Gail Mahan bio I create because I cannot live without creating, whether it is poetry or a painting or both. I have traveled and experienced various cultures and traditions around the world. I was born and raised in Upper Michigan. As a child I took long walks in the forest, along Lake Superior and along nearby streams and rivers. I loved watching the wildlife and being among nature. During the long winter months I would recall those walks and write poetry of my imagined forest fairyland. As an adult I took courses in art and writing through Los Angeles University and the University of Maryland and later Northern Michigan University. I moved to the Southwest and became a member of the Moab Writers and Poetry Group. We published a regional anthology in 2000 of which I took part. Eventually I moved back to Michigan and settled in Marquette. My need to continue my creative endeavors took over and I joined the Marquette Poets Circle. I became a member of the Lake Superior Art Association and local art groups. I am a participating member of the Gallery on Washington Street and the Wintergreen Hill Gallery on Third Street. I also have paintings at the Rare Earth Co-Op in Ishpeming.
