Petra Vergunst is a writer and community artist based in the northeast of Scotland. Inspired by local landscape and heritage her work investigates the multi-layered relationships we maintain with our natural and historical environments.
Petra’s poetry has appeared in many publications including Ink, Sweat and Tears, The Stare’s Nest, The Lake, Three Drops from a Cauldron, The Open Mouse, Poetry Scotland, Nutshells and Nuggets and various anthologies. Her first publication, the narrative poem Embrace, appeared in 2017. Often writing for performance, she has performed at The Lemon Tree (Aberdeen), Haddo House (National Trust for Scotland), Dundee Contemporary Arts, for Timespan (Helmsdale) and Dunbeath Heritage Trust, the Tolbooth Museum in Stonehaven, Lemon Tree Writer’s events and poetry evenings at Books and Beans (Aberdeen). As a facilitator of poetry writing workshops she has worked with writers’ groups and arts venues, and, in 2016, delivered the opening workshop of the University of Aberdeen’s May Festival. Between 2014 and 2016 she was board member of the Lemon Tree Writers, most recently as chair. In recognition of her community arts work she has been an honorary fellow with WORD Centre for Creative Writing at the University of Aberdeen since 2015.
As a community artist Petra has had projects commissioned by, amongst other organisations, Scottish Natural Heritage, the National Trust for Scotland, Forestry Commission Scotland, Aberdeen City Council, Dundee Heritage Trust (Verdant Works) and Scottish Sculpture Workshop.
Petra can be contacted at petravergunst [at] hotmail [dot] com.
Copyright text Petra Vergunst
Alder and Aspen 