When:
November 10, 2022 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm America/Chicago Timezone
2022-11-10T17:30:00-06:00
2022-11-10T18:30:00-06:00
Where:
Shreveport Regional Arts Council
801 Crockett St.
Shreveport
LA
Poet as Sculptor, Poet as Vulture
Years ago, Patrice Melnick announced to friends that if they would donate to her favorite nonprofit, she would write a poem about them. As donations began to flow, so did the ink from her pen and over time, she had a pretty good collection. But her impulse to write about others ranged from playful to predatory. And responses ranged from delight to “not-on-speaking-terms.” This presentation reflects on how writing about acquaintances is sometimes rewarding and other times may get a poet into hot water
About the Artist:
Patrice Melnick writes poetry and literary nonfiction.
She is the founder of the Festival of Words, a rural, literary arts organization in Grand Coteau, Louisiana. Melnick taught English and creative writing at Xavier University in New Orleans for 13 years before moving to Grand Coteau. She holds a B.A. in English from the University of Texas at Austin, and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks.
Patrice Melnick has published a poetry chapbook, City of Hey Baby (Finishing Line Press.) and a memoir, Po-boy Contraband: from Diagnosis Back to Life (Catalyst Press). She currently serves as director of the Opelousas Museum and Interpretive Center, and lives in Grand Coteau with her loving and very patient husband, Olan.
The Shreveport Regional Arts Council offers an annual week-long “KAT” Residency for a Visual Artist, a Performing Artist, and a Literary Artist. This application is open exclusively to Artists who reside in Louisiana.
The selected Artists will be awarded a one-week Retreat/Residency in the KAT, with its unique architecture and historical significance. The apartment is fully equipped with a stocked kitchen, 1.5 baths, a queen-sized bed, living room, and a rooftop that provides a panoramic view of downtown Shreveport and the Shreveport Common neighborhood. Each floor of the KAT is a separate room… there are five floors and a rooftop; there is not an elevator. The stairs are quite manageable; however, each element of the space is on a different floor.