ArtsLinks
This page was most recently updated Friday, August 08, 2008.
Your connection to arts activities in Central Illinois and beyond.
ARTS LINKS HALL OF FAME
SPECIAL THANKS TO
Siobhan Pitchford Ken Sibley Pam & Jim Miller
Mark and Cheryl Pence Katherine Pauley Delinda Chapman
Corrine Frisch & Ethan Lewis Aspasia Sonia Lang
Academy of American Poets
- www.poets.org
There
are at last count 1.37 gazillion poetry websites. One of the best is this one. It has
examples of poetry and bios of many . . . American Poets.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - -
NEW WEBSITE FOR Marita Brake's -
www.maritabrake.net
She appeared to play and in Springfield,
Illinois' IMO's Pizza in the spring, 2005. She is a tremendously talented
songwriter/guitarist and absolutely merits more ears than have heard her so far. Do
yourself a favor and visit her site and buy her CDs and excellent book of poetry.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Remembering the Coffee Houses
In 1967, Job Conger was a folksinger who spent every Thursday, Friday and
Saturday night of his life for several months at a place called The Something Else Coffee
House at Forth at Capitol in lyrical downtown Springfield. This site contains pictures he
took one night and the stories of other coffee houses in the days when Puff the Magic
Dragon lived by the sea. Visit the site by clicking here
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Contemporary Art Center www.peoriacac.org
Located on the second and third floors of a warehouse built in the
1870s, in downtown Peoria, Illinois, the Center is the site of internationally
acclaimed artist Preston Jackson. Watch our CIVAG's ArtsCalendar for news of exhibits and
receptions or visit their own fine web site. The place is well worth a visit. Anyone
thinking of doing so who has an empty seat for your humble ArtsLinks webmaster should e
me. writer@eosinc.com
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- -
The Poems of Job
Job Conger - Poetry & Songs here
This is the page to visit for ordering information for my books, links to stories and
selected poems, an unprinted essay about poetry and -- as though all that weren't
enough -- early drafts of recent poems. I will use this page as a sounding board for poems
as they leap from my pen and invite your feedback.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Easy on the Ears -
Thanks to Bloomington-Normal
folksinger Marita Brake for trading me a copy of my Vachel Lindsay: Strange Gold for her
CD Gypsy Moon. (Like, so when will people want to trade me copies of their CDs
for my books of my own poetry? Hard to say. I digress, I guess. Anyway . . .)
In an age where some reviewers score cheap points by praising any chick with a guitar as
"the next Cheryl Crow," I'm going to work harder than that because this lady
impresses me.Find a review of her first CD Gypsy Moon here.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Fortunes of Cookies -- Since
1991 I've kept every fortune cookie fortune I've found after eating Chinese takeout or
eat-in. At my former address, I taped each fortune to the side of my refrigerator. When I
moved to my present abode, I read each fortune aloud into a recorder and transcribed them
(all 38) onto a single sheet of paper before removing them and leaving that refrigerator
behind. On arrival here, I taped that sheet to the side of my new 'frig' and started
adding new fortunes beside it. Now that I have been given a better 'ator and am giving the
older one away, I have transcribed all the fortunes into five sheets of paper -- in
alphabetical order -- and a file posted into a new page here called Fortunes of Cookies.
You may read them here
- - - - - - - - - - - -
"H" is the
"name" of a poet, originally from Scotland, who lived in Springfield, Illinois
during Abe Lincoln's time in the city. John Hallwas wrote a fascinating book about
the poet which I chronicle in my essay, A Consideration of The Poems of H.
The essay was published in PenChant, the newsletter of Poets & Writers
Literary Forum of Springfield, and is shared at a new page here
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _
Illinois
Poet Laureate Kevin Stein Web Site
http://www.poetlaureate.il.gov/about.cfm
An engaging site that focuses on a talented poet
and has links to several poetry sites, a featured poet,
youth poetry, video poetry and much more. BEWARE: when you bookmark this page, don't look
for anything about poetry in the title you see in your bookmark list! All I see is
"State of Illinois Ron Blag..."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Illinois State Poetry Society http://www.illinoispoets.org/index.htm
Okay, I don't know a
lot about these people, but they seem to have their heads on straght, they have a decent
web site, and offer an opportunity for aspiring poets who have convinced their friends but
few others of their qualifications to serve on St. Peter's editorial board that their
crafted art will serve the ages -- and if not the ages, for the next new months, at least.
