There is an exhibition of some works by poet and photographer Susan Hylen. The work, both poems and photos, are from Hylen’s most recent book, Unravelling My Life Lines. The exhibition is unique to our area in that it is a multi-dimensional, but not “3-D” presentation. Mounted on all-weather stands, spaced around an arc of the Pond at Battle Point Park, the image mounted on each contain both visual and language art. The images are those of photographs or paintings, paired with poems. While these exhibition stands have existed since 2021, a QR Code has been added this year. When used, the code will take viewers to a recorded poem. 

Susan Hylen may have retired from her very long employment as Arts & Cultural Manager with the Bainbridge Island Park District office in 2016, but she was involved with photography and as a poet along the way. She has published two chapbooks before Unravelling My Life Lines. The photo of the wood floor at Island Center Hall is a visual poem in itself. Seen by the grace of sunlight spotlighting the floor of the common room, Hylen is paying tribute to Carol Wallace, who offered yoga classes to Islanders for 40 years. Those students will see the beauty in that floor, here seen in an ascue pose, perhaps the delightful savasana pose. The photographs all pay tribute to the Park Department’s many activities, families, the forest walks and water views. I very much enjoyed the rock detail view of the Labyrinth out at Halls Hill, titled “Walking with my Muse.”  Tone can find beauty in the details of all the parks, you just need to visit them, often.

The Walkabout Program is a monthly exhibition. It was modified from the “StoryWalk” program in Jefferson County. A Community Grant helped launch the Battle Point Park exhibitions as a promotional introduction. There is a hope to place Walkabouts in most of the parks. The mission for the exhibitions is to present “family-focused illustrated books to more diverse subjects. These will include subjects “such as history, discovery, poetry, art displays and elder wisdom writings” among others. 

Last month, for instance, the poet Nancy Oline Klimp, who has written two “Salish Sea” books. The one on exhibit was from Explore with Me at the Salish Sea. Both were illustrated by local artist Jared Noury. The scenes were great fun, of swirling birds, forests, a rainbow over the sound, swimming otter and a simply glowing spring scene with butterflies and dragonflies and flowers. Both books are available locally. 

Hylen’s poems can also be found on the Parks website here: www.biparks.org/Walkabout/

Walkabout:  Susan K. Hylen 

September 6 to 30, 2022 

The Pond at Battle Point Park

11299 Arrow Point Dr. NE

Bainbridge Island, WA     

Open: Seven days a week (best in daylight)

(206) 842-2306