This past summer (2020), I offered my fist ONLINE POETRY MENTORSHIP. It was wonderful. Here’s some of what my first poet-mentee, friend and fellow creative Anne MacDougall, had to say:
Poetic Moment, Okanagan Lake
“Michelle is a compassionate, skilled, dedicated, talented poet and teacher/mentor [who] provides an emotionally and intellectually safe and stimulating environment. The mentorship program was clearly laid out and resources were useful and inspiring. The assignments were fun and challenging. Michelle’s feedback was detailed and meaningful and consistently began with what I did well and transitioned gracefully into what I needed to grow into. I looked forward to each session with great joy and vigour.”
The first POETRY [for all] WORKSHOP at Gallery Vertigo went just super, and I’ll look forward to running it again one day soon! For now, sneak a peak at a few images and comments from the fellow poet participants from 2019.
“Michelle doesn’t just tell us ‘this is what a poem is’ – she shows us and is open to whatever we want to write. This is not your Grade 10 - English Literature class, where you discuss Keats & Wordsworth. This is a cathartic meeting of people who are interested in and love poetry in an open, inviting and creative environment. Highly recommended!”
~ Kristin Froneman, Writer & Journalist
Workshop Participants from left to right: Marlene Zinz, Carmen Banman, Akira Hanson, Chris Thorpe.
Workshop Participant & Photo Credit: Kristin Froneman
Carmen Banman’s watercolour and ink painting of poet and workshop facilitator Michelle Doege.
“This was such an incredible group, and Michelle, a fantastic facilitator – so encouraging and engaging with lots of helpful information and examples.”
“Excellent examples of poetry and poetic forms.”
“Learning”
“Laughter”
“Voice and the freedom to express in an open and supportive environment!”
“Michelle, herself an inspired writer, encouraged our creative voices in a relaxed and warm atmosphere of learning and respect. I looked forward to every one of our six Saturday meetings, enjoying camaraderie with other writers as we read and shared poems under Michelle’s attentive guidance. The workshop, designed for practiced and less experienced writers alike, was indeed “poetry for all.” I feel newly inspired in my own writing and am eager for Michelle’s next workshop!”
~ Chris Thorpe, author of Survival Strategies
Photo Credit: Kristin Froneman