October 25, 1995 Contact: Barbara McKenna (408/459-2495)

KENNETH PATCHEN PAINTED POEMS APPEAR IN 1996 CALENDAR

Calendar uses works from Kenneth Patchen Archive at UC Santa Cruz's University Library

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SANTA CRUZ, CA--Twelve of the "painted poems" of poet/novelist/artist Kenneth Patchen (1911-1972) are featured in a 1996 calendar published by Pomegranate Press of Rohnert Park, Calif. Titled "Sure Is One Peculiar Way to Run a Ballgame," the calendar features reproductions of painted poems from the Kenneth Patchen Archive in Special Collections at the University Library, University of California, Santa Cruz.

The San Francisco Bay Area artist published numerous novels and collections of experimental poems, but is perhaps best known for his painted poems--colorful paintings that incorporate free- verse poetry and surrealistic and whimsical creatures and images.

Patchen created the painted poems in the 1960s when he was confined to bed with a painful back condition. A botanist friend brought Patchen some very old handmade papers, used previously as interleaving for botanical specimens. From his bed, Patchen worked with the paper, applying watercolor, tempera, Easter egg dye, crayons, ink, cloth, string, and painted and torn papers.

The twelve painted poems in Pomegranate's 1996 calendar are selected from more than 150 housed in the Kenneth Patchen Archive at UC Santa Cruz. The archive contains the manuscripts for some three dozen books of poetry and prose published during Patchen's lifetime. It also includes Patchen's letters, painted books, serigraph prints, papier-mâché creatures, and recordings of some of his poetry readings.

Along with the calendar, Pomegranate has released two greeting cards featuring Patchen's painted poems. Calendars and cards are available at area bookstores.

A portion of the proceeds from sales will benefit the David and Ida Berner Endowment for the Kenneth Patchen Archive, established at UC Santa Cruz to promote the writer's work.

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