On May 8th, 2013 in honor of Viva Florida 500, the Collier County Public Library in Naples, FL will add to a time capsule to be opened in ten years, an original poem and artwork by local poet and graphic artist Ruth Kuttler.

When Denise McMahon, Senior Librarian Supervisor for Collier County South Regional Library was charged with the duty of coming up with something extraordinary and memorable about the Library to celebrate Viva Florida 500 and to be placed in a time capsule, there was only one solution that came to her mind. She remembered back in 2006 at the time of the 50-year anniversary of the main Naples Library and its eight branches when she asked Ruth Kuttler, local award-winning poet, author of Visions in Verse and graphic artist to contribute an original poem and poster-sized artwork for that occasion – a yearlong celebration held throughout all Library branches…

Read the full story in this PR Web News Release

All are welcome to attend this momentous Viva Florida 500 Collier County celebratory event at the Naples Depot Museum where Ruth will be an exhibitor with her Visions in Verse books available for sale.

DEDICATION & FESTIVITIES

Wednesday, May 8, 2013 1 – 5 p.m.
at the Naples Depot Museum
1051 5th Avenue South, Naples, FL
Sponsors: the Library & the Museum

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Show Dates: Monday, December 24th at 12pm (EST)

Close-Up Talk Radio spotlights Ruth Kuttler

Naples, FL – It’s been said, “True poets don’t write their thoughts with a pen. They release the ink that flows from within their hearts.” But a poem implies there’s someone listening. At its very best, poetry can activate the simple ideas we know in our hearts to be true. If a poet can articulate those ideas, it can melt the hardest of hearts.

Ruth Kuttler is the author of the wildly popular Visions in Verse, an illustrated collection of poems, quotes, inspirational writings and stories inviting readers to consider new possibilities and embark on a remarkable journey of self-discovery. Published in 2005, Visions in Verse’s inspirational messages offer comfort and affirmation, encouraging readers to change their life by simply listening to their heart.

“Writing poetry empowered me to let go of fear and to follow my dreams,” says Kuttler. “Visions in Verse gives people permission to dream and dare to live those dreams. If you live your life with passion you will attract opportunities. It’s amazing what can happen when you put your message out there.”

Kuttler’s inspiration for Visions in Verse was borne out of a career crisis. A former nurse practitioner, her passion for poetry ultimately led to a total life transformation and a new career as an artist and motivational speaker. She shared her poetry with anyone who would listen, whether they were family, friends or complete strangers.

“I was looking for who I really was and what I was put on earth to do,” recalls Kuttler. “I started to write and something truly amazing happened: all these ideas poured out of me onto the paper. I discovered I had a gift for writing poems that were heartfelt, inspirational. It empowered me to let go of what wasn’t working in my life and go for what was.”

Recently, Kuttler decided she would illustrate some of her more popular poems and make them available as artwork. Fans of Kuttler’s poetry can purchase these framed illustrated poems through her website http://www.visionsinverse.com.

“This comes from my heart,” says Kuttler. “It’s something inside me but it’s all about helping someone else.”

Close-Up Talk Radio featured Ruth Kuttler in an interview on December 24th at 12 pm EST. Listen to the interview of Ruth Kuttler about her transformational poetry story by Doug Llewelyn on Close-Up BlogTalkRadio.

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Ruth Kuttler and Visions In Verse Poetry

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What rhymes with “Collier County Libraries?”
Local award-winning poet to commemorate the 50-year anniversary for the main library and all its branches.

Naples, Florida, December 18, 2006—Forget the book of homonyms. Rather, just wait for Ruth Kuttler to create an original poem next month commemorating the 50-year anniversary of the main Naples Library and its eight branches. The library contacted Kuttler to do the job after she gave a free talk at the main Naples location this November.  At that event, Kuttler, an award-winning poet listed in the Who’s Who of Poetry, used her verse to inspire people for the holiday season.

“Apparently, my poetry also inspired the library personnel themselves,” Kuttler says.  “I’m honored they now want me to create a poem for the anniversary.”

Kuttler’s poem—which is not yet written (and may or may not include a rhyme for the phrase “Collier County Libraries”)—will be part of a poster used during the nine individual library celebrations over the next year.  The events begin on January 3 and last throughout the year, with each individual branch celebrating its own founding date. Kuttler has already been invited to personally read her poem at the celebration for the main Naples library and may have the opportunity to read it at other locations as well. The poem will also be featured on the Collier County website at www.colliergov.net.  Click on the “Living” link, and then scroll down to “Library.”

Disenchanted with her own life and long-time career as a nurse practitioner, Kuttler shelved her job—and the financial security that went with it—to pursue her newly awakened passion—writing, graphic arts and poetry. She has since created poems that explore such diverse topics as personal growth to celebrating the holidays. “A time to remember the ones most in need; and show them a kindness in gifts or in deed,” Kuttler writes in her poem The Best Christmas Gift, which is part of her book collection called Visions in Verse. “While the thoughts and feelings they evoke are profound, my poems are easily understood and don’t leave people wondering what I’m talking about,” she says.

