Several months ago I came across Gwarlingo, an online site dedicated to advancing the arts. The site is run by its creator, Michelle Aldredge, who previously worked at the MacDowell Colony but left in 2011 to pursue and support the arts with this new venture. Not surprisingly, Michelle is herself a writer.
What, you might ask, does Gwarlingo mean? It's defined this way at the website: "Gwarlingo is a Welsh word for the rushing sound a grandfather clock makes before it strikes." Michelle strikes a few times a week with posts that feature filmmakers, musicians, novelists, memoirists, and, bless her, poets. Part of her mission is to feature artists who might not have been absorbed into the mainstream, so you can expect to find some new faces and work at the site as well as some familiar ones. All past poet features can be found in the Sunday Poem archive. There is also a complete archive for all artist features.
I came across this site when Michelle initiated her fundraiser, with a goal of raising $15,000, a sum that would allow her to keep the site ad-free. Like you, most likely, I come across a number of fundraising projects for artists. I can't contribute to all of them; nor are all of them equally worthy. But this one struck me as very worthy as the whole idea is to support other artists and to promote the arts. Plus, Michelle offers some enticing rewards for contributions.
Of course, my favorite feature at Gwarlingo is the Sunday Poem. A single poet is selected for the feature which includes a bio, some photos, cover images, excerpts from reviews, and a sampling of poems. This can be read at the website or via email delivery.
Needless to say, I was thrilled when Michelle contacted me for a Sunday Poem feature. Thus I became the featured poet on Sunday, May 12, Mother's Day. What a perfect gift! Michelle chose four poems from my book, Temptation by Water: "Implosion," "How Sarah Wins the Essay Contest," "The Jesus Potato," and "Seventh-Grade Science Project."
If you're not already a subscriber, I encourage you to become one. Simply go to the Gwarlingo site and add your email address to the box in the righthand sidebar. Then you, too, will receive the Sunday Poem and a mid-week piece by email. And if you can make a contribution, please do so. Look for more information at the site, again in the righthand sidebar. Michelle is very close to her goal, but would surely appreciate a bit more help. Should you care to contribute, you'll stand with others who support Michelle's mission to promote the arts. Donations in any amount can be made. But even if you can't contribute, all of the past articles and gorgeous visual work remain available to you. Enjoy!
Lovely feature, Diane. I didn't know about Gwarlingo. I plan to spend some time browsing the site. It looks great.
ReplyDeleteMaureen--The site is perfect for people like you. I know you'll love it.
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