Flyer by Anni Becker

Ryan Woods benefit

with poet Jenney Pauer,

musicians Sarah Arslanian and Nicole Sangsuree,

and a silent art auction with Kelly Keigwin and Sam Mackenzie

Friday, May 18, 2012

7:00pm

River Maiden Artisan Coffee

602 North Devine St.

Vancouver, WA 98661

Local poet Jenney Pauer will read from her new book Serenity In the Brutal Garden (published by Printed Matter Vancouver). All proceeds from the sale of the book will go to help Ryan Woods, whose family is facing considerable medical bills due to his terminal illness. There will also be live music from Sarah Arslanian of Ladytown, as well as a silent auction of donated art by Kelly Keigwin and Sam Mackenzie. Join us for all this and a raffle, amazing coffee, and many good people who love poetry, music, and Ryan.

According to Jenney Pauer, “Ryan is a pastor and a community activist.  Before his illness, he was one of the leaders in a movement in downtown Vancouver where local residents were trying to strengthen the sense of community in the area.  Before he was even twenty-seven years old, he and his wife, Jessica, started a couple of new churches and he was a coordinator for numerous community philanthropic work such as Compassion Vancouver.  He also hosts a weekly community dinner called The Arnada Community meal.  Ryan also writes a very popular blog called Musings From the Ground Up (http://www.grassrootsconspiracy.com/blog/) where he has been writing candidly about how cancer has affected him, his family, and his community.”

Jenney Pauer

Photo by Anna Shogren

According to Northwest spoken word legend Jack McCarthy, “If George Eliot were alive today and writing poetry, she would sound a lot like Jenney Pauer. There is an unforced elegance in virtually every line she writes. My immediate response is to stand back and salute.” Jenney Pauer is a graduate of Southern Methodist University, where she studied theater and English literature. After serving four years in the United States Army as a Korean linguist, she obtained a Secondary English Education degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Before moving to the Pacific Northwest with her dog and cat in 2008, she taught high school English along the border of Arizona and Mexico. Recently, Jenney co-wrote a short film, Nico’s Sampaguita, accepted into the 27th Annual Asian Pacific Film Festival in Los Angeles, and soon to be released by Sacred Fire Films in San Francisco, California. This is her first book.

Printed Matter Vancouver, a local small press and editing service, was founded in 2011 by Christopher Luna and Toni Partington, co-hosts of the second Thursday Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic at Cover to Cover Books.

Sarah Arslanian

Photo by Anni Becker

Performing as Ladytown since 2003, Sarah Arslanian has performed throughout the Unites States and her songs have been played internationally. Sarah has released two albums to much acclaim: Ladytown (2003) produced by Bernie Larsen (David Lindley, Lucinda Williams, Melissa Etheridge) and Thirty-Nine Nineteen (2006) – produced by Aram Arslanian (Lisa Marie Presley, Rilo Kiley, Watson Twins). Sarah has recorded and collaborated on numerous projects, working with such notables as Mark Fosson (Bum Steers) as well as providing vocals as a member of the Bright Mountain Choir for the indie rock phenomenon The Mountain Goats.

Nicole Sangsuree

Since the age of thirteen, when she first learned how to play the guitar, the gutsy singer-songwriter Nicole Sangsuree has been composing and performing songs to captive and enamored audiences all along the west coast. It began with impromptu performances in her middle school locker room but eventually brought her onstage to local festivals such as MusicfestNW, Folklife and the Willamette Valley Folk Festival. Her melodies are fresh, her lyrics intelligent and her soulful voice can move from fierce to tender in a brief moment. Her theater background and a passion for telling the truth color her live performances, which are always sexy, powerful and humorous. Onstage, she has been honored to play alongside musicians such as Styx, Alix Olson, Chris Pureka, Toshi Reagon and Michael Glabicki (of Rusted Root). Another highlight of her career was starring in the indie feature film “Down and Out With the Dolls” where she acted alongside Lemmy Kilmister (of Motorhead) and Canada’s triphop artist Kinnie Starr. Check out the film’s website: http://www.facebook.com/l/RAQGvReJiAQGWeL1ikmrZT4yphJIuC6LVtn4WR2Xs1-6Tdg/www.dolls-themovie.com

