Louise Halfe, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Louise Halfe, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Originally uploaded by random acts of poetry.

Louise Halfe, also known as Sky Dancer, has lived in Saskatoon for 18 years. She has written two acclaimed books of poetry and her work has appeared widely in anthologies and periodicals.

Halfe has had a distinguished career as a poet. She made her writing debut as a poet writing in Writing the Circle: Native Women of Western Canada, an anthology of life-writings by Native women.

Bear Bones & Feathers, her first book of poetry, was short-listed for the Spirit of Saskatchewan Award, the Saskatchewan First Book Award, the Gerald Lambert Award, and the Pat Lowther First Book Award. In 1996 it won the Milton Acorn Award. Her second book, Blue Marrow, was short-listed for the 1998 Governor General's Award and in three categories in the Saskatchewan Book Awards: the Saskatchewan Book of the Year, the Saskatoon Book Award, and the Saskatchewan Poetry Award.

Halfe has traveled extensively across Canada and abroad giving readings and presentations of her work andconducting writing workshops. She has also served as writer-in-residence at the Markin-Flanagan Distinguished Writer program in Calgary, the Native Earth Performing Arts Weesageechak Festival in Toronto, and at the University of Windsor.

Born in Two Hills, Alberta, Louise Halfe was raised on the Saddle Lake First Nation and attended Blue Quills Residential School. She has a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Regina and certificates in Addictions from the Nechi Institute.

Halfe is married, the mother of two adult children and the proud grandmother of two. She is a Board member of the Saskatchewan Arts Board. In recent years she has also served as the President for the Sage Hill Writing Experience.

She is also the Poet Laureate of Saskatchewan.