Poetry Reading

artEasts presents The Incredible Intensity of Just Being Human

Poetry curator and poet Ann Teplick hosts a reading of five local poets who will share their work that reflects personal mental health challenges; navigating the challenges of those whom they love; and their experience writing with others who struggle to stay afloat.

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New Conversation About Mental Illness Prompted through Art Issaquah leaders join artists to address the impact of mental illness on youth and community. [ISSAQUAH, WA] The nationally acclaimed exhibit, The Incredible Intensity of Just Being Human, arrives in Issaquah Friday, April 22 thanks to generous sponsorship and encouragement from Issaquah Schools Foundation and artEAST. Art will be on display in three Issaquah locations including artEAST Art Center, Issaquah Highlands Blakely Hall Community Center, and Swedish Medical Center Issaquah with the goal of beginning new conversations about mental illness stigma.

“We believe it is past time for our community to open our hearts to the crisis that is facing our youth, to talk openly about mental illness, and begin to understand it,” says Issaquah Schools Foundation Director Robin Callahan. “When students experience mental illness—and it is happening at all ages in unprecedented numbers — many families wall themselves off, for fear of stigmatizing their child.”

Friday, May 6th, 6:00 – 8:30pm
June Sekiguchi, Quin Breeland and Katie Jo Glaves lead exhibit tour, present on schizophrenia and drugs

Thursday, May 12^th, 6:00 – 7:30pm
Ann Teplick poetry reading

Thursday, June 2nd, 6:00 – 8:00pm
Cinda Johnson, author “Perfect Chaos, a Daughter’s Struggle to Survive Bipolar and a Mother’s Journey to Save Her”

Also see Blakely Hall Artists Reception on April 22nd