Mersey Arts Zone will host the exhibition ‘Love, Hurt & Whimsy: Conversations Between Poetry and Art’ at the Floral Pavilion.
It will display 24 poems from Eric Craven, alongside artworks that ‘share the sentiments’ of the poetry.
Mr Craven, born in 1953, is a poet and former special school headteacher.
He retired from education, where he was one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Schools, and now spends his time writing poems and supporting headteachers of special schools.
Mr Craven published a series of his poems in December 2023 in a book called ‘Love, Hurt and Whimsy’, and has read aloud some of his poems on Radio Merseyside.
His poetry is described as ‘accessible and easy to read’, with some poems coming from personal experiences and others reflecting on the times we live in.
He said: “I’m delighted to link with local artists in this way.
“I think there is an onus on us to try and appeal to our local community.
“Just like me, the artists are local people.
“The poems in the exhibit are all really accessible; easy to read and understand.
“The poems of the famous Liverpool poets of the 1960s, including Roger McGough, were easily accessible as well.
“People related to them, found them amusing and thought-provoking.”
The exhibition will be open from Wednesday, March 26, until Sunday, April 6, and will be open from Wednesday to Sunday.
Everyone is welcome to attend the free launch event at 5pm on Wednesday, which will feature live readings by Mr Craven and music by local folk artists.
Mr Craven will also be running a poetry workshop for anybody who is new to poetry writing and wants to develop their skills.
Bookings can be made directly by emailing him at ericscraven@me.com.
