BIO & LIST OF WORKS
Ottawa writer Susan McMaster, currently President of the League of Canadian Poets, is author or editor of some two dozen poetry books, recordings, and anthologies, most recently Pith & Wry: Canadian Poetry (Scrivener Press 2010), Paper Affair: Poems Selected & New (Black Moss 2010), and Crossing Arcs: Alzheimer's, My Mother, and Me (Black Moss 2009/10), which shortlisted for the national Acorn-Plantos People's Poetry award, the Ottawa Book Awards (fiction), and the Arc Magazine Archibald Lampman Award for Poetry.
McMaster's memoir, The Gargoyle's Left Ear: Writing in Ottawa (Black Moss 2007), recounts founding Branching Out, the first Canadian feminist/arts magazine; performing with First Draft, SugarBeat, and Geode Music & Poetry across Canada and on shows such as Morningside, As It Happens, WordBeat, Richardson's Roundup, and GO!; and organizing projects like Convergence: Poems for Peace, which brought art-wrapped poetry from more than 100 contributors from across the country to all MPs and Senators in 2001.
Literary editing projects include Waging Peace: Poetry & Political Action (Penumbra), Dangerous Graces: Women's Poetry on Stage (Balmuir), Bookware: Ottawa Valley Poets (League of Canadian Poets), Siolence: Poets on Women, Violence & Silence (Broken Jaw), and Sugar Mule: The Canadian Issue (e-zine). Recent essays appear in I Feel Great About My Hands - And Other Unexpected Joys of Aging (2010, Douglas & McIntyre, forthcoming), Re:Generations: Canadian Women Poets in Conversation (Black Moss 2005), and Basements and Attics: Explorations in the Materiality and Ethics of Canadian Women's Archives (2010, Wilfrid Laurier UP, forthcoming).
During two decades as a senior book editor at the National Gallery of Canada, McMaster was the founding editor-in-chief of Vernissage magazine, and edited some 30 art catalogues and numerous related publications. Now a full-time poet, she also delivers occasional workshops and lectures and, under the name Sumac Writing & Editing, edits such volumes as Sanattiaqsimajut: Inuit Art from the Carleton University Art Gallery Collection. which just received First Prize for Exhibition Catalogues in the 2009 American Association of Museums Publications Design Competition, and Special recognition, Art Publication of the Year Category from the Ontario Association of Art Galleries.
A recent article in Women on Top Ezine by Diane Schmolka covers many activities from the 1970s to now; see "Viva!".
POETRY BOOKS & PUBLICATIONS
*Susan McMaster Selected Poems in Ygdrasil: A Journal of the Poetic Arts (April 2011, re-issue of 16/5, #181, May 2008), on-line, ed. Klaus J. Gerken, ISSN 1480-6401
*Paper Affair: Poems Selected & New (Black Moss 2010), ISBN 978-0-88753-468-3
*Crossing Arcs: Alzheimer's, My Mother, and Me (Black Moss 2009, reprint 2010, poetry book), ISBN 978-0-88753462-1
*Ygdrasil: A Journal of the Poetic Arts (16/5, #181, May 2008), on-line, ed. Klaus J. Gerken, issue of McMaster's selected works 1981-2007, ISSN 1480-6401
*The Gargoyle's Left Ear: Writing in Ottawa (Black Moss, 2007, memoirs and poetry), ISBN 978-0-88753-443-0
*Until the Light Bends (Black Moss, 2004, poetry book, short list 2005 Ottawa Book Awards, Archibald Lampman Poetry Award), ISBN 0-88753-397-3
*La Deriva del Pianeta / World Shift, ed./trans. Ada Donati, poetry Susan McMaster (Schifanoia Editore, 2003), ISBN 88-87882-30-4
*Uncommon Prayer: A book of dedications (Quarry Press 1997, poetry bk), ISBN 1-55082-196-2
Learning to Ride (Quarry Press 1994, poetry bk) ISBN 1-55082-104-0
*The Hummingbird Murders (Quarry Press 1992, poetry bk), ISBN1-55082-048-6
Dark Galaxies (Ouroboros 1986, poetry bk, out of print), ISBN 0-920301-07-X
Seven poems (Ouroboros 1986, broadsheet, illustration and design by Claude Dupuis, out of print)WORDMUSIC BOOKS, PUBLICATIONS & SCORES
First Draft Scores (First Draft 1990), includes Pass this way again (FDS #2, music by Andrew McClure, for soprano, spoken voice, violoncello, and mixed chorus), and A vibora gosta do vento calor (FDS #3, music by Andrew McClure, for spoken voice and violoncello)
*North/South (Underwhich Editions 1987, ed. by bpNichol, wordmusic score bk with co-authors Colin Morton [poet] and Andrew McClure [composer], calligraphy and book design by Roberta Huebener, cover art by Susan Feindel, back cover photo by Alrick Huebener), ISBN 0-88658-054-4
The Spoken Voice as Musical Instrument (First Draft 1986, with Andrew McClure, essay reprinted from Open Letter)
*Pass this way again (Underwhich Editions 1983, ed. for the press by bpNichol, wordmusic score bk with co-author Andrew McClure [composer], art and book design by Claude Dupuis, back cover photo by John Flanders )WORDMUSIC RECORDINGS
