October 2025
Book Talk with Krista Franklin and the Boundless Bound Symposium and Art Book Fair
Wednesday, October 29th, 2:10-2:40PM
Venue: Memorial Hall Auditorium
Krista Franklin is an American poet and visual artist whose primary artistic focus is collage. Her work, which addresses issues of race, gender, and class, combines personal, pop-cultural, and historical imagery. They will deliver a featured talk on art books at the Boundless Bound Symposium and Art Book Fair. This event is part of a two-day event blending scholarship, creativity, and hands-on practice through a symposium, workshops, and a vibrant art book fair. Find out more about Boundless Bound Symposium and Art Book Fair.
Furious Flower Reading Series with Krista Franklin
Thursday, October 30th, 5-6:30PM
Venue: Taylor 404
Experience a blending of artistic disciplines! This time, we gather to appreciate the work of the multi-talented artist, performer, and poet Krista Franklin. This is a unique opportunity to hear from a respected poet who actively excels in several art forms! The reading will be followed by a brief book signing. This event is free and open to the public. Bring a friend!
Krista Franklin is a writer, performer, and visual artist, the author of Solo(s) (University of Chicago Press, 2022), Too Much Midnight (Haymarket Books, 2020), the artist book Under the Knife (Candor Arts, 2018), and the chapbook Study of Love & Black Body (Willow Books, 2012). She is a Cave Canem fellow, a recipient of the Helen and Tim Meier Foundation for the Arts Achievement Award and the Joan Mitchell Foundation Painters and Sculptors Grant. Her visual art has exhibited at Western Exhibitions, DePaul Art Museum, Poetry Foundation, Le Crédac, Konsthall C, Museum of Contemporary Photography, Studio Museum in Harlem, Chicago Cultural Center, National Museum of Mexican Art, and as set dressing for music videos and national television programs. Her writing and art is in the collections of DePaul Art Museum, Museum of Contemporary Photography, Library of Congress Rare Books and Special Collections, and the Joan Flasch Artists’ Book Collection + Archive. She is published in Poetry, Black Camera, The Offing, Vinyl, and a number of anthologies and artist books.
November 2025
First Fridays at Furious Flower Broadside Gallery
Friday, November 7th, 5-7PM
Theme: History Repeating Repeating
Venue: The Furious Flower Poetry Center
Join us for another Arts Council of the Valley First Friday Downtown Art Tour reception featuring our tenth exhibition! Come view our latest exhibit, History Repeating Repeating, November 7th from 5-7 p.m. at Furious Flower Poetry Center, Cardinal House, 500 Cardinal Dr. Light refreshments provided. Free and open to the public.
Go to the Broadside Gallery Webpage to find out more!
Creative Writing Workshop for JMU Students with Rickey Laurentiis
Wednesday, November 12th, 7-8:30PM
Venue: Keezell 303
Come write with a legend in the making! The Furious Flower Poetry Center is excited to collaborate with Word is Born to offer a Creative Writing Workshop with highly acclaimed poet Rickey Laurentiis. This workshop will take place on Wednesday, November 12th, 7-8:30PM in Keezell 303. Walk-ins are welcome but space is very limited. If you are able, please take a moment to register and confirm your attendance.
Rickey Laurentiis is the author of the recently published collection, Death of the First Idea (Knopfs), and Boy with Thorn, winner of the Cave Canem Poetry Prize and the Levis Reading Prize, and a finalist for the Kate Tufts Discovery Award, the Thom Gunn Award for Gay Poetry and a Lambda Literary Award. Boy with Thorn was also named one of the top ten debuts of 2015 by Poets & Writers Magazine and a top 16 best poetry book by Buzzfeed, among other distinctions.
Furious Flower Reading Series with Rickey Laurentiis
Thursday, November 13th, 5-6:30PM
Venue: Taylor 302
The Furious Flower Poetry Center invites you to join us for this semester's final Reading Series event, featuring 2025 National Book Award Nominee, Ricky Laurentiis. The reading will be followed by a brief book signing. This event is free and open to the public.
Rickey Laurentiis is the author of the recently published collection, Death of the First Idea (Knopfs), and Boy with Thorn, winner of the Cave Canem Poetry Prize and the Levis Reading Prize, and a finalist for the Kate Tufts Discovery Award, the Thom Gunn Award for Gay Poetry and a Lambda Literary Award. Boy with Thorn was also named one of the top ten debuts of 2015 by Poets & Writers Magazine and a top 16 best poetry book by Buzzfeed, among other distinctions.
