Biography:

Vivien Steels lives in Nottingham, England & retired from teaching/lecturing in 1987 due to the illness M.E./CFS. She writes (mainly) poetry (but also short stories & articles) & paints in watercolours/acrylics. She has had over 120 poems (some with artwork) published in small poetry presses (including Envoi, The Frogmore Papers, Smiths Knoll, IOTA, Panda, Rain Dog, CPR International, Poetry Nottingham, Poetry Monthly, Countryside Tales, Orbis, Carillon, The New Cauldron, Wordshare, Amber Silhouettes, Purple Patch, Weyfarers, ImageNation, Reflections, Quantum Leap, Peace & Freedom Press, Poetry Cornwall, Solo Survivors, Love Poetry & Bright Voices anthologies & First Time. She has also had over 80 poems on the Internet (plus artwork) most recently at EXPOSE'D plus ongoing local exhibitions of her paintings & illustrated poetry. She is a contributing poetry reviewer with the online poetry magazine WRITE-AWAY now . She has been a member of various writers' groups since 1977 & joins in poetry/writing events in Nottingham when well enough.

Why I Write:

“Ultimately I believe wordcraft (as well as paintcraft) is a spiritual gift from God and although I must have faith in my ability to use words in the best possible way that I can, I am thankful for loving the use of words when trying to interpret and convey how I see, hear, smell, taste and feel the world around me, as well as the mystery of that which is unseen.”
© Vivien Steels (extract from article Why I Write – published @ Write-Away 28th March – 27th May 01)

Books:

She has currently designed/printed/produced a booklet of 23 of her published poems illustrated in colour with her paintings entitled *PROMISE* - June 2003, which has been reviewed in various magazines.

Prose:

Ten Days One Summer – CAT WORLD ANNUAL – 1995
Look Back Again & Slaughter of our Garden Birds – COLWICK PARK WILDLIFE MAGAZINE No: 16 – 1996 & No: 32 – 2000
Why I Write – WRITE-AWAY - 28th Mar – 27th May 2001
The Garlic Dragon (Gisela’s Story) – THE DRAGON CHRONICLE No: 23 Summer 2002
The Garlic Dragon (Lord G’s Story) – THE DRAGON CHRONICLE No: 25 Spring 2003
The Art of Forgiveness – GENTLE READER Issue 29 – March 2004
The Greenhouse Effect, April’s Fruit, The Dividing Line – accepted by GENTLE READER - for publication 2004/05
Poetry & Dream Imagery – accepted by POETRY CORNWALL – for publication 2004/05

Prizes:

First Prize – FAME Writing Competition (Portrait with a Pen) with Castle Museum & Art Gallery, Nottingham linked to an Andy Warhol Exhibition from 29th Mar – 14th July 2002
Second Prize - LOWDHAM BOOK FESTIVAL 2000 Poetry Competition

Exhibitions:

Local exhibitions of artwork and poetry 2003/4
· Art for Life Gallery, Sherwood, Nottingham – February/March 2003 (Local Artists)
· West Bridgford Library – “Talking Paint” exhibition of 40 paintings + 40 poems illustrated with artwork from 2nd – 28th June 2003