Yarn Bombing Event to Raise Awareness for Historic Joy Kogawa House
When: Monday, February 28, 7 to 9pm
Where: Council Chambers, Vancouver City Hall, 453 West 12th Avenue, Vancouver
Who: Kogawa House Society in partnership with the Vancouver Heritage Foundation
Help writing blossom at Historic Joy Kogawa House! Join Leanne Prain and Mandy Moore, co-authors of the book Yarn Bombing: The Art of Crochet and Knit Graffiti (Arsenal Pulp Press), as we cover the Joy Kogawa cherry tree in hundreds of knitted blossoms.
You are invited to come and knit or crochet pink cherry blossoms to help cover this historic tree, whose story is told in Joy Kogawa’s Naomi’s Tree, a picture book about friendship, forgiveness, remembering, and love.
Knitters and crocheters of all levels are welcome to attend this FREE event. Donations of pink yarn are appreciated.
Or help to stitch all of the cherry blossoms into place at Historic Joy Kogawa House on Sunday, March 6, 2 to 3:30pm. Drop by to help out or just to watch the magic happen!
Can’t make it to these events? Mail your knitted or crocheted cherry blossoms to be added to the tree, as follows:
Historic Joy Kogawa House
1450 West 64th Avenue
Vancouver, B.C. V6P 2N4
Or drop your blossoms in the covered bin you’ll find just down the steps from the sidewalk in front of the house at 1450 West 64th Avenue. Submissions will be accepted up until March 1, 2011.
This event is organized to raise awareness for the writer-in-residence program that takes place in the house each year, when the Historic Joy Kogawa House Society hosts a celebrated Canadian writer for three-months at a time. This year the Society will host two writers, each for three months. “We’re looking to increase awareness, but more importantly, to increase our number of members, whose membership fees go directly to the writer in residence,” said Ann-Marie Metten, executive director.
All cherry blossoms should be made in pink yarn. Patterns are available here, as well as on our website at www.kogawahouse.com, along with membership forms and a mailing address.
Media are invited to interview the authors before the event.
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Contact:
Kogawa House Society: Ann-Marie Metten / ametten@telus.net / 604-263-6586
Yarn Bombing: Leanne Prain / leanneprain@gmail.com
Information on Historic Joy Kogawa House
Historic Joy Kogawa House is the former home of Canadian author Joy Kogawa (born 1935). It stands as a cultural and historical reminder of the war-time experience Canadians of Japanese descent, when they were interned in remote camps and their property expropriated. The house also celebrates Kogawa’s work as a writer.
Between 2003 and 2006, a grassroots committee fundraised in a well-publicized national campaign, and with the help of TLC, The Land Conservancy of BC, a non-profit land trust, TLC purchased the house in 2006.
Together with Joy Kogawa, it was decided that the wisest and best use of the property would be to establish it as a place where writers can live and work. Following the model of the writer-in-residence program at Roderick Haig-Brown House in Campbell River, BC, the Historic Joy Kogawa House writer-in-residence program brings well-regarded professional writers in touch with a local community of writers, readers, editors, publishers, booksellers and librarians. While in residence, the writer works to enrich the literary community around him or her and to foster an appreciation for Canadian writing through programs that involve students, other established and emerging writers, and readers alike.
Funding is provided through the Canada Council and through donations from the general public.
