LAST CALL: Writing the Land Project

The Branford Land Trust is excited to participate in WRITING THE LAND, a project that links local artistic and conservation communities. This creative collaboration, made possible by funding from the Deirdre Baker Schiffer Fund, will reveal itself later this year in a printed anthology of work titled Windblown, an online book launch and poetry reading, and local, in-person readings.

WRITING THE LAND, together with poets, artists and land trusts, creates annual anthologies of poetry and art to help raise awareness of the importance of land conservation, ecosystems, and biodiversity across the country. Its northeast anthology, Windblown, will feature efforts of the Branford Land Trust, work by Norwalk poet Laurel Peterson, and artwork by members of the BLT and Branford Arts and Cultural Alliance (BACA).

As part of this effort, Peterson has adopted the Beacon Hill Preserve, and will walk and write about the land throughout the coming year.

Peterson is Professor of English at Norwalk Community College. Her poetry has been published in many small literary journals, and she has two poetry chapbooks: That’s the Way the Music Sounds and Talking to the Mirror. She co-edited a collection of essays on women’s justice titled (Re)Interpretations: The Shapes of Justice in Women’s Experience, wrote the mystery novel, Shadow Notes, and published a full-length collection of poetry, Do You Expect Your Art to Answer You? She served as poet laureate of Norwalk, CT from April 2016 – April 2019.

Because the work of WRITING THE LAND gains strength, depth, beauty, and energy from a multitude of voices, the BLT has partnered with Branford Arts and Cultural Alliance (BACA) to feature local artists in the Windblown anthology. BACA is a local non-profit organization whose mission is to support all of the arts in Branford and on the shoreline.

Would you like to see your artwork featured in the anthology? We’re looking for artwork that features Branford Land Trust properties or protected open space in Branford. Entries from members of the BLT and/or BACA will be juried by BACA and must be received by Thursday, May 31. There is an entry fee of $25.

MORE INFORMATION

• Writing the Land: Artist Call for Entries (web)
• Writing the Land: Artist Call for Entries PDF
• BLT Properties & Branford Protect Open Space
• Writing the Land organization
• Branford Arts and Cultural Alliance

For more information about the WRITING THE LAND anthology project, contact the BLT at info@branfordlandtrust.org.