Middle-aged, middle class, and occasionally neurotic, Laurice has been arranging words poetically (she hopes) and cutting up and rearranging other people's visual images since 1994. In the early 90s, after discovering during a Massey University Garden Design course (when it was still Wellington Polytechnic) that she could draw passably well, she attended art school at The Learning Connexion (Wellington) in a misguided and largely unsuccessful attempt to ward off a mid-life crisis. While doing so she rediscovered writing and collage, her two favourite childhood activities.

Laurice remains mystified as to why audiences find the sharing of her deepest fears and most personal experiences amusing. Turning to Vincent Van Gogh for inspiration she has decided that life on the emotional fringe is not as bad as it could be. At least she's managed to make a little money from more than one of her creations, and so far she is not addicted to absinthe.

As well as her Diploma in Art & Creativity from The Learning Connexion, Laurice has assorted certificates, diplomas and degrees in: abseiling, astrology, audiology, ballet, being intelligent, counseling, garden design, having babies, linguistics, mentoring, psychology, rational-emotive behavioural therapy and tarot card reading. She has been known to sing and dance (jazz - the dancing, not the singing) in public without totally embarrassing herself, and had a brief part-time sideline career as a life model. As a result of a loophole in tax laws, Laurice is officially a resident of Texas, USA, despite never having been there. She did once, however, spend 10 minutes outside the airport in Phoenix, Arizona, so she could say she'd been there and buy a fridge magnet.

Until July 2006 Laurice worked for 26 years as an audiologist in New Zealand's public health system. Early retirement enabled her to promote herself from ordinary committee member of the New Zealand Poetry Society, to National Coordinator in charge of pretty much everything. Election to President occurred when no-one else wanted the job.

In her spare time, such as it is, Laurice is the Wellington Area Coordinator, as well as the Enquiries Officer, of Mensa, and particularly enjoys pub quizzes, gardening, book-altering, yoga, knitting while watching the Hurricanes prove themselves the most unpredictable rugby team ever, and reading very late into the night. Occasionally she runs, though never more than 5k at a time, and she learned to swim at the age of 46, to prove that age is no barrier to physical learning. Her poetry group unanimously voted her an over-achiever when, set the subject of 'time' for a regular workshopping meeting, she wrote an English sonnet, with correct rhyme scheme and perfect iambic pentameter.

"If I didn't follow my eclectic interests," she reports, "I'd probably be a better cook."

Literary History

School History. Published for the South Wellington Intermediate School Reunion, March 1987

'Untititled V', in JAAM 4 ed. Paul Wolffram, Wai-te-ata Press, Wellington, May 1996

'Act 1, Scene1', in Brown Bread The Learning Connexion, Wgtn, 1996

'Dissolution', in Word of Mouth ed. Julie Bomber, Poetry Today, Llangollen, 1997 (Vanity Publication. Well, everyone's got to start somewhere, don't they?)

'In My Sister's Garden', in the ordinary magic ed. Vivienne Jepson, The NZ Poetry Society, Wgtn, 1997

'Cat Flap', in climbing the flame tree ed. Vivienne Jepson, The NZ Poetry Society, Wgtn, 1998

'Maybe' (Highly Commended) and 'Life is a Grocery Store', in the whole wide world ed. Vivienne Jepson, The NZ Poetry Society, Wgtn, 2000

'chicken', in coastlines ed. Judith Holloway, Greater Otaki Literary Trust, Otaki, 2001

'Stay in Touch' (Winner), 'City Life', 'This Man, My Hero', 'Undertow', in The Great Kiwi Summer Poetry Slam 2001/2002 ed. Mike Subritsky, Kiwiana Publishing, Tauranga, 2002
'Stay in Touch' - reprinted in Swings + Roundabouts - Poems on Parenthood, ed. Emma Neale, Godwit 2008.
'City Life', 'This Man, My Hero', 'Undertow' - reprinted in Valley Micropress July/August 2008, ed. Tony Chad.

'Saturday Morning Ode', in A Question of Poetry ed. Greg O'Brien, Wai-te-ata Press, Wgtn, 2003

'Ballad Of the Rangitata', in NZ Hunting & Wildlife ed. Andy Lyver, Wgtn, 2003

'Personal Effects', in something to expiate ed. Anne Harré, NZ Poetry Society, Wgtn, 2003

125th Anniversary: Newtown School 1879-2004. 125th Anniversary Jubilee Committee, Wgtn, 2004

'Audiology Report' (Highly Commended), in the enormous picture ed. Anna Livesey, NZ Poetry Society, Wgtn, 2004

'Moon', in A Head Full of Daffodils ed. BodyFX for the Cancer Society, Wgtn, 2005

'Temporary Memories' (Highly Commended), in Bravado 5 ed. Bravado Editorial Collective, Tauranga, 2005

'46 Hats' and 'Quality of Life Survey', in tiny gaps ed. Margaret Vos, NZ Poetry Society, Wgtn, 2006

'Lot's Wife had it Easy', in a fine line, May 2007

'Strangers', 4th= place in the St Petroc's Society First International Poetry Competition, 2007. Not published.

untitled double dactyl ('Millary-Dillary'), in a fine line, March 2008

'1981', in The Poetry Olympics, ed. Tony Chad, Upper Hutt 2008

 

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