Wagga Wagga launch of fourW twenty-nine

The Wagga Wagga launch of fourW twenty-nine was held at the Wagga Wagga City Library on Saturday 17th November with a large crowd in attendance. They were entertained by the readings of published poetry and prose from the anthology by twelve local and visiting writers. This included regular contributors over the years as well as those being published for the first time.


We thank all the contributors, family, and friends attending the launch as well as the Wagga Wagga City Library staff for contributing to the success of the event and look forward to 2019 with the publication of the thirtieth edition of fourW. 


The winners of the 2018 Booranga Literary Prizes

Poetry: Andy Kissane - Sacrifice 

Prose: Dorothy Simmons - Opposable Thumbs

Scott Howie proposes a toast to fourW

fourW twenty-nine was launched by Scott Howie, Executive Director of Eastern Riverina Arts. Scott concluded his launch speech with these fine words as a toast to the twenty-ninth edition of the anthology.

"A book is permanent, a quest to stake out physical space is the world.  They are great objects to hold, to stack, to peruse, to rifle through the pages. So a toast. To all the words inked onto these pages. May you find eyes to read you, mouths to speak you, ears to hear you and imaginations to play in.  To fourW…"

Derek Motion

Joan Cahill

Jill Jones Residency

Jill Jones reading at Museum of the Riverina

Poet, Jill Jones was in residency at Booranga in September and during that time conducted a writing workshop at Booranga as well as a public reading at the Historic Council Chambers in Wagga Wagga. Jill read a wide variety of poems from her previously published books as well as works in progress.

The workshop was very popular with poets travelling from as far away as Albury to attend and learn new skills from Jill. 

Jill's residency provided a bonus for Wagga poet, Claire Baker, when she was able to have a one-on-one mentoring session at Booranga with Jill.

A Dilemma Solved

by Claire Baker

Grandmotherly duties at my youngest grandson’s birthday or attend a writing workshop with Jill Jones – a predicament that could lead to only one outcome. But I’d been so looking forward to meeting Jill and flexing my writing skills under her guidance, especially after reading a recent anthology published by the Poetry Union which Jill co-edited.

Then I scrolled down the reminder email sent by Kathryn, Booranga’s Creative Director, prior to the workshop – for financial members the chance to have a consultancy with Jill. The answer to my dilemma if I was lucky enough to be given the nod. And I was.

I’ve been working on a small collection of poems inspired by “The Elsewhere” travelling exhibition, curated by Dr Sam Bowker, and was wondering if I’d achieved a variety of theme and cohesion within the poems. I don’t know about other writers, but sometimes I’m too close to the words on the page and start to doubt what I’ve written.

Being able to discuss these works with Jill, in the hour or so we spent at Booranga, helped me to re-focus on each piece so that their individuality could shine. Jill provided me with some pertinent suggestions and opened my mind to possibilities that improve the poems while referencing various artworks in the exhibition. Jill treated me as an equal, even though she has been published many times, which made me feel that my efforts were worthwhile.

I’m still working on these poems and enjoying the process. I would encourage any writer who is a financial member of Booranga to apply for a consultancy from the writer in residence when the opportunity arises.

Oh, and the birthday party was a lot of fun too!

Jill Jones and Claire Baker at Booranga

Workshop

Workshop

Workshop

Glebe launch of fourW twenty-nine

David Gilbey

The Sydney launch of fourW twenty-nine was held at Gleebooks, Glebe on Saturday 24th November. 

We thank all the contributors, family, and friends who attended the launch as well as the staff at Gleebooks for contributing to the success of the event and look forward to 2019 with the publication of the thirtieth edition of fourW. 




The winners of the 2018 Booranga Literary Prizes

Poetry: Andy Kissane - Sacrifice 

Prose: Dorothy Simmons - Opposable Thumbs

fourW twenty-nine was launched by Joan Phillip, retired academic, poet, and short story writer.

Joan Phillip and granddaughter Katrina

(excerpt from Joan's launch speech)

"I need a breath — to do justice to the achievements, the place of, our fourW journal in its creative landscape is challenging. I shall begin by with homage to David, who has nurtured, supported its development over these 29 years. As David always acknowledges he has stalwart support from the executive committees, editorial committees, Sandra Treble who administers Booranga with such competence, and now Kathryn Halliwell, who soothed me when David was away and I was regretting a double booking for this afternoon. But David is the abiding energy in the achievement of the Journal, which had its beginning in his commitment to community writing and art...

