“Mama of Dada”
Sheri-D Wilson has 8 collections of poetry; her most recent, Goddess Gone Fishing for a Map of the Universe. Her collection, Re:Zoom (2005, Frontenac House), won the 2006 Stephan G. Stephansson Award for Poetry, and was shortlisted for the CanLit Award.
She has 2 Spoken Word CDs (arranged by Russell Broom), and 4 award-winning VideoPoems including: Airplane Paula (2001), Spinsters Hanging in Trees (2002), both produced for BravoFACT.
In 2011 she edited, The Spoken Word Workbook: inspiration from poets who teach(CSWS/BCP), an educational tool for teaching and writing Spoken Word. The cutting-edge website connected to this book presents a possible direction for electronic publishing in the future.
In 2009 CBC called her one of the Top 10 Poets in Canada. In 2003 she won the USA Heavyweight title for poetry, and in 2006 The National Slam of Canada presented her with the Poet of Honour Award. Of the beat tradition, in 1989 Sheri-D studied at Naropa University's Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics, in Boulder, Colorado. In 2012 she was presented in the opening event of The National Slam of Canada in a Toronto event called, "Legends of Spoken Word."
ffwd Readers’ Choice—Best Poet (2007 - 2012), CBC Arts Top Ten Poets in Canada (2009), Global TV's Woman of Vision Award (2006), SpoCan Award (2005), Bumbershoot Heavyweight Title for Poetry USA (2003), Gold Award at the Houston Film Festival (2003), Three ACE Awards (2003), AMPIA (2003, for best short or vignette), CBC Face-off (2002).
V125PC 2011 (Vancouver), National Slam-Legends of Spoken Word 2011 (Toronto), Vancouver International Writers Festival 2011, 2002, ‘00, ‘95, ‘93, ’90 (Vancouver), Maple Stirrup en El Arco de la virgin 2010 (Barcelona), Art 4 Change 2010 (Harlem), FiEstival maelstrÖm reEvolution 2010 (Brussels), Blue Met 2009 (Montreal), Voix d’Amériques 2008,‘05 (Montreal), Bumbershoot 2003, ‘99, ‘92, ‘91, ‘89 (Seattle), The World Poetry Bout 2002 (Taos, New Mexico), Poetry Africa 2001 (South Africa), WordFest 2008, 2000, ’95 (Calgary, Banff), Harbourfront Reading Series 1993 (Toronto), Small Press Festival 1990 (NYC).
Other Highlights:
Women and Words 2003-2011 (instructor), First Time Eyes: Unearthing Spoken Word 2007 essay (Canadian Theatre Review), Heart of a Poet 2006, featured poet documentary, Bowery Project 2005 (Instructor), Alberta Scene 2005 (a commemoration of Alberta’s centennial), Human Rights Symposium 2005 Victoria, Sounds Like Canada, 2002 CBC Poet in Residence, Addicted: Notes From The Belly Of The Beast 2001 essay Blackout, Confessions a Jazz Play, 1991 text of play (Theatrum). Of the beat tradition, in 1989 Sheri-D studied at Naropa University's Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics, in Boulder, Colorado.
Community:
A long-time advocate of Small Presses Sheri-D has had a lifetime desire to showcase the voice of all people. From 1988-1990, Sheri-D co-founded and organized the Vancouver Small Press Festival, and the Commercial Street Art Festival for the Normal Art Society in Vancouver.
The Calgary Spoken Word Festival which she founded in 2004, is one of the most respected Spoken Word Festivals in North America. Driven by the passion to connect people, voices and ideas she organized SWAN (Spoken Word Arts Network,’07, ‘05), she produced the 2008 National Slam and was Director of the Spoken Word Program at Banff Centre between 2005-2012.
Founder/ Artistic Director/Producer: Calgary Spoken Word Festival, since 2004.
Founder: Spoken Word Program @ Banff Centre, since 2005.
For Complete:
CURRICULUM VITAE
