Good News! Alarie Tennille's Ekphrastic Book is Director's Pick at Nelson-Atkins Museum!

Three A.M. at the Museum, by Alarie Tennille
Named Director’s Pick at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City

Regulars at The Ekphrastic Review know Alarie Tennille as a frequent contributor, guest judge, and consultant. All three of her poetry collections are featured on TER’s Ekphrastic Bookshelf. Alarie has loved art from early childhood, so it was not surprising for art to be a major influence in her writing.
 
She moved to Kansas City, Missouri, in February 1982, when her husband took a new job there. Alarie knew it would be hard to leave her job and everyone she knew in Virginia, the only place she’d called home. But the Relocation Specialist helping to sell  them on KC was good at her job. She took them out for a lovely lunch and then to the Nelson-Atkins Museum, one of the great treasures of the Midwest. Alarie decided she could be at home there.
 
Chris has been a volunteer at the museum for 14 years, and he and Alarie have been members of the museum even longer. Sadly, the pandemic closed the museum to visitors for many months. One bright spot was when the Kansas City Zoo brought penguins  to visit the museum and recorded a video of them waddling  around the galleries, looking as though they thoroughly enjoyed it. Alarie turned that adventure into a poem in her book. The museum also figured in several other poems, so she sent a copy as a gift to the museum Director, Dr. Julián Zugazagoitia, in appreciation. 
 
In early January, Chris was working a volunteer shift in the archives  and attending a Zoom staff meeting. There was Director Zugazagoitia holding up a book. The archivist turned to Chris and asked, “Isn’t that Alarie’s book?” Yes! The Director went on to discuss what ekphrastic writing is, gave a shout out to The Ekphrastic Review, and read Alarie’s title poem. 
 
Chris couldn’t wait to get home to tell Alarie the exciting news, but it got even better. A follow-up email with notes from the meeting shared the websites for Alarie and for TER. Then the Museum Shop Manager told Alarie that her book would be sold as a Director’s Pick.

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Three A.M. at the Museum, by Alarie Tennille
Kelsay Books, 2021
with forward by The Ekphrastic Review!
Get your copy online:
https://www.amazon.com/Three-M-at-Museum/dp/195435360X