During the nights of her poetry series, she will have a couple of her artworks on show which have graced the Gallery for several decades. She will be MCing the night, and call poets up to the stage in the order that they sign up. Please note that we do have a couple of hours for this memorable event, and if time is needed, we can go all the way to 10pm. The gathering is poetry-centered, although light unamped music is welcome. There is a guitar as well as acoustic hand drums at the Gallery for everyone’s use, as has always been customary at the Gallery through its nearly 40 years in the Camberville area. Folks are welcome to bring copies of their poems to distribute to the audience.

Deborah Priestly has a memorable footprint in the Camberville arts scene. She is the author of The Woman Has a Voice and worked alongside Timothy Gager to produce Out of the Blue Writers Unite, a collection of short stories and poetry from Boston-based writers. The Out of the Blue Art Gallery hosted Stone Soup Poetry for many years at its former locations in Cambridge, while several of these poets have attended literary events at our newer Somerville location. It hosted literary nights featuring Jack Powers, Brother Blue, and his wife Reverend Blue. It has also worked alongside BARCC, On the Rise, and the Women’s Center to develop inclusivity across all demographics.

Deborah Priestly graduated from Emerson College in creative writing and dance. She also worked at Boston University as an office manager, was deemed an “Art Angel” in Harvard Square, giving proceeds of her art sales to the disabled and homeless. She helped found the Gallery in the early 1990s, and since then curated the Open Bark Poetry series for 25 years. For the last 5 1/2 years, and since the Gallery moved from its 2nd location in Allston to its current one inSomerville, she has spent some time working on herself and budding into her future projects! Welcome Deborah Priestly on the 24th, bring your poetry game, and thanks for celebrating the history of Out of the Blue.