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  ARTIST: DEREK PYLE
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ARTIST STATEMENT

While poetry has served a number of purposes, it is perhaps most importantly about waking up to ourselves. It can illuminate any moment with clarity. It is a reminder of who we are even in the subtle daydreams and on cloudy days. Through this clear sight, we can shift our experience to allow a sense of wholeness and satisfaction that life inherently holds. This is not necessarily a 'goodness,' but instead the recognition of and compassion for life that naturally comes by just witnessing the truth of the world. With this comes the ease of being present and clear. Even the darkest moments, when captured and shared, can be held like this--the key is going there and witnessing whatever is offered, and poetry presents such a window to witness through. Whether it's something I write or print, I hope when readers approach my work it brings this same clarity, no matter how brief, allowing them to experience, 'Ahh, this here is life." May this further instigate wakefulness, breathing inspiration into body and mind, continually calling, "Show up to life and whatever it holds today."


BIOGRAPHY

Poet and letterpress printer Derek Pyle currently lives in Boston, Massachusetts having graduated from Hampshire College.  He is a poet and a musician. As co-owner of Jubilation Press. Derek works to spread not only his own poetry but also the poetry of others through Jubilation Press, which specializes in letterpress printing poetry broadsides.
Derek’s poem, “Dumpster Meditation” was selected as the featured poem for the 2007 Peace Benefit at Gallery DeForest. One hundred percent of the sales went to the Welcome Home Project, a project that offered Afghan, Iraq and Vietnam veterans a retreat in Ashland in May of 2008.
Derek’s artist books, “A Toaster Tells of His Final Days” and “Washed up and Unhappy in the 21st Century” were chosen and exhibited in the nationally juried show “Secrets and Lies” in in Portland, Oregon. The books are political satires about a toaster running for President, bound into toaster-shaped books and displayed in 1930’s toasters.
In 2008, Derek participated in the Mosaic Foundation’s program with Michael Meade, “Voices of Youth” including a poetry performance in San Francisco at the Brava Theater.



Dumpster Meditation

Dumpster Meditation

A Toaster Story

Three Poem Meditation