Publications
Ed Varney’s poetry mixes surreal wit, philosophical edge, and playful turns of language. His writing has been published in numerous chapbooks, magazines, and anthologies since the 1970s. He continues to write and regularly reads at poetry events in spaces around the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island.
Ed also co-founded Intermedia Press and helped lead groups like the Vancouver Poetry Front, Poetry Co-op, and Poetry Quartet, all contributions that helped shape Canada’s experimental poetry scene. In 2020, he co-edited the anthology, Drift: Poems and Poets from the Comox Valley.
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In Vancouver, he joined the legendary multimedia artist's collaborative group Intermedia and founded Intermedia Press in 1969 as its publishing arm. He was one of the founding members of the Association.of Canadian Publishers and the Literary Press Group. In 1971, he joined forces with poet Henry Rappaport and, between 1969 and 1981, Intermedia Press published 55 books of poetry and
50 novels, short story collections, anthologies and trade books. Intermedia Press played an important part in the explosion of interest in Canadian Literature in the 1970s, publishing poets such as Beth Jankola, Tim Lander, Stanley Cooperman, Pat Lowther, Mona Fertig, Judith Copithorne, Bill Bissett, Rikki Ducornet, Cathy Ford, Nelliw McClung, Avron Hoffman, and Maxine Gadd.
Varney was founding editor of the Poem Company (1970 - 1974), a member of the Vancouver Poetry Front (1970 - 1971), one of Canada's earliest collaborative poetry performance groups, and
the founder of the Intermedia Video Band (1970 - 1972). His interest in sound and concrete poetry led him to explore various and innovative approaches to the visual presentation of poetry which found a receptive audience in South America and Europe. His work appeared in numerous magazines and exhibitions.
He published Openings (Intermedia 1969), a portfolio of poems and prints, Summer Songs (Midnite Press, 1971) poetry, and Human Nature (Intermedia, 1974) a collection of poetry, graphics and concrete poetry. He became involved in trading poetry and visual art through the mail with other artists and poets and was one of the first generation of Mail Artists, a world wide correspondence network of artists and writer who used the postal system as an expressive mode of communication and exchange and which foreshadowed the internet by two decades. In 1973, he was given an 1896 pin hole perforating machine and he began what has been a lifelong fascination with artistamps, producing well over a hundred different editions.
He was the founder of the Vancouver Poetry Co-op (1973 - 1975), a member of the Vancouver Poetry Quartet (1977- 1978) and the Vancouver Surrealist Group (1979 - 1993). In the 1980s, he continuedto publishwork insmallmagazines andtoexhibit his work invenues around the world.
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UFO Celebration, Vol. 2, Drawing Network Newsletter, Surrey, Canada, 1994. Art.
Alleys, Lanes and Pathways of Grandview Woodlands, Avenue for/des Arts, Vancouver, 1997.
Eternal Network: A Mail Art Anthology, edited by Chuck Welch, University of Calgary Press, Calgary, Alberta, 1995. Essay and art.
Witness to Wilderness: the Clayoquot Sound Anthology, Arsenal Pulp Press, Vancouver, BC, 1994. Poem.
Verso II Vertilcalismo, edited by Antonio Corsaro, Musumeci Editore, Catania, Italy, 1993. Essay.
The Poem Factory: Series 1, edited by Ed Vllflley and Carolyn Zonailo, The Poem Factory, Vancouver, BC/ Montreal, PQ, 1993. Poem.
Speak for Yourself, edited by Sharon Jerowski et al., Nelson Canada, Scarborough, 1990. Poem.
Unsung Vancouver Landmarks, CVAA Editions, Vancouver, 1988. Art.
Correspondence Art, edited by Michael Crane and Mary Stofflet, Contemporary Arts Press, San Francisco, California, 1984. Essay.
L'Universe Surrealiste, Jose Pierre, Editions Aimery Somogy, Paris, 1983. Art.
Liquids From the Human Body, edited by Gerald Jupiter-Larsen, X Publications, Vancouver, BC, 1981. Art.
Assembling, edited by Richard Kostelanetz, Assembling Press, New York City, New York, 1978. Art.
New West Coast, edited by Fred Candelaria, lntermedia Press, Vancouver, BC, 1977. Poems and essay.
The Poem Company Phase 3, edited by Ed Varney and Henry Rappaport, Intermedia Press, Vancouver, BC, 1977. Poems.
Canadian Short Fiction Anthology, edited by Cathy Ford, Intermedia Press, Vancouver, BC, 1976. Short story.
Pomegranate, edited by Nellie McClung, lntermedia Press, Vancouver, BC, 1975. Poem.
