Poetry. Art. LGBT Studies. Poems by Rena Rosenwasser with monoprints by Kate Delos. This collaboration grew out of a poet's and a painter's mutual fascination with Roman portraiture, especially its departure from the Greek ideal in favor of universal human types. We recognize these figures as contemporary in expression, but also as Roman citizens. Delos's sure applications of line and color capture their individual characters, dress and ornaments in painterly snapshots, while Rosenwasser's poem fragments narrate their lives as bits of gossip and flirtation. Include fourteen full-color plates.

Author City: BERKELEY, CA USA

Rena Rosenwasser was born in New York City in 1950. After graduating from Sarah Lawrence College in 1971, she moved to California, where, in 1974, she helped found Kelsey Street Press, where she continues to serve as its co-director. Between 1987 and 2006, Rosenwasser initiated and produced a series of collaborations between poets and visual artists that established Kelsey Street as the premiere and longest lived independent publisher of literature for women. Rosenwasser's poetry publications include ELEVATORS (Kelsey Street Press, 2011); Dittany (Taking flight) (Mayacamas Press, 1993); Unplace.Place (Leave Books, 1992); and three collaborations with artist Kate Delos: ISLE (Kelsey Street Press, 1992); Aviary (Limestone Press,1988); and SIMULACRA (Kelsey Street Press, 1986). Her first volume of poetry, DESERT FLATS, was published by Kelsey Street Press in 1979. Currently a board member of Small Press Distribution, Rosenwasser has also served on the Literary Panel for the California Arts Council. She and her partner, Penny Cooper, reside in Berkeley, California.