‘Word Painters’ reading to feature Hemley, Hendrickson

The second of the University of Iowa Museum of Art’s fall 2009 “Word Painter” readings takes place at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 5, in the Old Capitol Museum’s Senate Chamber.

Janet Hendrickson, a graduate student in the UI Nonfiction Writing Program and one of the Museum of Art's Fall 2009 “Word Painter” fellows, and Robin Hemley, Iowa Writers’ Workshop alumnus and director of the UI Nonfiction Writing Program, will read from their recent works.

Hendrickson will present a chapter from her thesis, a combination of memoir and ethnography about failed visions of utopia on Nicaragua’s Caribbean Coast, at the reading. Originally from Wisconsin, Hendrickson received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Dallas in 2003. Her Spanish-to-English translations of fiction and essays have been published in Words Without Borders, n+1, and Zoetrope: All-Story. She has two forthcoming publications in Mandorla and the Virginia Quarterly Review.

Hemley, the author of eight books of fiction and nonfiction, will read from a mix of his fiction and nonfiction works. His awards include a 2008 Fellowship from the Guggenheim Foundation, two Pushcart Prizes, the Nelson Algren Award for Fiction from the Chicago Tribune, and many others.

For his most recent book, DO-OVER!, Hemley returned to kindergarten, summer camp, the prom, and other embarrassing moments from his youth to give them another shot—this time, as 48-year-old father of three, equipped with some adult wisdom and perspective. Currently he is working on his next novel as well as various essays.

Created in the fall of 2006 to foster writing about the visual arts, the museum’s collaborative writing program invites four UI Nonfiction Writing Program MFA candidates to think critically about the intersection of art and life. They receive an honorarium to work on writing projects, including an art-based essay, and they read from their work throughout the academic year alongside well-known writers from the faculty of the University’s famed writing programs.

For more information on the UI Museum of Art, including updated event listings, visit http://www.uiowa.edu/uima.

The Nonfiction Writing Program is part of the Department of English in the UI College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

prepared by University Relations