Vancouver, Wash. – The Clark County Arts Commission has named Gwendolyn Morgan as Clark County Poet Laureate. Morgan takes over for the county’s inaugural Poet Laureate Christopher Luna, who served from 2013 to 2017.

The Arts Commission invites community members to a “passing of the pen” ceremony for Morgan Sunday, Sept. 30, 2–4 pm in the Columbia Room at the Vancouver Community Library, 901 C St.

The event will feature readings and performances demonstrating the creative energy of collaboration among art forms including poetry, song, dance and more.

Morgan earned a master’s in fine art in creative writing from Goddard College and a master’s in divinity from San Francisco Theological Seminary and the Graduate Theological Union. Her first book, Crow Feathers, Red Ochre, Green Tea was a winner of the Wild Earth Poetry Prize. Another book, Snowy Owls, Egrets and Unexpected Graces is a Nautilus Gold Winner in Poetry. Morgan and her spouse Judy live in the Salmon Creek area.

Morgan says she “celebrates collaborative work for equity and inclusion while encouraging integration of literary and expressive arts, music and holistic modalities.”

The poet laureate enriches our community by promoting appreciation and practice of writing and reading poetry. Through speaking engagements and teaching opportunities, the poet laureate demonstrates by example and encouragement the art of language as a powerful means of self-expression.

CONTACT
LaRae Zawodny
Clark County Arts Commission
360.980.2021
lzawodny@msn.com