Al Pittman
Encyclopedia
Al Pittman was a poet and playwright from Newfoundland and Labrador
.
Born in St. Leonard's
, Placentia Bay
, Newfoundland
, Pittman grew up in Corner Brook
. He moved to Montreal
in 1964 where he began writing poetry and plays, and in 1966 published his first book of poems, The Elusive Resurrection. While in Montreal he was associated with Raymond Fraser
and others in editing the literary magazine Intercourse: Contemporary Canadian Writing. From 1968 to 1970, Pittman was a student at St. Thomas University
in Fredericton, New Brunswick
, where he befriended fellow poet Alden Nowlan
. Pittman moved to St. John's
in 1972, where he associated with many of the artists, writers, and musicians active in the city at the time, including Rufus Guinchard and Gerald Squires
. In 1973 he co-founded Newfoundland's first publishing house, Breakwater Books, with Pat Byrne, Dick Buehler, Tom Dawe
, and Clyde Rose. Pittman continued to write throughout his life, producing many other volumes of poetry, plays, books for children, short stories, songs, magazine articles, and essays, as well as writings for radio, television and film. He eventually returned to his childhood home of Corner Brook, where he co-founded the March Hare
, an annual poetry and music festival.
Pittman's poetry and plays often address the sense of loss associated with the rural resettlement policies initiated by Joey Smallwood
's provincial government in the 1960s. His best-known play West Moon is set in a resettled outport
, where the ghosts of the dead lament the abandonment of their home. A strong sense of community and a writing style intended for reading aloud have helped to cement Pittman's reputation as one of Newfoundland and Labrador's most cherished contemporary writers.
Al Pittman died on August 26, 2001 at the age of sixty-one, after a lengthy illness. His work has been recognized with many awards, including a Borestone Mountain Poetry Award
, The Canada Council
Arts Award, the Stephen Leacock
Centennial Award, and The Writer's Alliance Book Award for Poetry. Pittman was the first recipient of the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council’s Lydia Campbell Award for Creative Writing in 1985, and was inducted into the Arts Council's Hall of Honour in 1999. Up until his death he was a Writer in Residence at Sir Wilfred Grenfell College in Corner Brook, Newfoundland.
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
.
Born in St. Leonard's
St. Leonard's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. Leonard's is a settlement in Newfoundland and Labrador....
, Placentia Bay
Placentia Bay
Placentia Bay is a body of water on the southeast coast of Newfoundland, Canada. It is formed by Burin Peninsula on the west and Avalon Peninsula on the east. Fishing grounds in the bay were used by native people long before the first European fishermen arrived in the 16th century. For a time, the...
, Newfoundland
Dominion of Newfoundland
The Dominion of Newfoundland was a British Dominion from 1907 to 1949 . The Dominion of Newfoundland was situated in northeastern North America along the Atlantic coast and comprised the island of Newfoundland and Labrador on the continental mainland...
, Pittman grew up in Corner Brook
Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador
Corner Brook is a city located on the west coast of the island of Newfoundland in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada....
. He moved to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
in 1964 where he began writing poetry and plays, and in 1966 published his first book of poems, The Elusive Resurrection. While in Montreal he was associated with Raymond Fraser
Raymond Fraser
Raymond Fraser is a Canadian author.Born in Chatham, New Brunswick, Fraser attended St Thomas University where in his freshman year he played on the varsity hockey and football teams, and in his junior year was co-editor with John Brebner of the student literary magazine Tom-Tom...
and others in editing the literary magazine Intercourse: Contemporary Canadian Writing. From 1968 to 1970, Pittman was a student at St. Thomas University
St. Thomas University (New Brunswick)
St. Thomas University is jointly a public and Roman Catholic liberal arts university located in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. It offers degrees exclusively at the undergraduate level for approximately 3,000 students in the liberal arts, humanities, journalism, education, and social work....
in Fredericton, New Brunswick
Fredericton, New Brunswick
Fredericton is the capital of the Canadian province of New Brunswick, by virtue of the provincial parliament which sits there. An important cultural, artistic, and educational centre for the province, Fredericton is home to two universities and cultural institutions such as the Beaverbrook Art...
