Poetry from the Foothills in La Canada Flintridge Sept. 19

Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeehouse
964 Foothill Blvd.
La Canada Flintridge CA 91011
(818) 790-0717
http://www.flintridgebooks.com/
flintridgebooks@earthlink.net

POETRY FROM THE FOOTHILLS: Readings by Ross Peterson, James Pinkerton, Maja Trochimczyk & An Open Mic Session
Sunday, September 19, 3 - 5 P.M.

Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeehouse is pleased to host Poetry from the Foothills, an afternoon of readings by Ross Peterson of La Crescenta, James Pinkerton of Sylmar, and Maja Trochimczyk representing Sunland-Tujunga. The event takes place from 3-5 P.M. including a 45 minute open mic session at the end.

Ross Peterson, who leads the event, is also a ceramist recently honored with a one person exhibition at Xiem Gallery (Pasadena). On the gallery's web site, Peterson is described as “a consummate raconteur." Growing up, he had the opportunity to live in the wilderness of Alaska and rural Idaho, in the middle of Manhattan, and in Tempe, AZ, where he discovered Tai Chi, which continues to play a major role in his life. Says Peterson, “My education as an artist has come from living and working as close to true nature as possible, helping others bring their vision to life, enduring incredible hardships, making lots of mistakes, and recognizing the value of all things. I have had the benefit of connecting with artists of all kinds in all walks of life, each adding dimension and richness to the alchemy pot.” His poetry and ceramics reflect his sampling of “the bitter and the sweet” in life and his “savoring of both equally.”

James M. Pinkerton began participating in Los Angeles poetry events several years ago. He has been a pizza delivery driver, mechanics assistant, mathematics tutor, substitute elementary school teacher, and an AmeriCorps volunteer coordinator for Habitat for Humanity, and studied poetry with Don Campbell, Elena Karina Byrne, and Laurel Anne Bogen. In 2004 he won second place in the Poetrysuperhighway.com Summer Contest. He attended California State University, Northridge, where he was in the MFA Program in Poetry.

Maja Trochimczyk is the current Poet Laureate of Sunland-Tujunga, California (2010-2012). She says, “Poetry is a way of life, a shortcut to the sublime, the heart of matter. An avid reader of poetry since my Polish childhood, I started writing in English. The flexibility, richness and focus of this language never cease to amaze me! Since 1995, I have kept a personal poetic journal…I like illustrating it with my photographs, taken mostly in my garden and neighborhood of Southern California.”

Trochimczyk is listed in Poets & Writers and belongs to several poetry groups (Poetry Society of America, Poets on Site, Emerging Urban Poets, among others). She has published several books of poetry, including “Chopin with Cherries: A Tribute in Verse,” “Miriam’s Iris or Angels in The Garden,” and “Rose Always: A Court Love Story.”

This event is part of a series of monthly poetry programs hosted by Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeehouse, an independently owned business located in the foothill community of La Canada. It is a general bookstore, stocked with current and past best sellers and offers a large selection of children’s and young adult publications in keeping with California State Standards.

For more information, call (818) 790-0717. Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeehouse is located at 964 Foothill Blvd., La Canada Flintridge CA 91011, at the intersection of Foothill Blvd. and the Angeles Crest Highway. Take the Angeles Crest exit off of the 210, and turn south toward Foothill Blvd. Parking is in the rear of the store.