As I have re-read, skimmed, our collecting issues I know I cannot mention everyone, but names repeat, echo, play like arpeggios in a suite – such a wealth of voices, voices which appear across the scope of our literary journals and competitions. Where could I start, perhaps with Dorothy Simmons – I vividly remember her reading “Dumping”– I did not need to re-read it — There is Virely Dunning, Derek Motion, who leaves me in awe; Mark O’Flynn, whose writings I have presented to my classes, as I have Andy Kissane’s. Andy’s interview for Spineless Wonders is a great introduction to study of the short story. Students loved the idea of a good short story being a “kick in the guts”. It is also a joy to find contributions from two past students, Robyn Young, during her CSU undergraduate days and Sally Denshire who became a colleague but was once my student at North Sydney Girls when I was in my first years of teaching.

Sally’s writings segue to fourW twenty-nine, her meditation, “Reading the Moths” is so light, with intensive visualizations of the beauty of the moths in “the eucalypt air”, epitomizing the power of words to show us a world anew, to make us pause.

Of course, I cannot introduce this outstanding issue, which delves and deciphers so many critical issues of our times, without acknowledging that its fine achievements are in spite of straitened circumstances, the withdrawal of CSU support, not just from fourW, but from Arts in general. There is such blindness to the value of imagination, or artistic endeavours, it is heartbreaking in its blindness. All those who have worked for this journal over the years are to be congratulated for sustaining writers in these gloomy times. 

Thank goodness for David’s introducing the issue with Dickens’ famous words...it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness ...it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair ...The qualities of the writings in this journal have always belonged with wisdom and hope, with light, never more so than now."

Andy Kissane reading his Booranga Prize winning poem 'Sacrifice'

Tracie Miller, Bev Smith, David Gilbey, Steve Sharman

Bev Smith and Kathryn Halliwell

Jill Jones: September Writer-in-Residence

Booranga's 2018 Writer-in-Residence program continues in September with our final writer for 2018, award-winning poet Jill Jones, in residence from 18 September to 30 September.

Jill Jones has published eleven full-length books of poetry, including Viva the Real (UQP 2018), Brink (Five Islands Press 2017), and The Beautiful Anxiety (Puncher & Wattmann 2014) which won the Victorian Premier's Prize for Poetry in 2015. 


Her work is represented in a number of major anthologies including the Macquarie PEN Anthology of Australian Literature, Contemporary Australian Poetry and The Penguin Anthology of Australian Poetry. 

In 2014 she was poet-in-residence at Stockholm University. She is a member of the J.M. Coetzee Centre for Creative Practice, University of Adelaide.

http://www.jilljones.com.au/

Latest book: Brink, Five Islands Press
http://fiveislandspress.com/catalogue/brink-jill-jones


Jill's events are as follows:

Our 'members only' event is the Meet-the-Writer soiree to welcome Jill to Booranga. This is being held on Thursday 20 September, 6pm at Booranga. 
To register your attendance please RSVP booranga@csu.edu.au 

Also available is a limited number of one-on-one consultations with Jill. 
To submit a piece of writing for consideration please email  booranga@csu.edu.au

Writing Workshop

When: Saturday 22 September, 2pm to 4pm

Where: Booranga Writers’ Centre, Mambarra Drive, Wagga Wagga

Cost: Free for members, 

$10 donation is requested from non-members. RSVP

Public Reading:

When: Thursday 27 September, 5 pm 

Where: Historic Council Chambers
Fitzmaurice St. Wagga Wagga

Cost: Free  RSVP

Booranga Writers' Centre is supported by the  NSW Government through Create NSW.

Booranga Writers' Centre gratefully acknowledges the financial and in-kind support provided by Create NSW, Wagga Wagga City Council and Charles Sturt University.

Maurice Corlett: Prize-winning Booranga poet

Maurice Corlett, long-time Booranga member, supporter, and current Committee member, recently gained third place in the Peter Cowan Poetry Prize with his poem Baker Street. “I have been sending poems away other the last couple of years and this is the best result yet,” said Maurice of his recent success.

We congratulate Maurice, a very worthy recipient, as he is a dedicated poet and a great supporter of all Booranga events behind the scenes and as well as being very generous with sharing his work in performance opportunities.

Born and raised in England, Maurice has had an interest in writing for many years. He was a founding member of Wagga Wagga Writers Writers (the forerunner of Booranga Writer's Centre) nearly thirty years ago. After an absence of several years he has returned to the group. Maurice writes poetry and prose and has been published in Booranga Writer's annual publication fourW for the last four years. Apart from writing, which he loves, he also enjoy reading his work aloud at Booranga's public readings.

BAKER STREET

Graham and me powering

our way in an old white ute

through the Wimmera after

a hard day’s toil in the heat

when Baker Street came on

the radio and I was transported

twelve thousand mile

back to London.

London – an hour on a fast

train from Brighton – where

the world seemed to be and

me walking through it

down Baker Street.

A strong sense of longing

overtook me as I sat in the

passenger’s seat knowing

that I could not go back

with Lyn waiting for me

and Renee toddling around

in the weatherboard

house in Horsham.

