WRITER IN RESIDENCE SEMINARS BEGIN OCT. 5

Old Dominion University's writer in residence Margaret Gibson will conduct seminars on campus beginning Oct. 5

Gibson, 55, comes to Old Dominion amid a successful career as a poet and teaching stints at George Mason University, Virginia Commonwealth, the University of Connecticut and the master's of fine arts program at the University of Massachusetts.

While at Old Dominion, Gibson will be busy. She'll be giving two talks, one on the creative process titled "Writing Memories of the Future: Moving from Photograph to Persona to Poem" at 12:30 p.m. Oct. 5 and another on the role of revision in the creative process at 12:30 p.m. Oct. 21. Both are in the Burgess Room of the Batten Arts and Letters Building.

"Besides teaching, however, a writer in residence should also set a good example and write," Gibson said.
Gibson also will work on a new manuscript of poems, some of which she'll read during the university's Literary Festival.
"I'm looking forward to the residency at Old Dominion University but also to spirited discussions about poetry with students who are practicing the craft," Gibson said.

Gibson's eight books of poetry have won critical acclaim. On her 1993 book-length poem, "The Vigil," a Publisher's Weekly reviewer said, "Gibson's impressive ability with line and meter contribute greatly to the volume's success."

Her "Memories of the Future: The Daybooks of Tina Modotti" prompted Henry Taylor of The Washington Times to say, "the artistic courage that went into this collection of 19 poems is of an order not often seen these days. "Margaret Gibson conceived a task that must at times have seemed nearly impossible and she has executed it with rare compassion and skill."

Gibson was a Woodrow Wilson Fellow at the University of Virginia, where she received her master's degree. She earned her bachelor's degree from Hollins College.