by daithí

Q:What happens when you put 3 well-grounded artists in a library for an afternoon?

On October 19 during the afternoon, a packed room walked around the painted dirt exhibit on cotton to look at Frederick Rudi’s first public showing of his artwork in 13 years. Rudi spent his childhood in Iowa. Like his favorite poet, Ted Kooser, life in the Plains was direct and simple.

Judith Janoo began her reading of her verse after folks got to walk about the artwork. Judith grew up in a different place than Frederick. She was born and raised in Maine and her family got by casting nets into the deep blue, doing their best to scrape by through grit and determination. You can almost smell the sea in her poems about the place.

Scudder Parker followed Judith in reading his poetry. Scudder’s formative years were spent in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont on a farm that struggled against the climate and rocky earth. His ear was keenly attuned to the sounds and lives of his neighbors and so much of it he transcribed into verse.

Afterwards, Frederick, Judith, and Scudder took a few questions from the attentive audience. One question in particular caught the interest of all 3 artists. It had to do with How do you know when your work of Art is done? Rudi said it hummed. Both poets agreed. It reminded me of Flow theory or being in the zone. Such things are hard to explain but there has to be a certain frequency or energy the work sends out to the universe–whether it is a painting or a poem.

Thanks go out to Susan Green of the Jaquith Library for co-sponsoring the events. PSOV poets were introduced by Elizabeth McCarthy and myself. Jasper Hill donated cheese to supplement home-made breads and baked goods. Also, thanks to the various poets who trekked out to Marshfield, sometimes from considerable distance.

The last gathering was a bit like this Fall: with a crescendo of local colors lighting up dark houses.

Q:What happens when you put 3 well-grounded artists in a library for an afternoon?

A:You get a resounding hum.