But I was no angel and if

it was Friday we would head

for the pub and stay there for

hours until Lyn came down

with the pram and got me out.

Now when I hear Baker Street

it reminds me of the mistakes

that we made and how things

could have been better.

Maurice Corlett

Ellen van Neerven: ASAL Patrons Lecture

Booranga writer-in-residence for July, Ellen van Neerven, spent a week at Booranga to focus on her writing; conduct a writing workshop for Booranga members and friends; and to deliver the ASAL Patrons Lecture at the Wagga Wagga Art Gallery. Ellen also attended the NAIDOC Week Celebrations at CSU Wagga during her stay.

An appreciative audience of approximately 40 people braved the cold Wagga Wagga winter evening and were rewarded with a wonderful lecture which complimented the 2018 NAIDOC Week theme Because of her, we can! A further 60 people watched the live-stream of Ellen's lecture and to date there have been over 140 views of the video.

                                                  Ellen van Neerven                       photo: James Farley

If you were unable to attend the Lecture, the video is available online 

Ellen van Neerven Lecture

Ellen van Neerven: Very present

"Ellen van Neerven's ASAL patrons lecture coincided with NAIDOC week, whose 2018 theme was Because of her, we can!  Strongly informed by this theme, Ellen devoted much of her talk to people who have been leaders and enablers for her and for others - her mother, Elders and particularly Oodgeroo Noonuccal, the activist, teacher, artist and poet.

Ellen spoke to us in a very present way, placing each word in the moment which arrived for it, and respectfully considering each thought. While she touched various topics - excluded voices in literature and education, deep climate expertise, the waves and sand around Moongalba - the keynote was continuity and connection: ancestors and knowledge present in people and country today, the slice of colonisation sitting in the long stretch of history, and young writers listening and walking where Aunties have stood." — Cassily Charles 

                                                                  Lachlan Brown and Ellen van Neerven                                Photo: James Farley

Booranga members with Ellen van Neerven
                  L to R: Maurice Corlett,  Lachlan Brown, Ellen van Neerven,Kathryn Halliwell, Claire Baker, David Gilbey                                                                                                                                                                                                     
Photo: James Farley 

Booranga Writers' Centre greatly appreciates the support from the following organisations for making this event possible.

This event was funded by the Copyright Agency through the Association for the Study of Australian Literature (ASAL)

Booranga Writers' Centre is supported by the  NSW Government through Create NSW.

Booranga Writers' Centre gratefully acknowledges the financial and in-kind support provided by Create NSW, Wagga Wagga City Council and Charles Sturt University.

Booranga Writers' Centre is supported by the  NSW Government through Create NSW.

Booranga Writers' Centre is supported by the  NSW Government through Create NSW.

Booranga Writers' Centre gratefully acknowledges the financial and in-kind support provided by Create NSW, Wagga Wagga City Council and Charles Sturt University.

Booranga Writers' Centre gratefully acknowledges the financial and in-kind support provided by Create NSW, Wagga Wagga City Council and Charles Sturt University.

Elsewhere: Workshop

Our thanks to Dr Sam Bowker, Lecturer, Art History and Visual Culture at CSU Wagga Wagga for facilitating this workshop, at the H.R. Gallop Gallery, for Booranga members and friends. Participants were given a tour of the exhibition and were then asked to respond to the artworks, reflect on the ways in which we describe travel, and critique the idea of 'elsewhere'

The artworks of Wendy Sharpe and Bernard Ollis provided detailed and colourful material for ekphrasis and travel writing inspiration.

This touring exhibition will be launched in the HR Gallop Gallery on the evening of Thursday 23 August. It will then travel to Griffith, Dubbo, Port Macquarie and Tamworth with the support of CreateNSW and a Charles Sturt University Compact Grant, curated by Dr Sam Bowker of the SCCI. The artworks include sketchbooks, unfolding scrolls, paintings, and drawings.

These drawings and paintings by Wendy Sharpe (Archibald Prize winner and former Official War Artist) and Bernard Ollis (Former Director of the National Art School) are vibrant critiques of Orientalism.​ The exhibition reflects upon how we understand each other when we are geographically separated. Their exquisite sketches record perceptive journeys with people and through places that have been clouded by misapprehension, fear, and cliches.  Their practice acknowledges the histories, limitations and initiatives of travelling artists.

This exhibition is motivated by the challenge of communicating shared experiences across place, politics, culture and history, for these are stories in which both parties are located 'Elsewhere'.

