Deanna Payne Poet and Artist

Deanna's performance poetry began when a teenager at Pebbles Poets. She created and performed An Armchair to Nowhere, -An armchair to Nowhere - a personal reflection on her community, filmed as part of East Quay's inaugaral exhibition More Together than Alone. Think BFG's cavern meets the Borrowers house - in the Watchet boating pool.

Deanna performed as the featured poet at East Quay's spoken word night -This poem is for the Artists. - where she performs regularly. She was the runner up in the first Watchet Poetry Slam.

Deanna has a strong sense of community and has contributed poetry to Watchet Music Festival, as the royal poet on Caturn's night, at Watchet Summertime, Watchet Poetry Walks and Words in Watchet. Her poems celebrate local events - Derek the Goose, the breaching of East Quay harbour wall in a winter storm - in her own distinctive quirky style.

Deanna supports community children's events in Watchet. She can be found reading and telling pirate stories in character in a boat, in the Boat Museum. She creates quizzes, trails and puppets which enhance her storytelling and acts in local pantos and dramas to great acclaim.