Born and raised in Portland, Sangsuree believes in the power of art to make positive social change and is a champion for supporting local, sustainable and thriving communities. She has volunteered at Portland’s Rock ‘N Roll Camp for Girls, taught songwriting classes for youth, frequently plays at Portland area farmer’s markets and understands the value of supporting local talent. Her debut album “So Much Has Bloomed”, recorded at Portland’s Mississippi Studios, is available for purchase online at http://www.facebook.com/l/ZAQG_b1X-AQFK2Fd_5PiVqc-NwkSP7JLkr6-RufDxZyY8Hw/www.cdbaby.com and at her live performances. For the next few months, she will be focusing on an exciting new project. She is starring in the independent feature film “Ruby by The River” which will showcase both her acting and musical talents. More details and photos at http://www.facebook.com/l/4AQG9rx_sAQH29EayZt4vPn-ynEUd45ctSJChSFxPFEbbCg/www.rubybytheriver.com

Vancouver’s premiere coffee experience, River Maiden Artisan Coffee is where Vancouver goes for Stumptown Coffee. Proudly featuring Stumptown Coffee Roasters and Nuvrei Pastries. Particular highlights are the rare Clover Vacuum Press and friendly, down-to-earth baristas in a neighborhood setting.

http://www.grassrootsconspiracy.com/blog/

http://www.rivermaidencoffee.com/

http://www.ladytownmusic.com

http://www.printedmattervancouver.com

CORRECTION: Due to circumstances beyond his control, Ric Vrana will be unable to attend May’s Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic. His friend David Matthews will take his place, and Ric’s reading will be postponed until November. More information to follow. Christopher Luna, co-host and founder.  

GHOST TOWN POETRY Open Mic

hosted by Christopher Luna and

Toni Partington

7pm Thursday, May 10, 2012

and every second Thursday

Cover to Cover Books

6300 NE St. James Rd., Suite 104B

(St. James & Minnehaha)

Vancouver, WA

360-993-7777

all ages and uncensored since 2004

http://christopherluna-poetry.blogspot.com

 With our featured reader, Ric Vrana:

Ric Vrana appears regularly in numerous venues and open mics in the Portland and Vancouver poetry scene. His early days of stand-up poetry happened in Seattle where he found himself at the beginning of the long running Red Sky Poetry Theater in the early 1980s. But he fell in with a bad crowd, and after a long slog through graduate school worked as a professor in Portland.

After some disagreeable business with the dean, he found himself a job as a planner, and, upon being called back up to be an adjunct in another part of the university, continues to teach part time in the urban planning program. His writing is infused with the perspective of the geographer, the cartographer, and the planner. He believes place is the connection between where he is and who he is. He writes about this, thinks about this, dreams about this.

Poems by Ric Vrana have appeared in Duwamish Review, Kent Popular Press, Broken Word: The Alberta Street Anthology, Volume 2, Blown Out: Portland’s Indie Poets, and Venetian Blind Drunk. He is a regular contributor to the Three Friends Caffeinated Art Poetry readings in Portland. He has twice been published by the weekly on-line zone, “Work,” and has a poem and recorded reading forthcoming in OccuPoetry.org. Ric’s three chapbooks will be available at the reading for five dollars each or three for twelve: Brain Screams (2010); Postales desde Costa Rica (2011); and Semi-Ambivalent Middle Aged Male Lament #25 (2011).

From “Brain Screams”

Brain screams, primordial

dreams dancing

that white line between

northbound and south city

bus sounds and some

Greyhounds running

through clouds of particulates.

Walking now moving

behind ironrailed fences

in citypark gardens

couples everywhere, people in pairs

people who stare

at me, alone looking skyward

at rubber sheathed wires

carrying unheard messages

sagging in the middle of their span.

How Alone I’ve Grown

not even owned

by a telephone!

Face feeling taught

as the strain of grief being deep

from another night’s empty empty sleep

is this morning disgusted and eagerly seeks

the soft touch and voice of

some woman.

