Julie Watts , our hardworking and beloved president was awoken early one morning recently to be told she was the successful winner of the Hunters Writers Centre Grieve award. At lunch on Friday the poets helped Julie to celebrate her success with some beautiful flowers and a glass of bubbly
No class on Friday, July 1st.
There is no poetry class on Friday 1st of July, but we are meeting for lunch and poetry in the Arts Centre cafe from 12 noon. Do join us if you can.
OOTA keeps you young ...
There was wine for everyone's taste when OOTA members recently came together to celebrate the 90th birthday of a long-time member, Mary Jarzabkowski. Mary's sparkling intelligence and deep interest in the world is infectious. She has attended the prose classes for the last ten years.
Mary was presented with a beautiful bouquet and when thanking the group Mary said being a member of OOTA kept her mind active and the social group kept her young.
During her time as a member, Mary published her memoir Beyond Borders which is available through BookPal.
OOTA poets and Applecross Senior High School
OOTA poets recently wrote ekphrastic poetry in response to artworks by students of Applecross Senior High School, and it made the local press. A wonderful collaboration between artists and poets, facilitated by Veronica Lake, it resulted in the publication of a beautiful book of the poetry beside the artworks entitled Fusions.
The Dorothy Hewett Award
Congratulations to the following OOTA members who were shortlisted for the Inaugural Dorothy Hewett Award:
Renee Pettitt-Schipp, 'Returning to Land' - poetry
Carol Milner, 'Settling' - poetry
Catherine Noske, 'The Call of Salt' - novel
Josephine Wilson's novel 'Extinctions' was announced the winner on Saturday, February 20th, as part of the PIAF Writers Festival. More information here
Classes for 2016
Poetry Classes with Shane McCauley will recommence on Friday 15th of January, and continue fortnightly from then on.
Prose Classes with Helen Hagemann will recommence on Friday 5th of February. More information regarding the prose classes is available here.
Congratulations to Meredi Ortega
Meredi Ortega, who was involved with OOTA for many years before moving to the UK, has been awarded third place in the prestigious Resurgence Poetry Prize 2015. You will be able to read her poem here
Congratulations Meredi!
OOTA Christmas Party this Friday.
OOTA members are invited to our annual Christmas Party, this Friday 18th December from 12.30 pm, in the Pavilion of the Fremantle Arts Centre.
Please bring a plate of food to share.
Helen Hagemann will be reading some prose and Tony Curtis will be reading poetry.
Don't forget to bring some coins for the Famous OOTA Christmas Raffle. Tony Curtis will also have copies of his latest publication, Approximately in the key of C, for sale.
OOTA 2015 Christmas Party.
Friday 18th December, 12.30 - 3.00
in the Pavilion at Fremantle Arts Centre
Please bring a plate of finger food to share
CREATIVE COMPANY!
OOTA CHRISTMAS RAFFLE
All Welcome
Membership copies of Westerly will be distributed.
2015-16 OOTA Committee
Congratulations to the 2016 OOTA committee:
President: Julie Watts
Vice President: Carolyn Abbs
Secretary: Liz Hearnden
Treasurer: Leanne Searle
Membership Coordinator: Josephine Clarke
Ordinary Committee members: Renee Pettitt-Schipp, Jan Napier, Marlish Glorie and Maureen Gibbons.