It's no surprise to anyone involved in the arts — being an artist can take many shapes and styles.
A dancer performs, offering a personal interpretation in movement, making for artistic presentation and a flowing way of creating art with the body.
A singer creates art with the voice, taking musical notes and joining phrases together for a completely personal take on a favorite song or a classic.
Painters create art with a brush on a canvas, adding brush strokes here or there in color, making a total image that tells a story and conveys a thought or emotion.
But it's the writers and poets I choose to focus on this week, and this area has oodles of talented people that hold pages in books dear to their hearts or the verse on a simple paper as a form of artistic talent.
I have had the pleasure of writing about the Creative Women's Writers Group in the past, a great group of women I've met from time to time, doing something they love — writing words, sharing thoughts, and enjoying each other's talents on paper.
The group meets monthly at the Derry Public Library and its members present original writings, essays, stories and poems and then share their insights with each other on what has been written and read out loud.
Co-founded in May of 2004 by Arline Greenfield and Margaret Bobalek King, the group meets as a creative vehicle to put female writers in the spotlight, while allowing peers to hear and critique each other's written works.
As part of the group's mission to continue to support and encourage writers in the area, the Creative Women's Writers Group is hosting a poetry night on Sept. 4 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. for the public.
"We do this every year," King said. "It's a very exciting event."
King said the event is open to everyone, and the atmosphere is made so people are comfortable and ready to share their poetic talents.
"We darken the room as people come in to set the mood," King said. "Chairs are arranged in a large circle and people come in with their poetry."
As the poetry event begins, the mood is relaxed as people take turns sharing their verse with each other.
"There is no critiquing," King added. "It's just a reading, but comments are invited."
King said quite a few members of the public came out for last year's poetry event, and she hopes people will take the chance to attend this year and share their poetry.
Julie Huss is a staff writer for the Derry News. Her column focusing on the local arts scene appears every Wednesday. To contact her, call 421-3847 or send an e-mail to jhuss@derrynews.com.