Printed Matter Vancouver co-founders Christopher Luna and Toni Partington would like to thank everyone who attended our five year anniversary open mic and potluck. You truly make putting on these events a pleasure. It is a great privilege to provide a safe space in which everyone can express themselves. We would also like to thank Cover to Cover owner Mel Sanders for staying open extra late, and for her continuing support of local writers, editors, publishers, and booklovers. We’d also like to thank our musical guests, Jennifer-Pratt Walter, Bret Jorgensen, and Lincoln’s Beard for their beautiful contributions. Finally, thank you to each and every person who attended for your energy, your participation, and your words.

Lincoln’s Beard will be playing a show at the Secret Society Ballroom, 116 NE Russell, Portland tomorrow night at 6pm. The show is free and all ages. For more info: http://www.concertcoop.com/portland/secretsociety/s/88154/Lincoln%27s+Beard#http://secretsociety.net/live-music/

On Saturday at 4pm, April Bullard and Dennis McBride will be the featured readers for a William Stafford birthday celebration at Cover to Cover Books. Bring a Stafford poem to share if you’d like to participate.

Thanks to Rob Gourley and April and Dan Bullard for the following photos of the Ghost Town Poetry Five Year Anniversary party. If you would rather not have your picture included here, please contact me at christopherjluna@gmail.com and i will happily remove it.

Thank you for five years of poetry, community, love, and laughter.

Christopher Luna

for Printed Matter Vancouver

Join us on February 9 when our featured reader will be John Sibley Williams.

CELEBRATE FIVE YEARS OF GHOST TOWN POETRY

OPEN MIC AT COVER TO COVER BOOKS

with Christopher Luna, Toni Partington, and musical guests

Jennifer Pratt-Walter, Bret Jorgensen, and Lincoln’s Beard!

Bring a dish to share and arrive early at 6pm (open mic begins at 7):

Thursday, January 12, 2012

COVER TO COVER BOOKS

6300 NE St. James Rd., Suite 104B

(St. James & Minnehaha)

Vancouver, WA

360-993-7777

mail@covertocoverbooks.net

http://christopherluna-poetry.blogspot.com

christopherjluna@gmail.com

all ages & uncensored since 2004

 

Printed Matter Vancouver would like to thank the following businesses and individuals for making 2011 another great year for poetry in the ‘Couve: John Barber, The Catalyst, Clark County Historical Museum, Everybody’s Music, Gallery 360, Leah Jackson (Angst Gallery and Niche Wine and Art Bar), Marci McReynolds, Mint Tea, Moe’s, One World Merchants, Paper Tiger Coffee, Pop Culture, Susan Tissot, and Urban Eccentric. We would also like to thank the featured readers who shared their work with our community in 2011: John Amen, Judith Arcana, Turiya Autry, John Barber, April Bullard, Michael Daley, Tommy Gaffney, Brad Garber, Alice Hardesty, M, Eliel Lucero, Peter Ludwin, Dennis McBride, Dan Nelson, Jane Ormerod (Uphook Press), Deb Scott, Mary Slocum, Leah Stenson, Meredith Stewart, Dawn Thompson, and Carolyne Wright. In addition, we owe a debt of gratitude to the many poets who have moved and entertained us at the open mic—without your continued participation and support, we would have nothing to celebrate. Finally, our thanks to Mel Sanders for staying open late once a month and demonstrating her undying commitment to local writers.

Performer Bios:

Jennifer Pratt-Walter is a former RN and freelance musician. She lives in Vancouver, WA with husband Craig, children, and farm animals. She sings in a women’s trio, “Circle Round.”  Jennifer also teaches harp, with emphasis on the beginning adult.

Jennifer communicates her reverence for her instrument and music with her hands, searching to define and transcend human experience. Her musical background includes band, choir, and madrigal performance, and she has studied piano and fretted dulcimer. Her true love for the past 27 years has been the Celtic harp.

“Celtic Muse” came into being in 1995, when Jennifer and Valerie Blessley started performing together for weddings. There has been no stopping them since, and they have been privileged to play in a variety of settings throughout the Northwest.