*1981 Wordmusic 2007 (2007, CD reissue of 1986 recording with additional tracks by SM with Colin Morton, Penn Kemp, Max Middle, David Broscoe, Jennifer Giles, Jamie Gullikson, Alrick Huebener, Rory Magill, and Linsey Wellman, for 26th anniversary celebration at Ottawa Public Library Main, 12 November 2007)
*Until the Light Bends: Geode Music & Poetry (Pendas Productions 2004, CD with Jennifer Giles [piano], Alrick Huebener [basses and guitar], Dave Broscoe [saxophone, clarinet, bassoon, effects], Mark Molnar ['cello, violon], Jamie Gullikson [percussion], John Higney [lap steel guitar], cover art by Marty Gervais, design by Gavin Stairs), ISBN 0-920820-70-0
*Geode Music & Poetry (Geode 2000, CD with Jennifer Giles [keyboards], Alrick Huebener [bass], Petr Cancura [saxophone], Mike Essoudry [drums], cover art by Roberta Huebener, design by AH), ISBN 0-9687191-0-4
*SugarBeat Music & Poetry(SugarBeat 1998, CD with Jennifer Giles [keyboards], Alrick Huebener [bass], cover art by Roberta Huebener, design by AH)
*Convergence: Poems for Peace (League of Canadian Poets 2001, 2-CD set recording complete reading of poems at Art Bar, Toronto, 12 December 2001), ISBN1-896216-16-1
Wordmusic (First Draft 1986, wordmusic audiotape with co-authors Colin Morton [poet], Peter Thomas [poet], and Andrew McClure [composer, 'cello], and performers Paula Quick [voice], Lynne Simpson [flute], Yasmine Malinowski [piano], audiotape, re-issued with additions as CD in 2007, see above)EDITOR: LITERARY PUBLICATIONS & PROJECTS
Pith & Wry: Canadian Poetry (Your Scrivener Press, forthcoming October 2010), ed., consulting ed. Roger Nash
*Sugar Mule: A Literary Magazine - The Canadian Issue (#33, 2009), on-line journal, ed. M. L. Weber, anthology of 36 living poets, Guest ed. McMaster
*Waging Peace: Poetry and Political Action, ed. (Penumbra Press 2002, poetry, coordinating ed. M.E. Csamer, book design by Marie Tappin, cover art by Betty Page, poetry, art, and essay anthology), ISBN 1-894131-37-1
Convergence: Poems for Peace, ed. (League of Canadian Poets 2001, with art director Betty Page, poemwrap design by Roberta Huebener, boxed broadside poetry and art anthology, out of print, CD available, see above under Recordings), ISBN1-896216-16-1
Siolence: Poets on Women, Violence and Silence, ed. (Quarry Press 1998, essay and poetry anthology, cover art by Marie Elyse St. George, illustrations by Heather Spears, book design by Susan Hannah), ISBN 1-550821-58-x
Bookware: Ottawa Valley Poetry, co-ed. with Colin Morton (Ottawa Valley Book Festival/Ottawa members of the League of Canadian Poets, 1994, poetry anthology with instant-printing poetry inserts from public), ISBN 1-89216-02-1
*Two Women Talking: Correspondence 1985-87, Erin Moure and Bronwen Wallace, ed. (Living Archives series of the Feminist Caucus of the League of Canadian Poets, 1993, essays and letters, cover art by Moure, copy ed. Patience Wheatley, book design by Neile Graham), ISBN 0-9690327-7-3
*Illegitimate Positions: Women & Language 1987, by Erin Moure, Suniti Namjoshi, Lola Lemire Tostevin, Penn Kemp, Margaret Christakos, Bronwen Wallace ed., series ed. Cathy Ford (Living Archives series of the Feminist Caucus of the League of Canadian Poets, 1992, essay anthology, cover art by Christakos, desk-top publishing by Louise Leblanc, keyboarding by Patience Wheatley, Micheline Ouellette), ISBN 0-9690327-6-5, ISSN 1188-8504
Dangerous Graces: Women's Poetry on Stage from Fireworks!, ed. (Great Canadian Theatre Company production 1986 with composer Andrew McClure, director Jennifer Boyes[-Manseau], published as a bk by Balmuir 1987, book design by Nancy Jensen, cover art and design by Claude Dupuis, Fireworks logo by Heather Walters, scripted poetry anthology, out of print), ISBN 0-919511-41-4
*Branching Out: The national feminist and arts magazine, founding ed. from 1973-75 (Edmonton, Women's Magazine Society, 1973-80, out of print, some archive copies available from author)SELECTED ANTHOLOGIES & ANTHOLOGY RECORDINGS
*The Lunar Plexus (Pendas Productions 2002, sound poetry and wordmusic CD by author Penn Kemp, with SM and others), ISBN 1-894715-01-2
*Two Lips (Pendas Productions 2001, sound poetry and wordmusic CD by author Penn Kemp, with SM and Anne Anglin), ISBN 0-920820-35-2
The Scream: First Draft, The third annual group show (Ouroboros 1984, ed. Colin Morton, book design by Claude Dupuis with Carol English wordmusic, poetry, music, and art anthology with contributions by SM, out of print), ISBN 0-920301-04-5For more information on publications, please see Reviews of CDs, Books.
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