CHRIS ARVIDSON

words and art
 

Many of you might be wondering why, why Chris? why have I said not word 1 about the fact that this week pitchers and catchers reported for Spring Training. Believe me, I've been asking myself the same question. That's why I changed the background theme of this-here website to "turf." I needed some reminding.

 

The truth is I'm covered over with the details, minute and global, of the March 10 opening of the "Evolution of Words & Art" exhibit which I am managing at the Charlotte Art League AND like a complete dumbass, the simultaneous opening of my own show "Painting Words" the same night in the same place at the samd GD time. It seemed like such a good idea... two ekphrastic shows can compliment one another...one is upfront, the other in the back on the "featured artist" wall...blah blah blah. But seriously? What was I thinking? 

 

It's all OK. Things are on schedule. My paintings are ready...ok some need to dry a bit more. But I've gotten to the point where I'm waking up at 3:00 a.m. routinely thinking about stuff like, periods after middle initials on the writer's list, D-rings on the backs of some of my paintings, a wholesale rethink on which poems to produce/print... you get the idea. 

 

So, I think a trip to the store to find a Faygo Red Pop, some hot dogs, and then a look at the MLB TV Spring Training broadcast schedule is in order. I need to PLAY BALL!

I don't want to brag, but damn, I just got the best email from a much-admired writer and I am definitely sharing it, because DAMN. From Judy Goldman:

 

Oh, Christine, you have done it! This book is stunning! I so admire these poems — they're complex and accessible, questioning and wise, surprising and just what we would want to know. Well done, my friend! Every poem belongs; following one another, they create a strong, strong narrative.
 

So if you need another reason to check out my chapbook, do what Judy says. And while you're at it, Judy's newest "Child: A Memoir" is brave and wonderful and scary and fine. Go get it, too. 

The box came today. It is THRILLING. The book looks beautiful. Thank you Finishing Line Press for publishing my work, and for putting my painting on the cover. 

 

Now, if you've pre-ordered, yu should be getting your copies in the next week or so. Please take a picture of yourself with the book and post in on Facebook, or Instagram, or here on this blog!

 

You can order the book directly from the publisher at www.finishinglinepress.com. I'm working on getting it into bookstores (you can ask for it at your local bookseller and they can order it for you), and it's available on Amazon as well. 

Inevitably it seems, the release of my chapbook "The House Inside My Head" is delayed a couple of weeks. So, look for it in early June.

 

MANY THANKS to my friends and colleagues who purchased the book in the presale period. According to my Henry's research into small press poetry chapbook sales, I am already a best seller. :)

 

For fun in the meantime, check out this podcast POET UP, from some of my Charlotte poetry peeps - they are hilarious and usually drinking when they are recording. I am interviewed at about minute 22.32 for this episode, which is about the OF EARTH AND SKY exhibit and book. My favorite quote from this "...you motherfuckers woulda gotten a pamphlet..." 

 

Here's the link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/poet-up/id1505222998?i=1000557723231

Lots of fun this week in the snow, with very cold temperatures, and seeing friends. Back when I lived up here in the Traverse City Michigan area, I worked at the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, with rhe smartest and most dedicated crew ever. 

 

I met up with Birgit and Glen at the 240-acre site of the new conservancy center, a rennovation of an old golf club in town. After spending 20 years above a grocery store, an office that was too small 15 years ago when I worked there, seeing the conservancy's new home was positively thrilling. In a happy quirk of fate, the Oleson family, above whose store we worked, funded the $1.2 million acquisition of the Mitchell Creek Golf Club. In addition to offices, they'll be a volunteer center/barn, and horticulture/greenhouse facilities. Oh, and they'll be goats. 

 

Painting with my sister, Lorie, is also on tap this week. You can see a painting I did today, from a picture I took out at the new conservancy home yesterday, at the top left.  It's called Fairway No Mo.

Even though Charlotte Shout got Covid-cancelled, Of Earth and Sky has gone forward. At this link you can read and see videos of poets that are part of the exhibit. You can also access the map which shows where everyone's words are displayed around the Uptown Charlotte vicinity. My words are over at Romare Bearden Park, in the grass, in white letters. 

https://ofearthandskyclt.com

What a wonderful week. The Literary Festival here in West Jefferson was truly a blast. Attendance was fantastic. All of the authors were super non-divas and, I think, enjoyed themselves as much as the attendees.

I found it very inspirational. The workshops were especially good this year and I'm at work following up what I learned, relearned, thought about, and was inspired by from the week.

Darnell Arnoult has me on a poem a day, which is kind of a strange exercise for me... I've never much thought about being a poet, but it's really kind of working and it's inspiring the work on my novel. Jeremy had me writing two scenes...one of which is definitely going to find its way into the novel somewhere.

Then, to top it all off, the NEXT DAY after the Festival we headed off to Nashville for a recording session at Omni Studios. Henry's first single with Lamon Records is now "in the can" as they say and ready to be mixed. We expect it out within a month. How can that not be exciting? And it's wonderful to watch pros at their work in general. Great musicians, a fabulous studio, it's all kind of overwhelming but I'll try my best to get over it.

Not to get any dust on me, we start The Cotswold Way on Monday. Seven days of hiking 103 miles. Then in Bath we meet up with all our UK friends for five days of hilarity, confusion, talk, eating, etc. That is if I can get it together to get packed...  Read More 

Well, Julie, Scot and I went through every word of the new book. I read out loud and Julie or Scot sat there with a red pen and the print-out of the final copy from the publisher.

It's really going to happen.

I delivered all our marked pages to McFarland Publishers in Jefferson and then rolled down the windows in the car, turned up the radio (there was some early Fleetwood Mac playing), and cruised the few miles home with a satisfying grin on my face.

Now comes the cat wrangling. Our plan for selling this puppy includes as many readings/signings as we can line up in all three states that the New River flows through, and with as many of the authors as we can schedule. We've got such a wonderful group of contributors, I know they are going to have lots of suggestions, and hopefully, they'll help out with some of the leg work involved in setting this kind of stuff up.

Let the games begin. It's going to be a busy summer. Read More 

Look what appeared in my email this afternoon. The book cover and the title! In the next couple of weeks I'll be able to post a link to the publisher's catalogue for pre-orders, too. It's all feeling real now.

We don't have a publication date yet, right now they're still saying spring/summer 2015, and we haven't seen a proof yet, but it looks like the price will be $19.95 which is very pleasing -- we wanted to keep it as low as possible.

YAY! Read More