The Studio Series Poetry Reading & Open Mic

Featuring Patti Palmer-Baker and Victoria Wittenberg Patti Palmer-Baker

Over the years of exhibiting her artwork—a combination of paste paper collages with her poetry in calligraphic form – Pattie PalmerBaker was surprised and delighted that people, despite what they may believe, do like poetry; in fact, many liked the poems better than the visual art. She now concentrates on writing. Published in many journals, she has been nominated twice for the Pushcart Poetry Prize. Her work has won several first prizes. First, second and the Bivona prize (for the best overall entry) in the Ageless Authors Anthology 2019. First prize 2020 in the Central Oregon Writers’ Guild contest. First prize 2022 Oprelle Oxbow contest. She is the author of the chapbook, The Color of Goodbye (Kelsay Press 2021) and the poetry collection, Five Fundamental Forces (Moon Path Press 2023).

Richard Hugo comments in his book, The Triggering Town, that The poem is always in your hometown, but you have a better chance of finding it in another. Victoria Wyttenberg’s hometown is Grants Pass, in Southern Oregon, and her obsessions frequently go back there, often to family issues. She taught English at the high school level for over 30 years, four years at Grants Pass High School then Sunset High School, in Beaverton, Oregon. After retirement, for several years she taught part time and has continued taking classes and workshops in writing and in art. Her book of poems, A Bird Watching, was published in 2023 by Moon Path Press. The last few years she has had to deal with numerous illnesses and deaths in her family. These losses have had an enormous effect on her and her writing, but recognizing there is much beauty in the world, she strives to be open to the gifts that life continues to provide. The Open Mic is open to all audience members. Participants can sign up before the start of the reading or during the break. In the interest of time, Open Mic readers are asked to limit their readings to three minutes.