April – August 2012

Poetry of the Wild (POW) is a participatory environmental art project connecting people to landscape by combining poetry, visual art, and nature observation. The POW project was designed by Ana Flores, an ecological designer and sculptor who has toured nationally with this unique project. POW began last year during Mystic Art Center's Outdoor Sculpture exhibit and is a collaboration of the Mystic Arts Center, The Alexey von Schlippe Gallery of Art at UConn Avery Point and Expressiones Cultural Center in New London.

In 2012, Poetry of the Wild kicked off in April with a poetry walk in downtown New London. The walk led participants to the 16 poetry boxes placed throughout the town. Each box contains poems and a journal for public response. The boxes, fabricated out of recycled materials or by adapting old containers, are designed to reflect the chosen texts within. Many of the poems are by writers from the area including Jose Gonzalez, Rhonda Ward, Alva Greenberg, Michael Bradford, Minerva Sadorra, Lana Orphanides, Jeanne Sigel and others.

An audio phone tour hosted by the New London Public Library will be available through the duration of the New London project. Participants can access the tour by calling 860.902.5005, by visiting http://myoncell.mobi/18609025005.

The poetry boxes will remain up throughout the summer. POW culminates in two final showings in 2013 on the Sculpture Path at UConn Avery Point in Groton and again at Mystic Arts Center during its centennial celebration.

The project is funded in part by the CT Commission of Arts and Tourism in partnership with the Mystic Arts Center, Expressiones Cultural Center in New London, the Alexey von Schlippe Gallery of Art at UConn Avery Point and the Public Library of New London.

2012 Poetry of the Wild Sites:
Ocean Beach Park Nature Trail, 1225 Ocean Avenue
Box by Diane Barcelo ~~ Poem by Rhonda Ward
Box by Ana Flores ~~ Poem by Jose Gonzalez

Mitchell Woods, 437 Pequot Avenue
Box by student Jamie Wo ~~ Poem by John Keats
Box by student Kyle Steiner ~~ Poem by Emily Dickinson
Box by student Zachary Rudnick ~~ Poem by and Mark Twain

Mitchell Beach, 437 Pequot Avenue
Box by STEM Professor Victoria Brennan ~~ Poem by Rachel Carson
Box by student Michael Peno ~~ Poem by Henry W. Longfellow

Hygienic Art Park, 79 Bank Street
Box by Karen Rand Anderson ~~ Poem by Nancy Brady Cunningham

Expressiones Cultural Center, 84 Bank Street
Box by Guido Garaycochea ~~ Poem by Michael Bradford

The Day, 47 Eugene O'Neill Drive
Box and poem by Alva Greenberg

Top of State Street, offices of Sabilia & DeSantis
Box by Jim Stidfole, George Haling, Gwen Basilica, Elaine Mills
Poem by Jeanne Sigel

Bean and Leaf, 13 Washington Street
Box and poem by Minerva Sadorra

Public Library of New London, 63 Huntington Street
Box by Dimi Orphanides ~~ Poem by Lana Orphanides
Box by Ana Flores ~~ Poem by Walt Whitman (inside the library)

ISAAC School garden, 190 Governor Winthrop Boulevard
Box by E.Grenger, I.Stephanski, T.Tolles,
S. Fergusson (assisted by Diane Barcelo )
Poets: H.Masse, M. Christensen, A. Garcia. R. Barnes

FRESH Community Garden, Williams Street & Mercer Street
Guido Garaycochea and New London High School Students

More info on POW can be found on Facebook or by visiting Ana Flores’ blog.