They are professional with their web correspondence, and until you hear differntly (as
friends down Texas way like to say) from me, the site and organization are worth your
consideration.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Illinois Writers Directory
http://www.litline.org/IWD
Great site to connect with writers in Illinois. The directory is indexed by
category of writing and by name of writer. Pictures, email addresses and web sites of most
are included.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Vachel Lindsay Pages here
The is the "portal page" I created as the home page
with links to several web pages I've created to tell you and the rest of the world about
Springfield, Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay. It shares the story with many pictures, my
favorite Lindsay poems with additional comments and information about my reciting his
poetry to audiences.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Vachel Lindsay: Strange Gold by
Job Conger
My new biography and appreciation of Springfield
poet Vachel Lindsay is sold out, BUT a second edition is coming in 2006. To read all about
the first edition, click here
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Vachel Linday Association blog
Larry Stevens is doing a super job moderating this effort. Lots of news regarding
contemporary media coverage of the Prairie Troubadour, historic anniversaries, how to join
VLA and much more, all intelligently shared. Highly recommended! http://vachel.blogspot.com
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Literature for Sale --
To help pay for the cost of his web site, I am selling books I can live without,
but hope you can't. To view that page click here
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
My Town Miscellany --
People and places dear to my soul, encountered
in the place I like to call Springfield, Illinoise. Visit my clicking here
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Poets & Writers
Literary Forum http://www.pwlf.com
Based in Springfield, Illinois, the organization publishes a newsletter distributed to
members, meets regularly to discuss fiction writing and presents poetry and theatrical
readings at various venues.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Prairie Art Alliance
niLocated at Hoogland Center for the Arts, 420 S. Sixth
Street in beautiful downtown Springfield, Illinois, this organization's H.D. Smith
Gallery, with its focus on major local area artists and an impressive schedule of
opening receptions, is just part of its presence in central Illinois. It also offers
a great variety of arts instruction for students of all ages, and a great place to be
welcomed to "the club" by its many members. Their newly upgraded web site is at www.prairieart.org lHIGHLY
RECOMMENDED!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Recommended Reading -
Thanks to Janet Desaulniers for launching a new Arts
Links page by sending over a copy of her new book of short stories What You've Been
Missing, a co-winner of the 2004 John Simmons Short Fiction Award. I have read the
book, and have posted a review that will serve readers as well as the author.
Just added - a review of poet Marita Brake's new book Untamed
Hearts.
Visit Recommended Reading by clicking here
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Springfield Classical
Guitar Society
This organization of enthusiasts of all
classical music played on classical guitar, it has no dues, but is maintained by
volunteers, ann friends and fans of founder Russell Brazzel, a nationally renowned
classical guitarist himself. They bring national and world-famous guitarists to
Springfield regularly, and they welcome your attendance and support. To learn more about
this terrific organization click here
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-
Springfield Theatre Center http://www.springfieldtheater.com
This outstanding organization stages plays
thoughout the year at Hoogland Center for the Arts, 420 S. Sixth Street in lyrical
downtown Springfield. If you want to get involved with theatrical arts, this is the
organization for you.
-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Tanka Society of America -- www.tankasocietyofmamerica-com
I was priviledged to serve as this organization's first
secretary, and am happy to see
it continue to grow under the able guidance of founder Michael Dylan Welch. Visit the site
and tell them ArtsLinks sent you.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Honey and Quinine: Job Conger's Blog
-- www.jobconger.wordpress.com
You care about reading this much, and if
you care to follow the story of my life, visit Honey and Quinine
To Arts Round Table home here