Ann Spiers
| Ann Spiers | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 4, 1946 Seattle, U.S. |
| 💼 Occupation | Poet and Naturalist |
Ann Spiers (born January 4, 1946) is an American poet and naturalist. She served as the first poet laureate of Vashon Island, Washington. Her work often explores environmental themes and is informed by her long-term engagement with the landscapes of the Pacific Northwest.[1]
Early life and education
Spiers was born in Seattle, Washington, and raised in the Capitol Hill neighborhood.[2] She received a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and a Master of Arts in Creative Writing and Literature from the University of Washington. She also holds a certificate in environmental management from the same institution.[1][3]
Career
Spiers's career spans poetry, editorial work, radio production, and environmental advocacy. She was a founding co-editor of The Seattle Review in 1980 and served as its cover editor from 1978 to 1985.[3] In 1984, she co-founded the Pioneer Playwrights' Lab, a development space for new theatrical work.[3]
From 1976 to 1982, Spiers co-produced and hosted the radio program Iamb Said the Lamb on KSER (formerly KRAB).[3] She has also worked as a performance playwright and served on the King County Arts Commission.[3]
In addition to her literary activities, Spiers has held various roles in environmental organizations, including serving on the board of the Vashon Land Trust,[1] as a local Audubon Society president,[1] and as a Cascades field assistant.[1] She was also a board member of the Willard R. Espy Literary Foundation in Oysterville, Washington.[4]
Themes and influences
Spiers's writing reflects the intersection of her literary training and environmental interests. Her poetry frequently engages with natural imagery and regional concerns.[3][5] She has cited the poet Robert Sund as an influence, and her poem "Poets Traveling Water" addresses a visit to Sund's cabin, reflecting on his contribution to the Cascadian literary community.[6]
Publications
Spiers books are included in the British Library,[7] have been exhibited in the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art,[8] and are part of the collections of Stanford, University of Washington, and Multnomah County Library.[9]
Spiers's work is held in the collections of the British Library,[7] Stanford University, the University of Washington, and the Multnomah County Library.[9] Her books have been exhibited at the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art.[8]
Selected publications:
- The Herodotus Poems, Brooding Heron Press, 1989[10]
- Tide Turn, May Day Press, 1996[11]
- Volcano Blue, May Day Press, 1998[12]
- Long Climb into Grace, Foothills Publishing, 2007[13]
- What Rain Does, Egress Studio, 2011[14]
- A Wild Taste, May Day Press, 2011[15]
- Bunker Trail, Finishing Line Press, 2013[16]
- Walks, Trails, and Parks on Vashon Island, Vashon-Maury Island Park District, 2017[17]
- Back Cut, Black Heron Press, 2021[18]
- Rain Violent, Empty Bowl, 2021[19]
- Harpoon, Triplet Series, Ravenna Press, 2022[20]
- Wild Cucumber, Empty Bowl, 2025[21]
Awards and residencies
Spiers has received multiple awards and fellowships in support of her literary work:
- 1979 King County Arts Commission Works-in-Progress[9]
- 1983 Bumbershoot Fiction Fellowship[22]
- 1986, 1987, 1988, 1991 Washington State Arts Commission[22]
- 2002 Writers Residency at the Willard R. Espy Foundation in Oysterville[22]
- Residencies at Hedgebrook and the Whiteley Center
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Ann Spiers". Empty Bowl. Retrieved 2025-03-03.
- ↑ James, Sibyl (April 11, 2012). "Housing, Human Services, Health and Culture Committee Meeting" (PDF). clerk.seatle.gov. Retrieved March 4, 2025.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 "Poets And Poetry - PoetsWest Directory R-Z". www.poetswest.com. Retrieved 2025-03-04.
- ↑ "Ann Spiers". www.goodreads.com. Retrieved 2025-03-03.
- ↑ "Review: Poet summons up a sensory tour of climate change". Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber. 2021-08-19. Retrieved 2025-03-04.
- ↑ Nelson, Paul E (June 13, 2023). "Cascadian Zen: bioregional writings on cascadia here and now" (PDF). paulenelson.com. Retrieved March 3, 2025.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Search". bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com. Retrieved 2025-03-04.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Catherine Alice Michaelis: Root Bound - Bainbridge Island Museum of Art". www.biartmuseum.org. 2021-08-04. Retrieved 2025-03-04.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 "A Review of Sharon Hashimoto's "More American" | North American Review". northamericanreview.org. Retrieved 2025-03-04.
- ↑ Spiers, Ann (1989). The Herodotus Poems. Waldron Island: Brooding Heron Press. ISBN 9780918116604. Search this book on
- ↑ Spiers, Ann (1996). Tide Turn. Olympia, Washington: May Day Press. Search this book on
- ↑ Spiers, Ann (1998). Volcano Blue. Olympia, Washington: May Day Press. Search this book on
- ↑ Spiers, Ann (2007). "Long Climb into Grace". Poets on Peace. Foothills Publishing. 13.
- ↑ Spiers, Ann (2011). What Rain Does. Bellingham, Washington: Egress Studio. ISBN 9780972513744 Check
|isbn=value: checksum (help). Search this book on
- ↑ Spiers, Ann (2011). A Wild Taste. May Day Press. Search this book on
- ↑ Spiers, Ann (2013). Bunker Trail. Georgetown, Kentucky: Finishing Line. ISBN 9781622293520. Search this book on
- ↑ Spiers, Ann; Gerstle, John H.; Sullivan, Susan G. (2017). Walks, Trails, and Parks on Vashon Island (5th ed.). Vashon-Maury Island Park District. ISBN 9780692965702. Search this book on
- ↑ Spiers, Ann (2021-09-06). Back Cut. Black Heron Press. ISBN 9781936364381.CS1 maint: Date and year (link) Search this book on
- ↑ Spiers, Ann (June 1, 2021). Rain Violent. Empty Bowl. ISBN 9781734187397.CS1 maint: Date and year (link) Search this book on
- ↑ Spiers, Ann; Cole, Gregory K.; Bogartte, J Karl (2022). Triple No. 16. Ravenna Press. ISBN 9781736916995. Search this book on
- ↑ Spiers, Ann (22 April 2025). Wild Cucumber: New and Selected Poems. Empty Bowl. ISBN 9798991740036.CS1 maint: Date and year (link) Search this book on
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 "Ann Spiers – A River Runs Through Us". About Place Journal. Retrieved 2025-03-04.
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