Much published writer and poet Margaret Beverland is also a literary publication editor and literary organisation office holder. I think ARTbop needs an article about Margaret Beverland who seems to me to be an important part of the Bay of Plenty writing and poetry scene.
It’s considered inappropriate to physically describe women: but I want to present a word picture of Margaret Beverland because it adds so much to the overall picture of Beverland as a writer and poet, and literary administrator.
I first set eyes on la belle Beverland at a poetry workshop facilitated by Shona-Ellen Barnett and Jenny Argante of Tauranga Writer’s Inc. A balletic, petite mature blond sat opposite me during that workshop. Despite the overwhelmingly ballerina style this was someone with crisp verbal delivery and poetic ability. As part of the workshop exercises we were required to write a poem in a specific style. Beverland’s was “My kitchen” and I emailed and asked if I could have a copy of it to include at some stage in An artist’s gotta eat! I’ve included it below. This was written “on the hoof”.
I’ve seen Margaret Beverland on several other occasions over 2016 – at the Haiku workshop she facilitated in Katikati (Haiku minimalist words in Katikati include link) – petite, well-groomed and headmistress like in control of the workshop. And others in Tauranga Writers Inc. speak to me about her in terms of respect for both her work and contribution to writer’s organisations.
Soon after the Haiku Workshop, I took ARTbop Poetry Editor Sam the Poet (aka Sam Eastwood and Sam Woodward) to meet Beverland for morning tea. Up close she’s charming, witty and great company. On that occasion we spent some time walking around part of the Haiku Park adjacent with photographer Sam snapping away with his camera.
Beverland shares a brief biography which I’ve reproduced below. I’m not surprised that she is held in such high regard or that she has such diverse roles within the Bay of Plenty literary community.
Margaret submitted the following:
“Margaret Beverland completed a Diploma of Creative Writing in 1998. She began writing haiku when she moved to Katikati in 2003.
In 2007, as President of Tauranga Writers she oversaw their 40th anniversary celebrations, and in 2009 she compiled the Tauranga Writers publication Narratives with Nosh, a book of members’ stories, poems and recipes.
Since 2012 she has been a co-editor of Kokako, New Zealand’s journal of haiku, tanka, haibun and related forms of Japanese Poetry.
That same year, she organized and hosted the Haiku Aotearoa Conference 2012 with Sandra Simpson. Later that year she attended the Haiku North America conference in California, and self-published two small books of her haiku, waiting for the kingfisher & midsummer, to give as gifts to other attendees.
A member of Tauranga Writers, and the Katikati Writers group, her short stories, poems, haiku, tanka and haibun have been published both locally and internationally. She is also a member of the NZ Poetry Society, and in 2014 she was invited to judge their junior haiku competition.
Margaret is also a long serving member of the Katikati Haiku Pathway Committee. She lives on a kiwifruit orchard on the harbour’s edge and spends as much time as possible on and in the water over summer.”
And here’s that rapidly written collection of words:
Mixing Bowl
my mixing bowl
my wooden spoon
the oven’s hot
my man home soon
my muffin tray
my non-stick spray
my kitchen knife
has gone astray
my chopping board
my recipe book
my window view
well worth a look
my kitchen floor
my kitchen sink
my food processor
is on the blink
my mixing bowl
my wooden spoon
they’ll do the job
I’ll use the hob
my frying pan
drop in a blob
cook until set
my first pikelet
by Margaret Beverland
at Tauranga Writers meeting March 20, 2016
written in response to Shona-Ellen Barnett’s tutorial
Rosemary Balu. Rosemary Balu is the founding and current editor of ARTbop. Rosemary has arts and law degrees from the University of Auckland. She has been a working lawyer and has participated in a wide variety of community activities where information gathering, submission writing, community advocacy and education have been involved. Interested in all forms of the arts since childhood Rosemary is focused on further developing and expanding multi-media ARTbop as the magazine for all the creative arts in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand.
John Baxter is the host of ARTbop alternative’s online show Altercation. With Dhaivat Mehta and Polly Moore John interviews and talks to Bay of Plenty creatives. He is also one of ARTbop’s contributing photographers. Multi-talented Baxter is one of the team who started up The Incubator art-space at Tauranga’s Historic Village. He is currently their Music Manager, a prop maker, event organiser, exhibition curator and event photographer. With a keen interest in music John can be seen as a singer and guitar play in the local Punk band Liberated Squid. He’s also the bass and singer with the Tauranga band, The Carradines. An avid artist, John has exhibited at Gallery 59, the Incubator and more recently at Macandmor Gallery, Goddard Centre, Tauranga. He’s become a member of the Poetry Incubator and has recited his own work; both poetry and lyrics at the 2016 National Poetry Day.
Do not leave me hanging by a thread: a spoken word – poetry YouTube project to support the work of Medecins sans frontieres MSF – Doctors Without Borders. You can see Tauranga locals reading their work at the Creative Bay of Plenty Gallery. Read the promotional article here online.
Corinne Rutherford of PixelFarie Photography. Band and Event Photographer from Tauranga.
FB: https://www.facebook.com/PixelFaeriePhotography INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/pixelfaerie_photography
WHAT’S ON AT THE COTTLESTON:
4 – 17 January 2017
Remains of the Day.
Deborah Forkert has recently again been a finalist in the Tauranga Art Gallery Miles Award. Her unusual medium may surprise you. More than five years’ practice-based research with one this medium has resulted in a very polished exhibition.
20 Jan – 20 Feb 2017
The Bee Appreciation Society AGM.
Paintings by Katherine Steeds. A unique and painstaking installation of tiny portraits, in homage to the humble bee.
Anne Stråtveit’s ART SCHOOL exhibition’s limited edition fine art prints are available now and will continue to be available through the gallery for the foreseeable future.
During exhibitions the Gallery’s usual opening hours: 11am – 4.30pm every day except Mondays.
But visitors are welcome to browse the gallery outside these hours. Please simply phone for an appointment.
The Cottleston Gallery
128 Oropi Road, Greerton, Tauranga.
Contact Katherine Steeds 578 5242 or 0204783337
0204 STEEDS (0204 783337)
