Leaves are Vowels. by Wendy McGrath (Poet) / Stars by Beck Huang (Image maker)
We are happy to announce the launch of the first of four French Letter Society imprints for 2025. Presenting Edmonton author WENDY McGRATH and Toronto image artist BECK HUANG on Saturday, September 13, 7 - 10 PM at Someone Editions Book Salon & Gallery, 2059 Dundas Street West.
Exquisitely designed and produced in letterpress by Deborah Barnett, the first of 2025’s French Letter Society limited-edition imprint, features Wendy McGrath’s poem “Leaves are vowels” and Beck Huang’s original art. Come, meet the poet and artist, and become the owner of one of the 60 copies of this beautiful object d’art and collectible.
Wendy McGrath (she/her) is a Métis poet, writer, and artist living in amiskwacîwâskahikan (Edmonton). Winner of the inaugural Prairie Grindstone Prize, McGrath’s writing embraces multiple genres. Her latest poetry collection, "The Beauty of Vultures", (NeWest Press April 2025) is inspired by and includes the bird/wildlife photography of Danny Miles, drummer for the band ‘July Talk.’ Her most recent chapbook/artist’s book, "The Orange Scribbler" (Jack Pine Press 2023) is a hybrid work inspired by heirloom family recipes. McGrath has published four novels, two poetry collections, and two chapbooks/artist’s books which explore a range of forms and approaches. "Broke City", the final book in her Santa Rosa Trilogy, continues her exploration of the prairie gothic.
Beck Huang (she/they) has a background in Art History and Philosophy and is currently completing a master’s in arts leadership and management. She works in the arts and maintain a personal practice alongside their professional life. Their work centres on slow, methodical stippled drawings that explore form, atmosphere, and rhythm through a meditative, non-representational approach.This book is part of the Fall 2024 collection of the French Letter Society, to be released on November 8th, 2024. Each French Letter combines an original poem and visual art insert, in numbered literary letterpress chapbooks – 100 copies of each title, in printed envelopes, in 2024.
Someone Editions: French Letter Society
The French Letter Society is a collective publishing initiative that offers a platform to emerging artists and writers. By producing book objects that disrupt the traditional form and authority of the book, FLS deconstructs preconceived notions about print.
Leaves are Vowels. / STars FLS25
Beck (she/they) has a background in Art History and Philosophy and is currently completing a Master’s in Arts Leadership and Management. She works in the arts and maintain a personal practice alongside their professional life. Their work centers on slow, methodical stippled drawings that explore form, atmosphere, and rhythm through a meditative, non-representational approach. Influenced by the quiet intensity of Agnes Martin and the structural rhythms of concrete poetry, their drawings reflect a sustained attention to subtlety and repetition. In a recent series, these forms are reimagined through stamped impressions, translating the original works into a new mode that considers trace, reproducibility, and the shifting nature of mark-making. An avid collector of artist books and multiples, they also write a weekly newsletter highlighting upcoming art exhibitions and events in Toronto.
Artist website: https://calabrees.world/
Newsletter: https://calabrees.substack.com/
Wendy McGrath (she/her) is a Métis poet, writer, and artist living in amiskwacîwâskahikan (Edmonton). Winner of the inaugural Prairie Grindstone Prize, McGrath’s writing embraces multiple genres. Her latest poetry collection, The Beauty of Vultures, (NeWest Press April 2025) is inspired by and includes the bird/wildlife photography of Danny Miles, drummer for the band ‘July Talk.’ Her most recent chapbook/artist’s book, The Orange Scribbler (Jack Pine Press 2023) is a hybrid work inspired by heirloom family recipes. She has collaborated with visual artists and musicians, exploring the relationships between genres.
McGrath has published four novels, two poetry collections, and two chapbooks/artist’s books which explore a range of forms and approaches. Broke City, the final book in her Santa Rosa Trilogy, continues her exploration of the prairie gothic.
She has collaborated with visual artists and musicians to explore the relationships between genres. She is an established member of the writing community, enriching it through mentoring, teaching, and engaging in literary events.
The Beauty of Vultures
https://bookshop.newestpress.com/collections/forthcoming/products/the-beauty-of-vultures
Winner of the inaugural Prairie Grindstone Prize.
https://www.prairiegrindstoneprize.ca/The Orange Scribbler
https://jackpinepress.com/product/the-orange-scribbler-by-wendy-mcgrath/The Santa Rosa Trilogy - (novels: Santa Rosa, North East, Broke City)
https://newestpress.com/authors/wendy-mcgrath
Recurring Fictions
https://ualbertapress.ca/9780888643896/recurring-fictions/