On the third Sunday of each month we invite writers, poets, storytellers, spoken word artists, playwrights, songwriters, and comedians to read from their novels, short stories, poetry, plays, lyrics, spoken word, experimental work, multi-media work, stand-up comedy, whatever... Our next event is Sunday, April 15th - 7 PM at Water Street Studios || 160 S. Water St. || Batavia, IL 60510. Here's our lineup:
Barbara Barrows
Barbara Barrows is a founding member of Water Street Studios and is an abstract painter. She has been writing poetry for the last thirteen years and counts Mary Oliver as a major influence. By day, she is a photo researcher and works in text permissions for Feldman & Associates. By night, she is a writer, painter, and actor. She and her
daughter live in Batavia with a cat, two dogs, and far too many books.
Kevin Burris
Kevin Burris was once the self-declared poet laureate of Stearns Road between Dunham and the vegetable stand. He is currently considered the second best poet at his new address and will remain so unless his dog Sasha decides to take up writing. Other than that he claims no credentials whatsoever and likes it that way.
Alisa Dale
Alisa Dale has devoted decades to studying the nature of consciousness and awakening to embodied living. As a gifted intuitive healer and performance artist, she is boundlessly creative in the various forms and expressions of her work. Taken from her prolific body of writing, A Breath of Fresh Air (with shrapnel) is her IPO in book form. Alisa’s work--whether she is coaching spoken word in an inner city high school, holding workshops on Conscious Living, or meeting with individual clients--is always in service to one foundational goal: the full expression of each person's life in its infinite forms.
Donna Dettman
Charming and inspiring, Donna Dettman is a facilitator, speaker and storyteller, sharing the world of story with students, families and adults for more than 20 years. Donna brings the power of story to her keynotes, seminars and presentations. A breast cancer survivor since 2001, Donna takes audiences on a roller coaster ride through apprehension and fear to the healing discovery of laughter and hope. Donna is a passionate advocate of self-care and nurturing. She tells us: "You can't give out of an empty well!" Her seminars are compelling and filled with warmth and credibility.
John Drake
John George Drake has recently returned to the practice of writing fiction after a few decade hiatus. A lifelong midwesterner, John has a BA in English-Writing from Knox College and an MBA from the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management. John is also a musician and songwriter. He works in wealth management. He has one daughter, coaches soccer, and lives in western suburban Chicago.
Dawn Williams
Dawn Williams makes a living and has made a life of writing for more than 30 years. Presently, she is Associate Publisher for Senior News 50 and Better, which last year received national journalism awards under direction. Her humorous column, Interlude, has been picked up for syndication at last. She has also written a young adult novel, Atty's Story, which she hopes to publish very soon. Her hobbies, interests, and passions are innumerable, and only occasionally get her into trouble.
Laura Young
Her cat died. Her best friend’s father died. Shortly after, her father asked her to take his crippled dog to be ‘put down’. A week after that, her father was also dead. Three months later, her best friend had died, too. All this, in less than a year.
They say writers can fear a blank page, but this was getting ridiculous.
Before the Great Exodus, Laura Young had been a hobby writer and photographer for many years. Now on the cusp of turning 50 and having been so thoroughly reminded that life is a limited engagement, she’s dedicated herself in earnest to sharing what living with the dying has taught her.
To view her photography, access essays and exhibit information via her blog, or to learn more about Laura, please visit http://www.laurayoungphotography.com.
