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After nomination by Arts & Humanities Bainbridge, Michele’s appointment was unanimously confirmed for a two-year term by the Bainbridge Island City Council at its September 27, 2022 meeting.
Michele Bombardier
Arts & Humanities Bainbridge and the City of Bainbridge Island are pleased to announce the appointment of Michele Bombardier as Bainbridge Island’s inaugural Poet Laureate.
Following her confirmation, she said,
“I’m honored to serve as Bainbridge Island’s inaugural poet laureate. I look forward to organizing events such as workshops and open mics as well as bringing regional and national poets to Bainbridge for readings. We have such a vibrant arts community here and I’m glad that poetry is welcome at the table. My hope is that this position will provide opportunities for everyone in our community to experience poetry in new ways.”
Michele's Background
Michele and her family have lived on Bainbridge for over thirty years. After a thirty-two year career as a speech-language pathologist, she returned to graduate school at Pacific University to follow a long-held dream of earning an MFA in poetry.
Her debut poetry collection, What We Do, was a finalist for a 2019 Washington Book Award. Her poetry and book reviews can be found in dozens of literary journals such as JAMA, Alaska Quarterly Review, Atlanta Review, Parabola, Bellevue Literary Review, and many others. She is a Hedgebrook and Mineral School fellow and is the founder of Fishplate Poetry, an organization that offers workshops, editing, and retreats while raising funds for humanitarian relief.
As a poet, Michele has presented to Bainbridge High School English classes, led small creative writing groups for middle schoolers, and has been an invited lecturer at several universities. She has also been a featured poet at the Bainbridge Public Library and taught a class at BARN called “After Mary Oliver” that promoted reading of diverse poets. She is nearing completion of her second book of poems and has begun working on a third.
As Bainbridge Island’s Poet Laureate, Michele will host readings, offer classes and workshops, bring other poets from the Puget Sound region and beyond to Bainbridge, and encourage Bainbridge Island poets of all ages. She will also compose and present poems for Bainbridge Island Creative District events, island celebrations and gatherings, and at COBI functions.
For more information, contact Arts & Humanities Bainbridge at 206.842.7901 or poetry@bainbridgeartshumanities.org.
Upcoming Poetry Events
UP Lift: Collaborations with Nature
10-01-2023
10-07-2023
Presented by Bloedel Reserve at Bloedel Reserve, Bainbridge Island
Thu, Oct 05 @ 10:00 am Fri, Oct 06 @ 10:00 am Sat, Oct 07 @ 10:00 am - less dates and times
Explore The Bridge festival in downtown Winslow then extend your journey to Bloedel Reserve for poetry, painting, walks, talks, and art exhibitions. Each day of the week is a unique experiential immersion into creativity and...
[more+]Explore The Bridge festival in downtown Winslow then extend your journey to Bloedel Reserve for poetry, painting, walks, talks, and art exhibitions. Each day of the week is a unique experiential immersion into creativity and connection.
Collaborations
Past Creative Residents Byron Au Yong, Kimberly Trowbridge, Catherine Alice Michaelis, Jori Lewis, Simone Baron, and Dann Discligio are leading community activities throughout the week at Bloedel Reserve and BARN.
Activities include an environmental installation led by Allison Stigora and constructed with community participation, a demonstration with Community Creative Melinda Hurst Frye showing how she takes ethereal fungi (and other) photography using a scanner, tree round printing, poetry, book readings, musical experiences, and more!
Tree round printing with Catherine Alice Michaelis
Listening to the inner workings of a tree with Dann Discligio
Trees creating their own poetry through electromagnetic modulations made by the trees themselves in collaboration with Scott Kildall
An evening of poetry and nature musings with CMarie Furhman and Hollie Hughes
Tags: Poetry
UP Lift: Collaborations with Nature
10-01-2023
10-07-2023
Presented by Bloedel Reserve at Bloedel Reserve, Bainbridge Island
Thu, Oct 05 @ 10:00 am Fri, Oct 06 @ 10:00 am Sat, Oct 07 @ 10:00 am - less dates and times
Explore The Bridge festival in downtown Winslow then extend your journey to Bloedel Reserve for poetry, painting, walks, talks, and art exhibitions. Each day of the week is a unique experiential immersion into creativity and...
[more+]Explore The Bridge festival in downtown Winslow then extend your journey to Bloedel Reserve for poetry, painting, walks, talks, and art exhibitions. Each day of the week is a unique experiential immersion into creativity and connection.
Collaborations
Past Creative Residents Byron Au Yong, Kimberly Trowbridge, Catherine Alice Michaelis, Jori Lewis, Simone Baron, and Dann Discligio are leading community activities throughout the week at Bloedel Reserve and BARN.
Activities include an environmental installation led by Allison Stigora and constructed with community participation, a demonstration with Community Creative Melinda Hurst Frye showing how she takes ethereal fungi (and other) photography using a scanner, tree round printing, poetry, book readings, musical experiences, and more!
Tree round printing with Catherine Alice Michaelis
Listening to the inner workings of a tree with Dann Discligio
Trees creating their own poetry through electromagnetic modulations made by the trees themselves in collaboration with Scott Kildall
An evening of poetry and nature musings with CMarie Furhman and Hollie Hughes