Poetry & Art | The Beautiful Haunt: Presented by Petrichor Collective

The Beautiful Haunt

Poetry & Art | An interactive night of autumn, wonder, and natural decay.

Created and facilitated by Erica Reid. Presented by Petrichor Collective. Directed by Kathleen Willard

When & Where

Tuesday, October 21 • 6:00 PM (Doors at 5:45)

Fort Collins Center for Creativity

Featuring

Award‑winning writers:Erica Reid (Colorado), CMarie Fuhrman (Idaho) , Starr Paul (Montana), anchor this event celebrating autumn, wonder, and natural decay.

Visual Echoes Art Premiere

Four Artists unveil original work sparked by a single line of poetry, each piece translating verse of our guest poets into image. Jenn Snow, Ish Heredia, Erika Sterner, and Jaxton Wild reveal new creations born from the lines that whispered in their ears.

Meet the Artists

Converse directly with the Artists throughout the night. Ask about process, materials, and the poetic sparks behind each piece. Original works and select prints will be available for purchase; many pieces are one‑of‑a‑kind.

At a Glance

• Live readings by the featured writers
• Visual Echoes by four Artists
• Live Art demonstrations
• Make‑and‑take Art activities (all levels)
• Poetry created at the event
• Visual responses to poetic prompts
• Open mic to share both poetry and art created at The Beautiful Haunt

Custom non-alcoholic cocktails & elevated snacks

Non‑alcoholic drinks crafted in‑house by Petrichor Collective’s mixologist, Xavier Pereira. Expect layered, seasonal sips, house infusions, herb syrups, bitters, and fresh juices, all built with the care of a classic cocktail, minus the alcohol. Designed to pair with the snacks and match the tone of the evening: crisp, grounded, memorable.

Elevated Snacks

Thoughtful, seasonal small bites that echo the mood of the readings and visuals. Clean, bright flavors with cozy notes of autumn. Refined and natural without being fussy.

Make & Take Art Activities (All Levels)

Set aside time to create your own take‑home piece of Art and Poetry. Guided by Artists Bethany Economos, Lorene Martinez, and Kathleen Willard, these quick, welcoming stations are designed for all skill levels, from first‑timers to working Artists. Materials provided; you can complete the Art on site and carry home.

Write poems inspired by Art and guest poets. (All Levels)

Be inspired. We wish you to write poems about the Art and the poetry that you see and hear tonight. Tell how you were haunted by The Beautiful Haunt.

Community Open Mic (Closing Set)

At the end of the event, the mic opens to you, facilitated by Kathleen Willard. Bring a short poem, micro‑prose, or a brief show‑and‑tell of your Art (one piece). All levels welcome. Keep it concise, respectful, and ready to resonate.

Why These Nights Stand Out

Words become images, images spark making, and making turns into conversation. You read, watch, taste, and create, poetry, visual Art, and live demos, woven into one multi‑media, multi‑medium experience.

It’s an intimate, experimental, community‑forward way to experience Art in an all new way.

Info: CMarie Fuhrman is a poet, essayist, and memoirist whose work is rooted in the West. She is the author of Salmon Weather: Writing from the Land of No Return, the poetry chapbook Camped Beneath the Dam, and co-editor of the influential anthologies Cascadia Field Guide and Native Voices. Her writing has been featured in Terrain.org, Emergence Magazine, Alta Magazine, Big Sky Journal and elsewhere.

A passionate educator and community builder, CMarie serves as the Associate Director for Western Colorado University’s Graduate Program in Creative Writing, directs the Elk River Writers Workshop, and founded Confluence Writing Community. She is an award-winning columnist for the Inlander and host of Colorado Public Radio's Terra Firma. A former Idaho Writer in Residence, she lives in the Salmon River Mountains where she spends her summers as a fire lookout.

Info: Starr Paul is a poet from the Black Hills of South Dakota, proud creator and director of the Black Hills Writers Collective, and host of the Arise online Open Mic Series. Starr obtained her MFA in Creative Writing with a Poetry concentration in the summer of 2024 from Western Colorado University. Starr’s work can be found in Literary Matters, The Santa Fe Literary Review, The Last Stanza Poetry Journal, and more. When she is not writing or creating space for local writers in community, she is curled up with her two cats, Kilo and Porter, the three of them attached at the hip.

Info: Jenn is a true Jack of all trades, from drawing to painting, she leaves no stone unturned when it comes to 2D traditional Art mediums. Her passion for Artistic exploration knows no limits, constantly driving her to discover new mediums and techniques. A teacher by nature, Jenn finds fulfillment in helping others grow in their creative journey through her workshops at
the studio and collaboration with other artists. Petrichor Collective has been the perfect environment for her to nurture her creative spirit and share in the love of art with others. She has been a happy host of many an “arty party”.

Info: is the author of Ghost Man on Second (Autumn House Press 2024, winner of the Donald Justice Poetry Prize), and the forthcoming chapbook How Prey Thinks (Milk & Cake Press). Erica’s poems appear in Rattle, Cherry Tree, Colorado Review, and more.

Host or Publisher Petrichor Collective