Spring Break
Poet Harrington next in 'New and Emerging Artists Series'
Heather Holm / Activities Editor
Issue date: 2/19/09 Section: News
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The English professor was responsible for bringing writer Janice Harrington to share her works with the campus at 5:30 p.m. today in the Black Box Theatre of the Doudna Fine Arts Center.
"I read her wonderful book of poems called 'Even the Hollow My Body Made is Gone,'" Engles said. "She's both a poet and a storyteller, and I found the book's overarching story of a Southern black family finding its way north very engrossing."
Engles said Harrington is a young, up-and-coming artist people are sure to hear more about in the future.
"It is great that we can bring her here right as her career is taking off," he said.
Harrington is a full-time creative writing instructor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
"She also wrote poetry and children's books," said Dan Crews, dean of the College of Arts and Humanities.
Harrington has performed at festivals around the country, including the National Storytelling Festival.
She is coming as part of Doudna's "New and Emerging Artists Series."
"Her work is getting great notice out there, so that is why she received the invitation to come to Eastern," Crews said.
Harrington agreed to meet with some English classes today along with a Children's Literature class where she will share her children's books.
"Any time I can come to share my work, I think that is rewarding," Harrington said.
The English department and Doudna's "New and Emerging Artists Series" funded the program.
Crews said visual and musical artists will be featured in the "New and Emerging Artists Series" this semester along with up-and-coming writers.
Crews said the series was started in conjunction with the Doudna Fine Arts Center opening.
This semester, the series has already brought the Yellowjackets' performance and the "Lions in Winter" presentations featuring Midwestern writers.
Several writers will be coming later this year, including poet Luisa Igloria in April.
"The 'New and Emerging Artists Series has been in the works several years," Crews said. "The university has gone six years without a fine arts center, and now that we are open again and not in an old Charleston grocery store, we wanted to provide a lot of programming. It's a way for performers to spend time and share their knowledge with faculty and students."
Harrigton's awards:
Harrington won the A. Poulin, Jr. Poetry Prize and the Kate Tufts Discovery Award for her poetry book entitled "Even the Hollow My Body Made Is Gone" (2007).
She is the winner of a 2007 National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowship for Poetry.
Harrington's poetry appears regularly in American literary magazines.
She has written two children's books, "Going North" (2004), and "The Chicken Chasing Queen of Lamar County" (2007). These were heralded as one of TIME Magazine's top 10 children's books of 2007.
Heather Holm can be reached at 581-7942 or haholm@eiu.edu.
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