Announcing the winning entries of the first annual Ekphrastic Writing Contest

A huge thanks to everyone who submitted work to the Peace Liard Regional Arts Council’s first annual Ekphrastic Writing Contest. Inspired by artwork displayed at the 2019 Regional Juried Art Exhibit, these pieces of writing were blind-judged by award-winning Kamloops writer, Katherin Edwards who said, “Ekphrastic poetry enters, expands then extends beyond the frame of an art piece moving the experience of the visual into the literary. Revealing a writer’s thoughts and expressions of a work, this response also tells a story. The pieces chosen for this contest have created small narratives that enhance the beauty of art.”

And the selected pieces are:

  1. “Blood is Spilled” (inspired by Barbara Swail’s “Bank Series #14”) – Marilyn Belak, Dawson Creek
  2. “Alchemy” (inspired by Ken Lane’s “Qualicum Beach”) – Pamela den Ouden, Fort St. John
  3. “X Marks the Spot” (inspired by Karl Mattson’s “X Marks the Spot”) – Denise Gardiner, Chetwynd
  4. “New Beginnings” (inspired by Margaret Mabius’ “New Beginnings”) – Norma Rrae, Fort St. John
  5. “REM Encounter” (inspired by Joel Leite’s “REM Encounter”) – Seanah Roper, Fort Nelson
  6. “Trump Making America Great Again” (inspired by Maureen Mohr’s “Trump Making America Great Again”) – Seanah Roper, Fort Nelson
  7. “Winter in Pineview” (inspired by Margaret May’s “Winter in Pineview”) – Seanah Roper, Fort Nelson

Each chosen entry receives $50 and a professional designed art print of their writing with the piece of art that inspired it. These broadsides will be launched and made available at the 2019 Wild Words North the last weekend in September at the North Peace Cultural Centre.