"We've made it past our first year, and that alone is cause for celebration," said Walton Brown Jr., editor of UMUM Magazine at the opening reception of a show at Bermuda Society of Arts of artists and poets who have contributed to UMUM since it began.

"We are not in a position to pay these artists what they are worth," said Mr. Brown, so they created this opportunity, thanks to major corporate sponsorship, for artists to gain more exposure and sell their work. Mr. Brown is proud of the fact that UMUM Magazine does not "art direct" but gives artists and writers free range for their work.

With Amy Zanders' work don't expect, a face say, to be all the same colour - or anything else for that matter. 'Persephone', is a figure in joyous dance, complete with butterflies.

Christina Cabral in, 'I Wanna Know' goes on to say: "If I can live in a world where I can be anything I want.or will it break in my embrace?" In the background are two female figures one with hands upraised to the world, and the other folded in on herself.

Sara Hughes has displayed several wonderful photographs of children, including naked babies playing in the surf. The sepia tones bring out the subject matter delightfully.

Some of the few pieces of sculpture in the show are bronze figures by Manuel Palacio. 'El Beso' is a passionate naked couple embracing and kissing on a chair. 'Stepping into My Own Skin' is a proud full-figure older woman.

Judy Wong has displayed three silver wire sculptured bags - which are delicate and fun. Her designer gouache paintings of flowers are incredibly simple in style and colour.

And there is comic book art. The artists are Thaddeus Branco, Anthony Cannonier and Ronald Terceria, collectively called Labyrinth! There are two computer art prints and large strips from 'Conway Dragen'.

Bruce Stuart has a whole series of acrylic paintings on newspaper. Glimpses are left of words that inspired the paintings - like a Myanmar trainer with his charge in 'Oolzos With Scared Elephant'. Anita Symonds in acrylics, and Al Seymour Sr. watercolours, both have traditional Bermuda houses and landscapes displayed. On the other end of the spectrum are Caroline Troncossi's abstract oils in blue/green/turquoise, and everything in between.

'Clouds Forming' is an intense blue, blue with billowing white in the centre. Andrea Hanke's acrylic paintings are fun. In one a green female figure with knees raised has a yellow flower as a head. Delicate watercolours of peach blossoms by Emma Mitchell are exquisite in their execution. She also displayed several of her line drawings of people and chickens.

There are three photographs by Tamell Simons, one is of a boy with one eye closed in concentration. The focus is on his hand with his poised marble shooter, it is called "remember when". Twenty-five photographs by James Cooper line a long wall in the Edinburgh Gallery. They range from people to beaches to crazy party shots and just plain crazy.

Kim Dismont-Robinson displays her poem 'Unhome' handwritten in a blank book. Draped over the book is a twisted paper rope, "like all those old-time lynching ropes". She has been 'Unhome' at university in Gainesville, Florida, "loneliness twisted around my neck".

Laurel Monkman has four poems printed on clear glass, two in classic typewriter type that accentuates her work so well. In 'thump!' words and ideas spill over each other then, ".I slow down sometimes and I lose my breath - I mean, I can't find it.."

Andra Simons' lime green stool on a bright pink bathroom mat is definitely eye-catching. The poem, 'Love with a misspelling', is written on top of it in reddish tones. "Sitting on the Peak of this Molehill called Love.." Under the stool hangs a metal heart.

Alan Smith created a wonderful installation called, 'Pillow Poems', inspired by orchids. This vertical installation looks like a tousled poet's bed. On top of draped cloth is a jar of orchids and at its base petals, crumpled paper and a red pen. A pillow is the main focal point on which poems are digitally printed. They came alive when Mr. Smith recited and sang them at the reception. "I eat red rose petals in memory of you in celebration of the thorns gone from my tongue."

It was exciting to hear all of these poets read at the reception along with Ron Lightbourne. He read a narrative poem of a woman, his mother, who at 16 sees the Salvation Amy officer she is going to marry. She has to leave her beloved St. Kitt's to pursue her dream, ".sorrow washed me like a wave and was launched with trunk and terror on the sea of her future."

Poetry and Art of UMUM contributors will be on display in the Onions and Edinburgh Galleries of the Bermuda Society of Arts until Thursday, March 13, 2003.