Last night was a beautiful evening of poetry and song in the Bowral District Art Society Gallery. Part launch of Mark Tredinnick's new collection Walking Underwater, part celebration of the Blue Square Competition, part musical performance, and reading by Alison Whitelock and myself. The night aptly titled after Mark's online writing masterclass, was attended by a full house of poetry lovers and art enthusiasts.
We gathered in the main room as a part of the Blue Square Exhibition set up by Sonja Millis at ArtHead, Moss Vale, in memory of her late husband Bob Millis who passed away suddenly from cancer. The exhibition, whilst a competition, also raises money for Can Assist and has been running for four years. A number of the exhibiting artists were present and it provided a spectacular backdrop for the evening in verse. It was a privilege to read alongside two world renown poets in Mark and Ali, and especially to attend a poetry event so close to home.
The night was structured around compositions of Mark’s work with his brother Russell's band Teddychook and some readings/performances by Mark, Ali and I. The night heralded Mark's latest collection that was on sale for those in attendance and also a celebration of Ali's ongoing recognition as one of Scotland's and Australia's finest memoirist and poets—she was recently longlisted for 2021 Australian Literary Society Gold Medal for her new collection The Lactic Acid in the Calves of your Despair.
It was a special night for Ash and I who had organised grandma to babysit, which gave us the opportunity to share a night out in the love of the arts. Ash had two paintings in the exhibition and one that featured prominently in the photos (the Blue/Black Cockatoo just above the band and the speakers' mic.
I enjoyed reading a few poems from the last year. Fisher's of Men and Waterlines to a Kingfisher, and a couple new ones that are yet to be published. There were many warm compliments from the audience for all who performed and Ash even had an offer to buy her painting.
Thank you to the BDAS Gallery, Sonja, Mark, Ali, Russell and all in attendance for a wonderful evening.