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Poet Laureate Bio

Joyce BrinkmanAs the former Indiana Poet Laureate, Joyce has shared the poems of Tiempo Español  with high school students, poetry clubs, and library visitors. She helped selected poems for the Shared Voices/Shared Spaces project with the Indianapolis Arts Council and the city bus company, and read poetry to bus passengers and Indy Fringe Festival visitors. She loves reading moon poems at Indiana State Parks. Joyce enjoys observing and writing about nature. She is known as the “mother of the environmental license plate” for her legislation that has saved tens of thousands of Hoosier acreage for future generations.

Joyce has written poetry since age nine, with her first published work appearing in Hill Thoughts, a literary publication of her alma mater, Hanover College. Her writing has appeared in newspapers and magazines. In the Christian market, her work has appeared in Vista and in Light from the Word, publications of the Wesleyan Church. Her collection of poems written in Spain, Tiempo Español, published in 2003, contains reflections on the art of writing and the art of timely living. Eighty million people a year will view words from her poem Midnight Flight at the new Indianapolis Airport terminal through her collaboration with British glass artist Martin Donlin. She is a member of the Writers Center of Indiana, and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. 

Growing up in Louisville, Kentucky, Joyce Hopewell was captivated by the lives of political leaders Henry Clay and Abraham Lincoln. She entered politics after marrying and moving to Indiana. In the state where five generations of her paternal ancestors have made their homes, she followed her dream. Her political successes spanned three decades, and she never lost an election.

During her political career, she served as a Councilor-At-Large on the Indianapolis City-County Council and in the Indiana General Assembly; activities where the broad range of knowledge obtained from her liberal arts background served her well. As a State Representative Joyce received several awards for her successes with public health legislation. She twice received the state’s highest award, Sagamore of the Wabash, from Governor Robert Orr, and from Governor Frank O'Bannon. 

Joyce’s last elective service was as Indiana’s 50th State Treasurer. Since leaving elective office in 1999, Joyce has traveled in Europe and South America. Joyce teaches Writing Faithfully Workshops that she developed for Christian women. Poetry is her passion. She spends as much time as possible writing and studying to improve her craft, she believes there are always new things to learn.

Her community service includes serving on The Wellness Community Board, the IU Cancer Center Development Board, and Chair of the Indianapolis Women's Hospital Board. Nationally she served on the College Savings Plan Network, and Treasurer for the National Order of Women Legislators and the National Association of State Treasurers. She has attended and spoke at numerous national conferences and most cherishes the experience of being a delegate to the White House Conference on Libraries.

Joyce has two grown children. She currently resides in Indianapolis with her husband, Senior Judge Carl Van Dorn, and a sweet cat.