Poetry Reading: J.P. Weingarten & Brian Kirven

The ART BY THE BAY WEEKEND GALLERY is pleased to present a Poetry Reading featuring Brian Kirven and J.P. Weingarten, on Sunday, November 29th at 2:00 pm.  Their books will be available for purchase at the reading.

Having both started writing poetry at age 14, JP and Brian have just published their first collections at around the half-century mark of their lives. In this sense, you could say they are late bloomers, but through this experience they are united by the common goal of inspiring one another as well as other local poets by creating a forum that provides a safe and trusting space to express and share their creative spirits. This partnership can be achieved by reaching out to poets; giving and receiving feedback on poems; learning how to publish from others’ experience; promoting collaborative writing projects and workshops; providing a venue on public radio; contributing and sharing poetic discoveries; fostering respect for our process; and creating rapport with each other. Though dedicated to honing their craft, both poets see it as essential to maintain symbiotic relationships with other poets and artists to bring the creative process to a collaborative level much larger than the importance of any one individual poet. And, of course, both poets are hugely inspired by the gorgeous land and sea scapes of Marin County.

About the Poets:

Brian Kirven is a California Poet in the Schools and radio host of “Learning Curve,” part of the series “Rhythm ‘n Muse” on KWMR West Marin Radio, which blends the spoken word with music. His work has appeared in the Kerf, California Quarterly and the Iron Springs Review. He has collaborated through West Marin Word on a poetry open mic reading series at Point Reyes Books, and organized Spanish language poetry readings in West Marin as part of the Reach Out and Read (ROAR) poetry series. His writing is often informed by the movement of travel and by sense of place, and his recently published book of poems, Shorelines: A Traveler Comes Homes to the Tide Zone, is primarily inspired by his residence in a small cottage along Highway One in Marshall.

Jean-Pierre "Kavyakantha" Weingarten was born and raised in Paris, France. From an early age, he has traveled and lived in different countries around the world, and making the San Francisco Bay Area his home. He has been a writer of poetry---off and on---since the age of fourteen. J.P. is also a father of one, a partner of another, an alchemist of food and a builder of things. He resides in Fairfax with his wife and four cats.

ART BY THE BAY WEEKEND GALLERY is located at 18856 Highway One, in Marshall, across from Tony’s Seafood.  Open most Fri., 3-6pm and every Weekend, Noon-5pm. For more information, visit the website at: artbythebayweekendgallery.com.