Kuttler is currently working on a second book, Core of Passion: Five Keys to Living a Joyful, Fulfilling Life. Kuttler’s poetry has been published many times in newspapers, magazines and hardbound poetry anthologies.  Two of her poems were selected among thousands to be recorded on DVDs and record collections produced by the International Society of Poetry.  She has received editor’s choice awards and is recognized in the International Who’s Who of Poetry.  Both her personal story and her poetry were featured this summer in Florida People magazine.  You can see her work online at www.visionsinverse.com.

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By Liane Smith
Published in BonitaNews.com Saturday, November 25, 2006

North Naples poet Ruth Kuttler inspires the least likely suspects — everyday, ordinary people — with empowering messages derived straight from the writer’s experiences of shelving her 25-year profession in healthcare and launching into a new career of Web site design, graphic design, and poetry. Her poems, she said, are not like traditional poetry to be acclaimed for its cunningly clever interpretations and style. Much like rap artists, song lyricists, and greeting card writers, Kuttler’s messages will stand out to readers and listeners instantly.

“While the thoughts and feelings they evoke are often profound, all my poems are easily understood and don’t leave people wondering what I’m talking about,” Kuttler said.

The 54-year-old poet, who recently published a revised edition of her first book, “Visions in Verse,” will be returning for the fourth consecutive year to the main library in Naples on Tuesday, Nov. 28, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., where her work will be on display for the next month. After 25 years as a nurse practitioner, Kuttler was laid off. Unhappy with her profession, Kuttler said she went through a period of despair, wondering what she was meant to do. She sat down with a pen one day, hoping to write one poem, and instead wrote consistently for the next couple of weeks. “I didn’t put a pen down,” Kuttler said.

The poetry writing helped Kuttler discover a part of herself that she didn’t know existed, she says. “Most people aren’t aware of greatness inside of them,” Kuttler adds. Her poetry isn’t nearly as important as the message she spreads by sharing it, the poet believes.  She feels a big part of her work is showing other people that it is okay to take risks.

“Sharing how I let go of fear — fear of failure; fear of rejection; fear of losing security,” Kuttler said. “I gave that all up to start my life over again. I went back to school, started my own business, which today is very successful … the poetry helped me turn it around.”

Neapolitan Jeff Welle, 42, came to Kuttler professionally, hoping to turn an idea into reality. Her poetry, he said, gave him the confidence he needed to succeed. “Her poems come from the heart. They’re life experiences. You can read them and understand why she is so wise,” Welle said.

Welle, who was a paramedic, firefighter and registered nurse, in New Jersey and New Mexico, was injured on the job 18 years ago, causing bi-lateral hip replacements that left him disabled. Only knowing the fire industry field, Welle, not sure what to do with his life, came up with a simplified approach for pump operations for the fire industry that he always used himself on the job. After working with Kuttler, his newly produced manual was reviewed and given the thumbs up by the International Fire Service Training Association, and put in a national publication.

“She guides me through both professional and personal issues. She gently steers me through turbulent waters and believes in me. She sees more in me than I see in myself,” Welle said.

Kuttler admits she had her own guardian angel when she began writing poetry. Jeannette Boucher, of Naples, who she met at Toastmasters, a nonprofit organization that develops public speaking and leadership skills. “(Jeannette) saw more in me,” Kuttler said.

According to Boucher, when she met Kuttler the beginning poet had a dream and made a decision to make it happen. “I guess that’s where I came in. I was one of her supportive friends,” Boucher said. “Ruth isn’t scared.  She wasn’t, and isn’t now.”

To meet and listen to Ruth Kuttler, visit the Collier County Public Library at 2385 Orange Blossom Drive, off Airport Pulling Road North, on Nov. 28 at 6:30 p.m. For more information, call the library at 593-0334, or visit Kuttler’s Web site, www.visionsinverse.com.

An excerpt from Ruth Kuttler’s poem, “Opening Doors”

“The fairer sex is what she’s called, A struggle to begin.
For in a world where man is king, it’s difficult to win.
But tenderness and nurturing are not to be misread.
A strength and power to rule the world lie in her pretty head.

And even in the darkest night, the moon will light her way.
No rainbow comes without the storm and peace may come with wars.
And in her heart she knows she’ll win if she keeps opening doors.”

© 2005 Bonita Daily News and The Banner.
Published in Bonita Springs, Florida, USA by the E.W. Scripps Co.

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Dressed in her nightgown, Ruth Kuttler would stay up in the obtuse hours of the night working on her poetry in the kitchen. After she was laid off from an unfulfilling nursing job in 1998, Kuttler saw an ad for a poetry contest while looking through the classifieds. She didn’t even like poetry — most of it was obscure and inaccessible. But she thought writing might help her figure out what to do next, career-wise.

