The Town and its Friday Harbor Arts Commission invite the public to enjoy the newly installed Poetry Gardens located at San Juan Community Theatre and the Mullis Center, in the waterfront viewing area below Downriggers, and next to the Post Office.
The 30 poems on display were selected in the Town’s first Poetry Garden Contest. Ninety San Juan County residents submitted 271 poems for review in a local blind judging process. Final selections were made by Washington State Poet Laureate, Claudia Castro Luna. Winners include 20 adults and 10 students grades three to 12.
“We would like to thank citizen committee members Boyd Pratt, Lisa Salisbury, Jennifer Boyden, and Rebecca Cook and FHAC members David Jenkins and Diane Martindale for bringing this project to the Town,” said Mayor Farhad Ghatan. This was the first time the FHAC partnered with a committee of local citizens on a public art project.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Town’s first Poetry Gardens will be announced later this year. A booklet of the poems is being published for free distribution at select locations throughout the islands.
Oh, let’s do this on Orcas. JoEllen?