Bio

Creative Bio

Group Exhibitions I have created and took part in:

My vision in organizing the following group shows is to bring together women from various generations and levels of experiences in the Northwest region to find new connections, as well as ways to inspire and support each other

2001 Spirit Journey, works which symbolically express the relationship with our inner journey and our everyday lives, personal contribution: a series of masks/poetry exploring my relationship with the natural world

2006 Mapping the Intimate, works that express and own individuals’ relationship with intimacy, personal contribution: a triptych using homemade paper, photography and poetry honouring the passing of a dear friend

2010 Portals, art exploring passageways into unseen possibilities, and transformation, personal contribution: a series of collage pieces on discovering my hidden ancestry

Contributions to Group Exhibits

2013 Rivers and Waterfalls, contribution: “Reflections on Water and Light” driftwood, painted glass panels

2014 The Art of Paper, contribution: “inspirations from ocean” hand-made paper, poetry, found objects from the shore line.

Workshops

2005 ‘Sayt Kuulum goot: Of One Heart’, The Northwest Aboriginal Youth Suicide Prevention and Community Healing Project-created art activity to support information sharing lead by Patricia Vickers P.H.D. to 8 First Nations Communities in the Northwest region

2006 Highway 16 Missing Womens Project, facilitated entry from students at alternate school to include in this regional traveling show, creating awareness of disappearance of women

2010 NorthWords Adult Creative Writers Camp, along with guest speaker Simon Thompson, this week long camp combined writing exercises with collage

2010 NorthWords Youth Creative Writers Camp, combined making art books with words and collage

2010 A View of Her Own, Terrace Women’s Resource Centre, youth week long camp exploring community using photography, collage and creative expression

Ongoing workshops include

Co-facilitating monthly writing workshops

Expressive Art Journaling – creating intention

Embracing our Past: collage including photo transfer techniques to bring pictures to life

Poetry/Prose

2001  ‘Passages’ Journal published by U.N.B.C. poems Geode, Swamp Zone, Zoercidae, In the Ecstacy of Movement

2002 ‘Connection’ Magazine, poems St. Gabriel de Valcartier, Finding you

2004 “Spirit of the Raven” Video Copycat Video Productions, Terrace

2005 ‘Northword’ Magazine column on creating art shows

2010 COMMUNITY, CULTURE, NATURE: NORTHERN BC WOMEN’S ECOPOETRY. by Dr. Jacqueline  Hoekstra,  Thesis for Doctor of Philosophy, Simon Fraser University- analytical section on ‘Swamp Zone’ 

2010 Anthology ‘Unfurl’  a collection of Northern B.C. Women Poets Caitlin Press , poems open for business, Snapshots of Port Edward Cannery and Leaving Home

2011  Chapbook ‘The Language of Trees’, Co-edited , poems: Anticipation and shadows under the birch

2012 Chapbook ‘Postcards from the Edge of the World’, Prince Rupert Community Arts council, poems Prince Rupert Hotel, beginnings

2013  Chapbook ‘The Rivers Speak’, Co-edited, poems: Recordings and Rituals

2015 Dreamland Spring Issue. Literary Journal, poems: The Boy who Walks, Apology

2016 Chapbook ‘Skunk Cabbage’, Co-edited, poems: Fererish for Spring, Flight of Geese, Pie Recipe, Naming

2016 Chapbook ‘Snow Feathers’, Co-edited, poems: Paper Making, Frozen Reflections, January Morning, Ghazal of Deep Winter, For Bridget, Bewitched

2017 Chapbook “Water Worn’ poems: Streambed, Journey, Safe Haven Skeena River Flood

2017 Feminist Caucus Newsletter, The League of Canadian Poets, poems: Streambed,
Safe Haven, Skeena River Flood, Open for Business, Snapshots of Port Edward Cannery, Frozen Reflections

2017 Heartwood Anthology, The League of Canadian Poets, poem: Survival

2018 Thimbleberry Winter Edition, Literary Journal, creative non-fiction: Slow Time, poem: Wilderness

2018 Poem in your Pocket Booklet: The League of Canadian Poets, Poem: Swamp Zone

2018 Writers North of 540 Anthology ‘Shadows and Light: poems of emergence’ Poems- Separated, Light Bodies, White Promise, Every walk is a sort of crusade,

2018 Another Dysfunctional Cancer Poem Anthology, poem: Rockbound’

2019 Writers North of 54 Anthology ‘seed dreams’ Poems- Conversations in February, Cold Storage, Returning Home, Townhouse Gardin, the seed dreams

Other Achievements

In 2016, Joan spearheaded the creation of ‘Writers North of 54, a poetry collective whose primary objective is to express the unique voice and landscape of northwestern British Columbia.

2018- present Associate Representative for the League of Canadian Poets: Co-editor for Fresh Voices online publication, Co-editor for ‘Tending the Fire’ 2020 Chapbook for the league