One night, as she worked on her entry, her husband, Paul, walked in to her creative space and told her she should go to bed. That’s when she announced her plan: to become a poet and a writer. What Paul thought was just a phase morphed into a book, called “Visions in Verse” (2005). The book is filled with inspirational quotes and simple rhyming lines, like you would see in a Hallmark card or an old-fashioned needlepoint sampler. “For about three weeks I didn’t stop writing,” Kuttler, a 54-year-old Naples resident, says of her first attempt at poetry. “It just kept pouring out of me. It was a gift and a passion I didn’t even know I had.”  The layoff allowed her to pursue that passion, but she doubted herself many times before she succeeded. Her talk on Nov. 28 will be geared toward those who have come up against a wall and are looking for new beginnings.

As a nurse practitioner, Kuttler says she was wasting her energy running aimless circles “like a gerbil in a cage.” It was never the career for her. In her junior year of nursing school, Kutter stepped into a hospital for the first time. She hated it, but her parents told her to continue. A strong believer in homeopathic medicine and natural cures, she says she felt almost guilty when she saw patients prescribed modern treatments by their doctor. “I would go home feeling physically and emotionally drained out of integrity,” Kuttler says. Leaving nursing meant forfeiting financial stability. But she had to move on, she says. “I felt like if I took another (nursing) job, I would sabotage myself,” Kuttler says. Money was a challenge. To support her family, she co-founded a graphic design and marketing company. She and Paul invested in real estate. “That’s how we were able to get out from under,” Kuttler says.

Kuttler would read her poetry to every person who would listen. Those who started out skeptical — “Ugh, poetry?” —would soon be in tears, Kuttler said. Many people told her that her poems described their feelings or situation exactly. That was the sort of encouragement that Kuttler needed to hear to keep on writing. Not all the reaction have been positive. To her surprise, the teacher of a writing class she took said that because her poetry wasn’t in iambic pentameter — or anything equally sophisticated — it wasn’t any good. Still, a group of classmates would regularly surround her as she read her latest work to them aloud. She says she would like to see a new movement in poetry, where simple, straightforward and sentimental styles are more accepted. “Poetry for the people,” she calls it.

“Poetry is an extremely empowering vehicle,” Kuttler says. “Through poetry, we could achieve world peace. It reminds us that all people have the same basic desires in life.” Each of Kuttler’s poems tells a story, some of which come from true experiences.

One poem, called “The Box,” is based on a sermon she heard in church. A young girl grows up with her tough-minded grandfather, who is her only living relative. She makes him a present — but when he opens the box, it’s empty. Angry at the mess she made for no apparent reason, the normally bouyant girl looks deflated. She blew dozens of kisses for him into the box, she explains. “Sometimes it takes a child to shake us up and (help us) realize what’s important,” Kuttler says.

When an entrepreneur comes to her marketing design company with an idea, Kuttler says she tries to use the same sense of inspiration and encouragement that comes out in her writing — even if she decides she can’t work with them. Sometimes, she will even read them one of her poems.

Being a support system for her clients is the most fulfilling thing about her new career. She says she has needed support through the changes she has made in her life. Now, she can do the same for others.

Kuttler is working on a self-help book, “Core of Passion: Five Keys to Living a Joyful, Fulfilling Life.”  The fourth idea— embracing adversity — is what brought her where she is now. “If I hadn’t been laid off, or if I had given up, I would never have discovered what lights my fire,” she says. “The prize is not the paycheck but the person you become.”

© 2006 Naples Daily News and NDN Productions.
Published in Naples, Florida, USA by the E.W. Scripps Co.

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Passion Uncovered, Life Rediscovered
Local poet shares her life story to inspire others this Thanksgiving season–

Naples, Florida, November 13, 2006—A Naples poet is using her own reality-style verse this Thanksgiving season to encourage local Floridians to get the happiness and gratitude they want in their lives, even if it means following her example.

“Once you’ve find your passion and start living it,” Kuttler says, “you’re going to be unbelievably happy.”

Disenchanted with her own life and long-time career as a nurse practitioner, Kuttler shelved her job—and the financial security that went with it—to pursue her newly awakened passion—writing, graphic arts and poetry.

“I was scared out of my wits,” she said.  “But as I brought my dream to life, it completely reenergized me and everything I do.”

Kuttler, who went on to write the book “Visions in Verse,” is once again financially successful.  She readily shares with the public her personal story and poetry, both featured this summer in Florida People Magazine. This Nov. 27th, she’ll be returning for the fourth consecutive year to the main library in Naples where her work will be on display for the next month.

“A big part of my mission is to help others find their purpose,” Kuttler says.  “My poems, which deal with real life situations and events, help people hear that quiet voice within that points them to true happiness and gratitude.”

A line from one of Kuttler’s poem’s sums up the can-do attitude that she says lives within us all: “you can be a prisoner and look upon steel bars, or choose to read between the lines and gaze upon the stars.” “I write plain and simple rhymes that don’t leave people wondering what I’m talking about,” Kuttler says.  “I truly believe we all have magic inside us.  We find it when we let go of fear and limiting beliefs and follow the inner voice that fills us with passion and joy.  That’s the theme of my book and artwork.”

A number of Kuttler’s poems have been featured by the International Society of Poetry and published in their anthology.

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