Full Exhibition Details 

Wendy Sharpe and Bernard Ollis

Elsewhere

Travels through Morocco, Egypt, Syria, Iran and Central Asia

13 August - 7 September 2018

Exhibition Launch

Thursday 23 August 6pm

H.R. Gallop Gallery, Darnell Smith Drive, CSU

Wagga Wagga

Seminar: ‘Art after Orientalism’

Thursday 30 August 1-2pm

HR Gallop Gallery, Darnell Smith Drive, CSU

Wagga Wagga. Open Monday-Friday 10am-5pm

Ekphrasis Workshop - Elsewhere: Drawings through Morocco, Egypt, Syria, Iran and Uzbekistan​

Please join us for this Ekphrasis workshop focused on the travelling exhibition Elsewhere: Drawings through Morocco, Egypt, Syria, Iran and Uzbekistan​

This touring exhibition will be launched in the HR Gallop Gallery on the evening of Thursday 23 August. It will then travel to Griffith, Dubbo, Port Macquarie and Tamworth with the support of CreateNSW and a Charles Sturt University Compact Grant, curated by Dr Sam Bowker of the SCCI. The artworks include sketchbooks, unfolding scrolls, paintings, and drawings.

These drawings and paintings by Wendy Sharpe (Archibald Prize winner and former Official War Artist) and Bernard Ollis (Former Director of the National Art School) are vibrant critiques of Orientalism.​ The exhibition reflects upon how we understand each other when we are geographically separated. Their exquisite sketches record perceptive journeys with people and through places that have been clouded by misapprehension, fear, and cliches.  Their practice acknowledges the histories, limitations and initiatives of travelling artists.

This exhibition is motivated by the challenge of communicating shared experiences across place, politics, culture and history, for these are stories in which both parties are located 'Elsewhere'.


The Booranga Writer's Centre is warmly invited to a travel writing workshop on Saturday 18 August, in which participants may choose to submit their writing for publication in the accompanying exhibition catalogue (with ISBN). In this workshop we will tour the exhibition, respond to the artworks, reflect on the ways in which we describe travel, and critique the idea of 'elsewhere'.


Ekphrasis Workshop
Saturday 18 August
2 to 4pm
H.R. Gallop Gallery
Building 21,
Darnell-Smith Drive,
Wagga Wagga
Free for members
$10 donation for non-members payable on the day.
Refreshments provided.
Workshop RSVP

Full Exhibition Details 

Wendy Sharpe and Bernard Ollis

Elsewhere

Travels through Morocco, Egypt, Syria, Iran and Central Asia

13 August - 7 September 2018

Booranga Writer’s Workshop

Saturday 18 August 2-4pm

H.R. Gallop Gallery, Darnell Smith Drive, CSU

Wagga Wagga

Exhibition Launch

Thursday 23 August 6pm

H.R. Gallop Gallery, Darnell Smith Drive, CSU

Wagga Wagga

Seminar: ‘Art after Orientalism’

Thursday 30 August 1-2pm

HR Gallop Gallery, Darnell Smith Drive, CSU

Wagga Wagga. Open Monday-Friday 10am-5pm

Lili Wilkinson Residency

Lili Wilkinson had a very busy time during her residency at Booranga in May. 

The members-only soiree held on 1 May was a very pleasant social evening as we gained an insight into Lili's YA fiction and got to know a bit about her background as a writer. 

At her public reading at the Historic Council Chambers on 3 May Lili read from her new novel When the Lights Go Out which is being released in August. She followed this by reading from the novel she is working on now at Booranga. The writing workshop on 12 May focused on the structure and key components of writing fiction.

Lili Wilkinson and David Gilbey

As well as her writerly duties Lili immersed herself in the local cultural scene. David Gilbey took Lili to the SoACT production of Design for Living on Friday night, and on Saturday she delighted in the vast array of second-hand books at the Rotary Book Fair. This was followed by the live, local and original music at Fitz Live Wagga Wagga City Council event.

Lili was interviewed on ABC Radio, along with David Gilbey, and spoke to a CSU Literature and tutorial group.

Writers at Lili's Booranga workshop

"CSU's LIT124 - The Oral Tradition tutorial group had a great chat to Lili yesterday afternoon, and we are all very thankful to Booranga Writers' Centre and their Writer-in-Residence program (supported by the NSW Government) that enabled this valuable learning experience to occur.

Lili discussed the conception and writing of her earlier novel 'Scatterheart' and the development of her upcoming unnamed novel, which both draw on the fairy tale traditions and characters to explore new meaning in both the historical and contemporary worlds.

The students were keen to discuss various aspects of the characterisations particular to the fairy tale genre, in particular the role of women and step-mothers, and the awakening of agency in the children in the stories and how this may be interpreted by the child reader. It was an informative and enjoyable discussion."—Monique Shephard

CSU's LIT124 - The Oral Tradition tutorial group with Lili Wilkinson

Booranga Writers' Centre is supported by the  NSW Government through Create NSW.

Booranga Writers' Centre gratefully acknowledges the financial and in-kind support provided by Create NSW, Wagga Wagga City Council and Charles Sturt University.

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