Three Hours Later, edited by Robert Amussen, New Era Social Club, Vancouver, BC, 1974. Art and poetry.
Our Idealism, IAC - Focke - Editions, Oldenburg, Germany, 1974. Art.
Tantric Speshul, edited by bill bissett, Blew Ointment Press, Vancouver, 1973. Vancouver, BC, 1976. Poem.
Canadian West Coast Hermetics, edited by Gregg Simpson, Talonbooks, Vancouver, BC, 1973. Art and essay.
The Poem Company Phase 1, edited by Ed Varney and Henry Rappaport, The Poem Company, Vancouver, BC, 1972. Poems.
Concrete Poetry, Stedeljyk Museum, Amsterdam, Holland, 1971. Poems.
Notebook 2, edited by Dana Atchley, Ace Space, Victoria, BC, 1971. Art.
Junk Mail, edited by Ed Varney and Henry Rappaport, Pacific Trans Power Publications, Vancouver, BC, 1971. Art and poems.
Notebook 1, edited by Dana Atchley, Ace Space, Victoria, BC, 1970. Art.
The Cosmic Chef, edited by bp Nichol, Oberon Press, Toronto, Ontario, 1970. Poems.
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Ed Varney’s poetry, essays and visual art was published in the following magazines:
Saturday Review, Vancouver, BC, 1993. Poetry
The Poem Factory, Vancouver, BC, 1991. Poetry
Bite, Vancouver, BC, 1986, 1987, 1988.
Tart Palette, Vancouver, BC, 1988.
Capilano Review, North Vancouver, BC, 1984.
Scarabeus, Vancouver, BC, 1983.
Residous Poetico, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1983.
Issue, Vancouver, BC, 1983.
Melmoth, Vancouver, BC, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1986.
Reports From Everywhere, Rotterdam, Holland, 1981.
Libellus, Brussels, Belgium, 1981.
CV II, Winnipeg, Manitoba, 1981.
Salt Lick, Quincy, Illinois, 1980.
Prop 2, New York, New York, 1979.
Multipstais, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 1978, 1979.
Edition l , Vancouver, BC, 1978.
Arte Intimo, Buenos Aires, Brazil, 1978.
artmagazine, Toronto, Ontario, 1978.
Ovum, Montevideo, Uruguay, 1977.
The Poem Company, Vancouver, BC, 1977.
Arts West, Calgary, Alberta, 1977.
Revue II, Vancouver, BC, 1977.
West Coast Review, Burnaby, BC 1975, 1976.
artmagazine, Toronto, Ontario, 1975, 1976.
scree, Missoula, Montana, 1975.
Inch Art, Sydney, Australia, 1975.
Art & Images, Calgary, Alberta, 1975.
Nada Archives, Vancouver, BC, 1975.
La Honduras, Madrid, Spain, 1975, 1976.
Poema Convidado, Boulder, Colorado, 1975.
Revue, Vancouver, BC, 1975.
Supervision, Toronto, Ontario, 1975.
Strange Faeces, Vancouver, BC, 1975.
Room of One's Own, Vancouver, BC, 1975.
Vancouver Poetry Co-op, Vancouver, BC, 1974.
Logistics, Vancouver, BC, 1973, 1974.
Interface, Vancouver, BC, 1973.
3C Pulp, Vancouver, BC, 1973.
Zebra, Seattle, Washington, 1973.
West Bay Dadist, San Francisco, California, 1973, 1974.
Winter, Vancouver, BC, 1972.
Radical Software, New York, New York, 1972.
Image Bank Annual Report, Vancouver, BC, 1972.
B.C. Monthly, Vancouver, BC, 1972.
The Dog Papers, Vancouver, BC, 1971.
A Space News, No. 5 & 6, Toronto, September, 1971.
The Poem Company, Vancouver, BC, 1970, 1971, 1972.
Junk Mail, Vancouver, BC, 1970.
Radio Free Rainforest, Vancouver, BC, 1969.
Circular Causation, Burnaby, BC, 1969.
Helix, Seattle, Washington, 1968.
Intermedia Newsletter, Vancouver, BC, 1968.
Sword of Damocles, Syracuse, New York, 1966.
Poems and Prints, Syracuse, New York, 1966, 1967.
Clarendon, Binghampton, New York, 1961.
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1998
Word Circus, CBC Summertime Plaza, Vancouver, July 11.
1997
Artist Talk, Burnaby Art Gallery, Burnaby, June 14.
Poetry Reading, Red Sky Poetry Theatre, Seattle, November 24.
1996
Poetry Reading, Artspeak, Vancouver, Jan. 11.