Jennifer’s recordings include “Ancient Realms” (1998), “Wind and Wood: A Sylvan Dance” (1998 with Celtic Muse), “Merry & Bright” (2000, with Celtic Muse), “Ancient Muse: Celtic Harp and Friends,” and “Crossroads,” 2009, with Celtic Muse). Jennifer is a Certified Healing Musician, playing at the bedside of the dying.  Her most recent recording, “Ancient Slumbers,” is representative of mastery of creating a feeling of reverence and peace with pure solo harp played in a rich improvisatory style.

Bret Jorgensen is a kid who likes to write and sing songs. He likes to sing songs about love. He also likes to sing about the sad parts of life using simple chords and simple words. Bret Jorgensen sings songs to sing songs. He can be seen about riding his bike and singing at the top of his lungs while doing so.

Kris Chrisopulos, Tyler Morgan and Dwayne Spence formed Lincoln’s Beard during the summer of 2006. Playing as a trio (and without a drummer) Lincoln’s Beard charged ahead, writing, recording, and gigging as a three piece. After the release of Our American Cousin, well-known local percussionist Eddie Esparza joined the band. Lincoln’s Beard began playing longer, heavier sets, developing a unique sound which ultimately led to the follow up album Brothers Grace. Lincoln’s Beard’s sound continues to evolve with the attributed guitar work of Ross Morgan and Conner Ghormely on the group’s latest album, entitled Lincoln’s Beard, and the recent addition of Aram Arslanian on lead guitar and lapsteel.

Ghost Town Poetry, the recent anthology of poetry from the series edited by Toni Partington and Christopher Luna, is available for purchase at Cover to Cover Books.

On December 8, we hosted the VoiceCatcher 6 launch at the Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic, which takes place every second Thursday at Cover to Cover Books in Vancouver, WA. One of the participants was Vancouver’s own April Bullard, who has recently enjoyed success as a visual artist and a poet. April’s photographs are included in the latest edition of the anthology, co-edited by Printed Matter Vancouver co-founder Toni Partington.

April Bullard at Cover to Cover Books

I was very moved and inspired by what April had to say that evening. She had some very kind things to say about the Ghost Town poetry Open Mic and the work that Toni and I have been doing in the community. So I asked April if I could post her speech here. She informed me that VoiceCatcher already had plans to feature it on their website, but that Printed Matter Vancouver could repost it.

April also asked me to include the following as an introduction to the repost:

“My most sincere thanks to Christopher Luna and Toni Partington for hosting the Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic, and to Mel Sanders of Cover to Cover Books & Espresso for housing this collection of written word dreamers, observers, movers and shakers. I also want to thank the Ghost Town Poetry community and the Vancouver Arts community for their encouragement and support, for what I hope will be a successful, multi-faceted career in the arts. ”

Here is what April had to say. Please also visit the VoiceCatcher website, which features other material not included in the text below: http://voicecatcher.org/2011/12/25/meet-april-bullard-the-magician-of-the-columbia-river/

April Bullard’s remarks at Cover to Cover Books, December 8, 2011

Thanks to Voicecatcher.org for this opportunity to submit work for publication, Toni Partington for organizing this Voicecatcher 6 reading and presentation, Christopher Luna for hosting the Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic, and Mel Sanders for housing this collection of written word – dreamers, observers, movers and shakers.

Talk about your artwork in VC6. Hmm… where to begin? How about keeping it simple, what do I do, and why do I do it?

My photography tends to be abstract. A visual display of colors that create shapes that trigger an emotional response. That sounds pretty high falootin’ , but it all comes down to taking a photograph that makes you see what I see, feel what I feel, and makes unusual ideas cross your mind the way they crossed mine. I am one of those people that never grew out of finding pictures in the clouds, monsters in shadows, and the mythical in the mundane. I turned my eyes and camera to the river that I live on, and found a whole new magical world. Water is  always moving, and always changing, by definition – fluid. It is a fun challenge to find sharp, distinct pictures in the water that strike a primal, instinctive chord, that hopefully, forces you to stop and take another look.

