June 11 – August 20, 2022 | The Corrine Woodman Gallery II

Why: To celebrate and commemorate Ann Staley

Ann Staley and Friends commemorates Ann Staley as a poet, a teacher, and a longtime friend & supporter of The Arts Center. Fellow poets were invited to add some of their work to Ann’s poems display and to conduct poetry readings.

Ann was always a welcomed and frequent visitor to the Galleries and the Artshop(!) as husband Courtney can attest. She was an enthusiastic, early devotee and literary arts participant of Arts Alive! where she was in her element as a mentor and cheerleader. For our annual Youth Poetry exhibit, Ann encouraged young poets by carefully selecting awards, and by demonstrating how a “good reading” was done, with vocal emphasis and pauses.

On behalf of The Arts Center, Ann was the behind-the-scenes volunteer curator of submissions for the most visible poetry venue in the community -– the Poetry Marquee, aka the old Midway Drive-in Theater sign, located in downtown Corvallis (SW Madison Ave & SW First Street). 

Before her passing in February 2022,  Ann expressed interest in supporting a future Arts Center poetry show, and promised a monetary gift to support it, even though it appeared she would not be able to share in its happening with us. Ann Staley and Friends features poetry by Staley, plus literary work from her friends, for the greater Corvallis community to enjoy.

In addition to the poetry display in the Corrine Woodman Gallery II,  The Arts Center hosted a Poetry Reading on Saturday, June 18, 4 pm and concluded with a toast to Ann afterwards.

Additionally, the 5th Annual Art Alive! will feature Ann’s poetry on August 12, 2022.