Poetry Reading, Black Sheep Books, Vancouver, Jan. 12.
Poetry Reading, Ed Varney, Carolyn Zonailo and Stephen Morrissey, Tongue of the Slip, The Glass Slipper, Vancouver, Jan. 16.
Poetry Reading, La Quena, Vancouver, March 14.
Poetry Reading, Ed Varney, Clifton Joseph and David Bouvier, The Gathering Place, Vancouver, March 28.
Poetry Reading, La Quena, Vancouver, April 11.
Poetry Reading, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Sept. 30.
Poetry Reading, The Whip Gallery, Vancouver, Oct. 1.
Poetry Reading, Ed Varney and Dianne La Loge, Royal City Poetry Centre, New Westminster, Oct. 8.
1994
Poetry Reading, R2B2 Books, Vancouver, BC, January 7.
Vancouver-Montreal Poetry Exchange, Ed Varney, Stephen Morrissey and Carolyn Zonailo, Seymour Art Galley, Deep Cove, BC, January 16.
1992
Poetry Reading, The Silk Purse, West Vancouver, BC, June 9.
1991
Emergency Poetry Reading, W.I.S.E. Club, Vancouver, BC, April 18.
Solstice Event, Mt. Pleasant Community Centre, Vancouver, BC, June 21. Poetry Reading, Cafe Madeleine, Vancouver, BC, July 16.
1990
Reading in the Den, The Western Front, Vancouver, BC, February 13.
1989
Poetry Performance, Environmental Opera, Vancouver, BC, June 21.
Poetry Reading, Threshold Gallery, Vancouver, BC, June 15.
1988
Poetry Reading, East End Reading Series, Normal Art Society, Vancouver, BC, November 25.
Poetry Reading, The New Gallery, Calgary, AL, November 9.
The Bite Poets, The Western Front, Vancouver, BC, January 14.
1987
Symposium and Panel, Artist's Stamps, Allen Memorial Museum, Oberlin, Ohio, February 6 - 8.
1986
International Mail Art Symposium and Panel, Off Centre Centre, Calgary, Al, May 9 - 10.
Poetry Reading, The Western Front, Vancouver, BC, February 20.
Love at First Bite, Poetry Reading, Pitt International Galleries, Vancouver, BC, February 14.
1985
Poetry Reading, E=MC2 Gallery, Vancouver, BC, April 15.
2 Vancouver Poets, Bookstore on Bastion, Nanaimo, BC, September 7.
Dada Performance, Diane Farris Gallery, Vancouver, BC, April 4.
1983
Artist's Talk, Emily Carr College of Art and Design, Vancouver, BC.
1982
Artist's Talk, Emily Carr College of Art and Design, Vancouver, BC.
Poetry Reading, Literary Storefront, Vancouver, BC.
1981
Poetry Reading, Literary Storefront, Vancouver, BC.
1980
Poetry Reading, Vancouver East Cultural Centre, Vancouver, BC.
1979
Poetry Reading, Ed Varney & Endre Farkis, The Literary Storefront, Vancouver BC
1977
Poetry Event, Arts Alliance, Courtenay, BC.
Vancouver Poetry Quartet, Surrey Art Gallery, Surrey, BC. Poetry Reading, Kitsilano Neighbourhood House, Vancouver, BC. Poetry Reading, Helen Pitt Gallery, Vancouver, BC.
Poetry Reading, Metromedia, Vancouver, BC.
Poetry Event, Pan-Pacific Cultural Research Center, Vancouver, BC. Poetry Event, Pumps Gallery, Vancouver, BC.
1976
Poetry Reading, Vancouver Public Library, Vancouver, BC.
Poetry Reading, Pender Street Gallery, Vancouver, BC. Poetry Reading, Burnaby Art Gallery, Burnaby, BC.
PoetryEvent, Brackendale Art Gallery, Squamish, BC.
1975
Poetry Reading, Co-op Radio, Vancouver, BC.
Poetry Reading, Vancouver Poetry Co-op, Vancouver, BC.
1974
Poetry Reading, Burnaby Art Gallery, Burnaby, BC.
Poetry Reading, Richard Pender Bookstore, Vancouver, BC.
Poetry Reading, CO-op Radio, Vancouver, BC.
Images From Infinity, Poetry Reading, Channel 10, Vancouver, BC.
Poetry Reading, Vancouver Poetry Co-op, Vancouver, BC.
1973
Poetry Reading, Burnaby Art Gallery, Burnaby, BC.
Poetry Reading, Vancouver Public Library, Vancouver, BC.
Poetry Reading, Artist's Gallery, Vancouver, BC.
