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Bustling marketplace Crowds of vendors calling out Selling to the crowd
“Spirit of Community Friendship” by Nicole Chen
In case you missed it, we recently announced the poet / artist selections for our 2023 Syracuse Poster Project Series! The series selection began back in September by reaching out to community-wide poets and artists. We received many wonderful haiku from this year’s call which allowed, once again, for short poems outside the tradition of haiku as well as several “Syracuse Spirit” poetry prompts.
Excited gulls screech and swirl and descend upon a concrete jungle. Close your eyes and imagine the sea.
“Spirit of Native Flora and Fauna” by Pearl Popiak
With 81 returning poets and 15 new poets, we received a total of 274 poems! From these, we selected 120 semi-final poems and allocated four poems to each of the 27 participating artists. Each artist selected one poem to illustrate and 22 haiku posters were completed.
March into April. Shed the outer cloak, breathe and take the umbrella...
“Spirit of Regional Flavors” by Michelle Miles
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In early December, we engaged an enthusiastic group of guest panelists to select nine (9) posters for this, our 22nd series. The panelists also presided over a blind selection of these nine posters to award a first-, second-, and third-place designation.

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In addition, we received a total of 41 poems to complement a specially-themed State Fair poster illustrated by Lydia Nichols. From these, our Board, and a group of State Fair representatives, selected four semi-final poems. Of these four, Lydia selected this colorful haiku by Shari Hemsley:
The finest forelock, primping feathers, wool and fur side eyes on the prize
As always, we will release this year’s 10 posters at our annual unveiling celebration tentatively set for April 20, 2023.
Highland Forest hike turns to conversation with chattering squirrels
“Spirit of Parks and Wild Places” by Jay Cox
A heartfelt thank you again to all who submitted haiku this year and to all the artists who created an illustrated poster for consideration. Your creative contributions once again have helped to define Central New York as a place of passion and poetry. Thanks also to our guest panelists and Board members for all your hard work in making this another successful year for the Syracuse Poster Project. Special thanks, also, to the New York State Council on the Arts whose generous grant allowed us to pay an honorarium to the selected poets and artists—a first for us!
Vintage wedding gown. Handmade quilts sewn long ago. Time never fading.
“Spirit of TimeWorn Treasures” by Cynthia DeKing
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Please join us in congratulating the selected poet-artist pairs:
- Mark Calicchia, poet and Chloe Flores, artist
- Shari Hemsley, poet and Lydia Nichols, artist
- Octavia Miller, poet and Barry Lee, artist
- Brian Mitchell, poet and Mary Vertigan, artist
- Craig Overbeck, poet and Katie Mulligan, artist
- Dave Pasinski, poet and Lucie Wellner, artist
- Rick Portine, poet and Kathleen O’Dell, artist
- Rick Portine, poet and Susan Murphy, artist
- Mark Shevalier, poet and Chris Barrett, artist
- Maura Harling Stefl, poet and Christian Freeman, artist
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Our guest panelists this year included:
Cheryl Chappell: Owner of Edgewood Gallery Anthony Pham: Marketing assistant for the Downtown Committee Elizabeth Judge: Marketing manager for Visit Syracuse Chris Capella: Art teacher at LaFayette High School Gabrielle Eure: Architectural designer at C&S Companies
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Hope to see you in April for another joyful celebration of poetry and art!
Snowflakes glide and twirl tiny dancers in tutus Mesmerized, I watch
“Spirit of Cozy Wintering” by Jean Fahey
Thank you!
Posted by Rosalyn M. Carroll for the Syracuse Poster Project