Random Thoughts by April Bullard

“Random Thoughts” is a photo of a micro moment of water reflections.  The human-like profile spewing random bits and pieces from its mouth, tickled me. How much talk, talk, talk is constantly ‘streaming’ around us (all puns intended!), and  yet, you still don’t get a clear picture of the speaker. There is an ‘undercurrent’ that suggests the speaker has opposite, more, and stronger thoughts and intentions. How much of what we say is a true ‘reflection’ of what we mean? If a few of those and other ideas, swirl around and gather ‘eddies’ of thought in your mind, or pluck a heart string that sends a tiny ‘ripple’ through your soul, I feel the work has been successful.

Water Angel 5 by April Bullard

“Water Angel 5” is a split second that captured an angel in the trailing wake from my boat. Can you see the angel silhouetted in the emerging sun, rising from the whirling darkness? Can you see the angel’s shadow or counterpart? Are the bubble rings prayers sent into the ether? Why are they dark? Is the angel helping or escaping the chaos? Is the chaos the angel’s own duality of thought and desires or the earthly chaos of humanity?  Once you get started, there are many possible interpretations. if I made you find something near any of these ideas, the art worked.

These pieces are for sale, and I have a portfolio of work available for browsing. I have photography in rotation with Drew-Jones Studio Art, 4 pieces in the current show at Starting Grounds Church Gallery in Battleground. I’m one of the 100 artists in Gallery 360’s January show “The Collective.” I’ll be part of more Voicecatcher 6 presentations in January and into 2012.

My paintings have a wonderful home, here, at Cover to Cover Books & Espresso. My thanks to Mel! Three of the pieces are now book covers, check out the original paintings, and the paperbacks. “The Witch of Gator-Tail Slough” is the cover of “Aoife’s Kiss Dec 2011” a sci-fi/fantasy magazine from Sam’s Dot Publishing. Mel will have a few copies available, and she can order them online for you as well, or you can order them directly from the publisher through my website as paperbacks or e-books.

My third published poem, “River Fog”, is in “Shelter of Daylight Autumn 2011” a softer sided fantasy/horror anthology from Sam’s Dot Publishing. Again, Cover to Cover will have a few copies available, or it can be ordered online.

I have more cover art coming out in January, gallery showings, and poetry contracted for publication in 2012.

I want to thank the Ghost Town Poetry community, the Vancouver Art community, and Voicatcher.org for the start of what I hope will be a successful, multi-faceted career in the arts.

April Bullard will be a featured reader at the Coaster Poetry Contest Winners reading at Niche Wine and Art Bar (1013 Main Street, Vancouver) on January 18 at 7pm and at the William Stafford Reading at Cover to Cover Books (6300 NE St. James Rd., Suite 104B) on January 21 at 4pm.

Authors, publishers and readers gather at Cover to Cover Dec. 10, 2011

Printed Matter Vancouver would like to thank Cover to Cover Books owner Mel Sanders and all the participants in the first annual Author Fair for a fun afternoon of literature, snacks, and community. We really enjoyed meeting the other authors and publishers as well as all of the wonderful folks who stopped by our table. We were surprised to learn that some of the attendees had even come from out of state to see us.

Here are some pictures from the fair, courtesy of Lilith Saintcrow. To read Lilith’s account of the event, and see more photos, go to: http://www.lilithsaintcrow.com/journal/2011/12/they-are-odd-and-winsome-beasts-those-writers/#more-3738

Toni Partington reads her poem, “It Matters To Notice These Things,”

from the Ghost Town Poetry anthology,

published this year by Printed Matter Vancouver

Christopher Luna reads his poem, “magic taken seriously,”

from the Ghost Town Poetry anthology

Here’s hoping that this will become an annual event. There is no one I know who does more than Mel Sanders to foster literary community in Vancouver. Please support her by doing your holiday book shopping with her.

If you don’t yet have a copy of the Ghost Town Poetry anthology, it is available at Cover to Cover Books (http://covertocoverbooks.net) for ten dollars. Give the gift of poetry this holiday season.

On January 12 at 6pm Printed Matter Vancouver will celebrate five years of open mic poetry at Cover to Cover Books  with a potluck, open mic poetry, and musical performances from Jennifer Pratt -Walter, Bret Jorgensen, and Lincoln’s Beard.  We hope you will join us for what is certain to be a fun evening.