In 2019, I was honoured to be a finalist in the Marie Ellis Prize for Drawing. My drawing ‘Self-portrait while Depressed’ was exhibited at the Project Gallery, Queensland College of Art.
Self-portrait while Depressed
I was going through a period of depression and decided
to draw a series of self-portraits. Created over a thirty-four minute period,
the process of drawing quickly turned cathartic as I realised how humorous and
quirky the portraits were becoming. As the line drawings became more funny and
free, I began to feel lighter.
The 2019 Word for Word National Non-Fiction Festival was directed by the wonderful Rochelle Smith and held at the Geelong Library and Heritage Centre from 15-17 November. I was invited to be on a poetry panel (Rhythm and Language) with poet Andy Jackson, and facilitator of the panel David McCooey.
David McCooey, Anna Jacobson and Andy Jackson (photo credit: Sari Jacobson)
I travelled with Mum from Brisbane to Geelong. We saw many stimulating and thought-provoking discussions and events. These included Tyson Yunkaporta’s opening address, which drew on his book Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World. As a diary keeper, I also loved The Bad Diaries Salon. Another highlight for us was the Bodies of Work panel with Lee Kofman and Andy Jackson, facilitated by Maria Takolander.
Anna at the opening night of the Word for Word Festival (photo credit: Sari Jacobson)
I was so grateful to be part of this fabulous non-fiction festival, especially as my poetry collection Amnesia Findings draws on so many facets of my life. The crowd was warm, asked good questions and I was touched by their kind comments after the panel.
Anna and Andy (Photo credit: Sari Jacobson)Signing Table (Photo credit: Sari Jacobson)Festival program
Thank you everyone who celebrated the launch of my poetry collection Amnesia Findings with me at the Queensland Poetry Festival. I could feel your beautiful support filling the Judith Wright Centre. I had a wonderful time and it was a very special day.
Photo by David JacobsonMy beautiful family. Photo credit: Linda CartmillPhoto by David JacobsonAnna with friend and poet David Stavanger. Photo by David JacobsonAnna with friends at launch. Photo credit: Josh CorsbiePhoto credit: David JacobsonPhoto credit: Anne Sawyer
Thank you to my creative editor and mentor Felicity Plunkett for sending these beautiful flowers in the lead up to my launch.
Flowers from Felicity
If you couldn’t make the launch, do not worry—you can order Amnesia Findingshere and there are plenty more author events coming up in September!
On 6 September 2019 from 5.30-6.30pm at Brisbane Square Library, I will be reading from Amnesia Findings. Books will be available for sale.
I will also be the featured reader on 19 September 2019 at 6pm at Wynnum Library’s Poets Up Late night.
On 24 September 2019 at 6.30 pm I will be reading and talking about my creative process at Riverbend’s Flash Fiction/Non fiction and Poetry night with writer Amanda O’Callaghan.
Dear family, friends and lovers of poetry, The book launch of my first full-length poetry collection Amnesia Findings (UQP, 2019) will be held on Saturday 24 August 2.30-3.30pm at the Judith Wright Centre during the Queensland Poetry Festival. My launch will be accompanied by a screening of my short poetry films. You can access the festival and launch with a day pass of $10 here. You can read more about Amnesia Findingshere.
If attending the book launch, you are welcome to buy a copy of Amnesia Findings on the day at the festival, or if you can’t make the launch and wish to preorder, you will receive your copy in early September. Hope you can make it along and looking forward to seeing you there!
Anna holding an advance copy of Amnesia FindingsLaunch details as featured in the QPF2019 program
On Saturday May 18 2019, as a collaboration between Queensland Poetry Festival and Brisbane Street Art Festival, five poets: Shastra Deo, Raelee Lancaster, Mindy Gill, Anisa Nandaula, and myself, created a temporary public poetry street art wall in the Valley’s Brunswick Street Mall. I created illustrations (including a cat for Shastra’s fabulous choose-your-own-adventure poem) and spent the day drawing and writing with paint pens and street markers. With thanks to QPF Director Lucy Nelson and to all who visited throughout the day!
AfterMy handiwork! (Photo by Anne Sawyer)Shastrathe cat I drew for Shastra’s choose-your-own-adventure poempurple hand with bright red nail polishRaelee, Shastra and Mindy (Photo by Sari Jacobson)
I’m very excited to share the cover of my first full-length poetry collection Amnesia Findings. Thank you to the amazing Arnold Zable, Lee Kofman, Maria Tumarkin and Leah Kaminsky for their beautiful endorsements. You can read their words and pre-order your copy of Amnesia Findingshere
It’s an honour to receive the 2018 Queensland Premier’s Young Publishers and Writers Award. I started writing after I became ill, seven years ago. Writing helped me own and reclaim my experience. Having an incredible support network of family, friends and mentors has been so important. I couldn’t have achieved this award without you all. Thank you.
For the past seven years I have been entering the Arts Queensland Thomas Shapcott Poetry Prize for an unpublished manuscript and it feels very surreal and thrilling to have won it this year. Thank you to my wonderful family, friends and poetry mentors for your support and encouragement- it means so much. Thank you also to the Queensland Poetry Festival, UQP and judges Felicity Plunkett and Ali Alizadeh. I’m looking forward to the editing process and having my debut collection of poetry launched at the 2019 Queensland Poetry Festival!
This week I took up a Writer Development Residency at Varuna, the National Writers’ House in Katoomba, the Blue Mountains. It was one of the most amazing experiences I’ve ever had. I stayed in the Bear room, which I soon discovered was named for its collection of teddy bears on the shelves above the books. Patchwork quilts decorated every room and I felt right at home. As part of my residency I had two consultations with the incredible Carol Major, one of the Varuna consultants. She saw into the heart of my manuscript and helped me develop it, and I thank her so much for her generosity and kindness.
As I write this, on my last day at Varuna, I am sitting at the big writing desk in the studio attached to the Bear room, that overlooks the gardens. I stayed with four other writers who were all so supportive and talented. After each day of writing, we would meet together in the evenings for wine, a home-cooked meal by Sheila, and sometimes a session of readings and toasted marshmallows beside the fireplace. I will always remember my stay at Varuna, and the writers I met there.
I’m so thrilled that my contributor’s copies of my poetry chapbook The Last Postman have arrived today! Thank you to Michael Brennan and Michelle Cahill for having me as part of Vagabond Press deciBels 3 series and for Michelle’s lovely words in her introduction to the series: Anna Jacobson’s surreal narratives riff on memory, desire and destiny with stylised Mozartian grace in The Last Postman. The train carriage becomes a framing device for her beguiling stories, echoing exile, survival and post-memory.
To order a copy of The Last Postman, please click here.
To read more of Michelle’s deciBels 3 introduction, please click here.
Holding my copy of ‘The Last Postman’ in front of a detail of my artwork ‘The Letters’.
