever before. Weaving concerns for global warming, social equities and health care together with images of birds, plants, and animals, my artistic intention is to offer richly textured renderings not only of the natural world but also of emotional nuances in response.

My poems evoke a deep sense of care for and rootedness in nature and the body. The bittersweetness of the journey for individuals living with chronic illness is named as well as the interconnectedness of the environment and all sentient beings. We live in a house in the trees, and I spend as much time in the natural world as I can given full time work. I am looking forward to a winter Artist Residency at Centrum in 2020.

“Snow Queen” watercolor by Susan Bourdet

As a poet and writer, I am grateful for mentors including Mariana Romo-Carmona, Fred Bigjim and Chase Twichell, as well as the encouragement of many writers and educators including Kim Stafford, Oregon State Poet Laureate and Claudia Castro Luna, Washington State Poet Laureate.

It is a privilege to be working with Claudia as she continues her statewide Washington Humanities & ARTSWA project Washington Poetic Routes with the national Academy of American Poets for One River, Many Voices; Un Río, Muchas Voces. We are finalizing venue requests with her with Clark County stops in Washougal, Camas, Ridgefield and Vancouver. Also see her website and note Clark County is visit no. 6 https://www.rivervoiceswa.com/

As a painter, I hold much gratitude for the encouragement of local Pacific Northwest artists including Susan Bourdet, Flora Bowley, Mollie Hashimoto, Jude Siegel and Andre Thrams. These amazing women, artists and teachers focus on creative expression as a means for healing and wholeness.