, where he befriended fellow poet Alden Nowlan
Alden Nowlan
Alden Albert Nowlan was a critically acclaimed Canadian poet, novelist, and playwright-History:Alden Nowlan was born into rural poverty in Stanley, Nova Scotia, adjacent to Mosherville, and close to the small town of Windsor, Nova Scotia, along a stretch of dirt road that he would later refer to...
. Pittman moved to St. John's
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
in 1972, where he associated with many of the artists, writers, and musicians active in the city at the time, including Rufus Guinchard and Gerald Squires
Gerald Squires
Gerald Leopold Squires, CM is an artist from Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Perhaps best known for painting dramatic landscapes in acrylic and oil, Squires has also produced major work in sculpture, lithography, and stained glass. He is also an accomplished portraitist...
. In 1973 he co-founded Newfoundland's first publishing house, Breakwater Books, with Pat Byrne, Dick Buehler, Tom Dawe
Tom Dawe
Tom Dawe is a writer from Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.Born in Long Pond, Manuels, Conception Bay, Dawe has written poetry and children's literature for many years. He is also a visual artist...
, and Clyde Rose. Pittman continued to write throughout his life, producing many other volumes of poetry, plays, books for children, short stories, songs, magazine articles, and essays, as well as writings for radio, television and film. He eventually returned to his childhood home of Corner Brook, where he co-founded the March Hare
March Hare (festival)
The March Hare is Atlantic Canada's largest poetry festival. It started in 1987 or 1988 as an unpretentious evening of poetry and entertainment at the Blomidon Golf and Country Club in Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador, designed to appeal to a general audience. The Hare takes place in early...
, an annual poetry and music festival.
Pittman's poetry and plays often address the sense of loss associated with the rural resettlement policies initiated by Joey Smallwood
Joey Smallwood
Joseph Roberts "Joey" Smallwood, PC, CC was the main force that brought Newfoundland into the Canadian confederation, and became the first Premier of Newfoundland . As premier, he vigorously promoted economic development, championed the welfare state, and emphasized modernization of education and...
's provincial government in the 1960s. His best-known play West Moon is set in a resettled outport
Newfoundland outport
An outport is the term given for a small isolated coastal community in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Originally the term was just used for coastal communities on the island of Newfoundland but the term has also been adopted for those on the mainland area of Labrador as...
, where the ghosts of the dead lament the abandonment of their home. A strong sense of community and a writing style intended for reading aloud have helped to cement Pittman's reputation as one of Newfoundland and Labrador's most cherished contemporary writers.
Al Pittman died on August 26, 2001 at the age of sixty-one, after a lengthy illness. His work has been recognized with many awards, including a Borestone Mountain Poetry Award
Borestone Mountain Poetry Awards
The Borestone Mountain Poetry Awards was an annual series of poetry anthologies first published in 1949. The poems were selected from those published in a given year in English-language magazines and books; in each volume, individual poems were designated as first, second, or third place in a...
, The Canada Council
Canada Council
The Canada Council for the Arts, commonly called the Canada Council, is a Crown Corporation established in 1957 to act as an arts council of the government of Canada, created to foster and promote the study and enjoyment of, and the production of works in, the arts. It funds Canadian artists and...
Arts Award, the Stephen Leacock
Stephen Leacock
Stephen Butler Leacock, FRSC was an English-born Canadian teacher, political scientist, writer, and humorist...
Centennial Award, and The Writer's Alliance Book Award for Poetry. Pittman was the first recipient of the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council’s Lydia Campbell Award for Creative Writing in 1985, and was inducted into the Arts Council's Hall of Honour in 1999. Up until his death he was a Writer in Residence at Sir Wilfred Grenfell College in Corner Brook, Newfoundland.
Poetry
- The Elusive Resurrection (1966)
- Seaweed and Rosaries (1968)
- Through One More Window (1974)
- Once When I Was Drowning (1978)
- Dancing in Limbo (1993)
- Thirty for Sixty (1999)
- An Island In The Sky: Selected Poetry of Al Pittman (2003)
- A Bouquet for Emily (2001)
Plays
- A Rope Against The Sun (1974)
- This Side of Heaven
- West Moon (first performed in 1980, published 1995)
Children's literature
- Down By Jim Long's Stage: Rhymes for Children and Young Fish (1976)
- One Wonderful Fine Day for a Sculpin Named Sam (1987)
- On A Wing and A Wish: Salt Water Bird Rhymes (1992)