New Book Of Island Poems Benefits Art & Nature Center
/A new poetry book, “Hot Sling and Other Island Poems,” featuring the poetry of Karen Yancey and the drawings of Patricia Cauldwell will be introduced at a special reception at the Art and Nature Center on Friday, August 9, from 5 to 6:30 p.m.
The book brings together Yancey’s previously published poems about the island that have been published in a broad range of regional poetry journals and art magazines, including the Peninsula Pulse, Door County Voice, Seeding the Snow and A Slender Thread.
“I have admired Patti’s paintings and drawings of the island for many years and was so pleased when she agreed to bring her unique insight and artistry to illustrate many of the scenes and experiences I have described,” said Yancey.
The book is dedicated to the artists, musicians, writers and poets who are inspired by the beauty of Washington Island and to the staff and board members of the Door County Land Trust who seek to protect it. Yancey, a summer resident, also helped organize the Washington Island Project Committee of the Door County Land Trust and served as its chairperson for a decade.
Cauldwell and her family has been a major supporter of the Art and Nature Center since its beginning in 1965. She has previously published the book “Harbor Tales" and her paintings and drawings are frequently displayed at the Center.
“It was fun to connect with Karen's poems via pen and ink. They are rich with images, insights, and island scenarios," said Cauldwell.In addition to her illustrations for the book, Cauldwell has painted three scenes from the poem “Ghosts of the Dutch Village” that tell a fictional story about the ruins of an early settlement on the north shore of Washington Island. “There is so much wildness and natural beauty on the island and I hope my poems have captured how fortunate we are to experience it at a deeply human and spiritual level,” said Yancey. “If you are an artist, musician or writer you can’t help but be affected by the island’s unique history, community and landscape.”
The book is priced at $10 and all proceeds benefit the Art and Nature Center.