A Poet who uses his life’s struggles as inspiration will spend the month of November in Lindsborg.  John Dorsey will be Artist-in-Residence at the Red Barn Studio Museum in Lindsborg for the month of November.

According to the organization, Dorsey is a poet who lives with cerebral palsy. He has been a notable figure in the publishing community for over two decades, and has seen the publication of 90-100 books since 1995. He has penned around 50 books and chapbooks, including recent works such as “Being the Fire” (Tangerine Press, 2016) and “Shoot the Messenger” (Red Flag Press, 2017), which received funding from the English Department at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Other well-received works include “Your Daughter’s Country” (Blue Horse Press, 2019), an Amazon Best Seller, and “Which Way to the River: Selected Poems” (OAC Books, 2020). A 13-time nominee for the Pushcart Prize, Dorsey’s poetry has been featured in over 3,000 magazines and anthologies globally.

Dorsey has spoken at a multitude of colleges and universities, reaching audiences in 49 states and several countries. His contributions extend beyond writing; he served as a judge for various poetry competitions and initiatives, including the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo’s Art in Tarta Project and the Grievous Prize in Cardiff, Wales. His accolades include being named Toledo’s Best Literary Artist in 2014.

After graduating from the University of the Arts Writing for Film and Television program in 2002, Dorsey was an Artist-in-Residence at the Collingwood Arts Center in Toledo, Ohio until 2012. In 2017, he became Belle, Missouri’s first Poet Laureate, founding the city’s premiere literary publication, the Gasconade Review, which he edits with fellow Raymer Society Artist-in-Residence Jason Ryberg.

Currently, Dorsey is working on a project deeply influenced by his personal journey through serious health challenges, including a high-risk cancer surgery. His recent experiences have brought a fresh perspective to his work, intertwining themes of place and personal experiences with illness. Join us for a special reception and poetry reading on November 19th from 2-4 p.m.

Funding for the Red Barn Studio Museum Artist-in-Residence program comes in part from the Kansas Department of Commerce Creative Arts Industries Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts.