George V. Van Deventer

About the Artist

George V. Van Deventer

Van Deventer, born in Newark, New Jersey in 1935, has worked in many capacities, from dairy farmer (29 years) to school bus driver, from truck driver to U.S. Army.

Writing poetry since 1963, Van Deventer has published in several journals. Executive Director of the Live Poets Society (Maine) from 1990 ? 1997, Van Deventer worked extensively in elementary schools developing poetry workshops for children, reaching 1030 children in Maine?s midcoast schools in 1997. He served as editor (2001-2007) of Off the Coast, the Journal of the Live Poets Society.

Van Deventer, president of the Sheepscot Valley Chorus (Maine), enjoys singing choral music. In 2004, he was invited to sing at two John Clare Festivals in England: Isle of Jersey and the annual Festival in Clare?s home village, Helpston. To support his travel, George was awarded The St. Botolph Club Foundation (Boston, MA) Grant-in-Aid for 2004. In 2007, three of George?s poems, set to music by Terence Deadman in Hove, England, were performed at the annual music festival in Brighton&#59; additional choral arrangements of one poem were performed in Maine and NJ.

In 2008, George was recognized by Governor John Baldacci for his work in promoting poetry in Maine.

George V. Van Deventer
gvan@midcoast.com
I enjoy developing a ""Speaking Choir"" with young student where classic poetry is performed dramatically.