Poetry Reading, See-Site Workshop, Vancouver, BC.
Poetry Marathon, East End Cultural Centre,Vancouver,BC.
Poetry Marathon,The WesternFront, Vancouver, BC.
1972
Marathon Poetry Reading, Stadium Gallery, Vancouver, BC.
An Evening Under the Stars, Ed Varney and Henry Rappaport, Multimedia Event, Surrey Arts Centre, Surrey, BC.
Pacific Rim Consciousness, Multimedia Event, various local schools, Vancouver, BC.
1971
Tri Solar Pool, Colonial Magic Theatre and University of BC Student Centre, Vancouver, BC.
lntermedia Video Band, Selkirk College, Nelson, BC.
Intermedia Video Band, Alberta College of Art, Calgary, Alberta.
Four Episodes, Ed Varney: Theatre and Poetry, Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, BC.
Four Dimensional Mirror, Video Performance, Burnaby Art Gallery, Burnaby, BC.
Poetry Reading, Capilano College, North Vancouver, BC.
Poetry Reading, KRAB Radio, Seattle, Washington
1970
Poetry Readings, UBC Festival of the Arts, Vancouver, BC.
Random Tape Performance, Univ of BC, Vancouver, BC.
Rites of Survival, Colonial Magic Theatre, Vancouver, BC.
Poetry Reading, Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, BC.
The Poetry Front, Poetry Reading, Racetrack Gallery, Vancouver, BC.
1969
Aquarian Poetry Reading, Intennedia, Vancouver, BC.
Just In From the Sky, Poetry Reading, Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, BC.
The Kitchen: Electrical Connection, Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, BC.
Intermedia fflusions, Multimedia Event, Edmonton Art Gallery and University of Alberta Student Building, Edmonton, Alberta.
Poetry Reading, UBC Fine Arts Gallery,Vancouver,BC.
Multimedia Poetry Reading, Victoria Art Gallery,Victoria,BC.
Three Short Plays,Intermedia, Vancouver, BC
1968
Poetry Reading, Mandan Ghetto, Vancouver, BC.
1967
Poetry Reading, Sanford Meech Centre, Syracuse, NY.
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Link to essays and details coming soon.
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Crossroads: Writing at the Speed of Thought
Published by The Poem Factory (2025)
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Ineffable: The Mystical Poems
Published by The Poem Factory (2022)
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XOX: A Selection of Concrete, Graphic, and Visual Poems
Published by The Poem Factory (2018)
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Everything Just Got Clearer
Published by The Poem Factory (2017)
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The Traveller
Published by The Poem Factory (2018)
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Shadow
Published by The Poem Factory (2014)
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Tomorrow Never Comes
Published by The Poem Factory (2012)
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Paper Boat
Published by The Poem Factory (2002)
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Bird
Published by The Poem Factory (2011)
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Blue Sky
Published by the Poem Factory (2001)
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What is Poetry - Essays & Poems
Published by The Poem Factory (1998)
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Entering the World
Published by The Poem Factory (1997)
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The Doomsday Clock
Published by The Poem Factory (1996)
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Solar Eclipse
Published by the Poem Factory (1994)
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What the Wind Said
Published by Caitlin (1991)
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Nothing Ever Changes
Published [add date]
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The Bear & Other Poems
Published [add date]
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Human Nature
Published by Intermedia (1974)
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Summer Songs
Published by Midnite Press (1971)
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Openings
Published by Intermedia (1969)
Feature in BC Book World
Poet and artist, Edwin Varney was born in New Rochelle, New York, and received his BA and MA from Syracuse University where he studied with poets Delmore Schwartz and Donald Justice and printmaker Robert Marx. He came to Vancouver as a draft dodger in 1968.
In Vancouver, he joined the legendary multimedia artist’s collaborative group Intermedia and founded Intermedia Press in 1969 as its publishing arm. He was one of the founding members of the Association of Canadian Published and the Literary Press Group. In 1971, he joined forces with poet Henry Rappaport and between 1969 and 1981, Intermedia Press published 55 books of poetry and 50 novels, short story collections, anthologies and trade books. Intermedia Press played an important part in the explosion of interest in Canadian literature in the 1970s. publishing poets such as Beth Jankola, Tim Lander, Stanley Cooperman, Pat Lowther, Mona fertig, Judith Capithorne, Bill Bissett, Rikki Ducornet, Cathy Ford, Nellie McClung, Avron Hoffman and Maxine Gadd.
Varney was the founding editor of the Poem Company (1970 - 1974), a member of the Vancouver Poetry Front (1970 - 1971), one of Canada’s earliest collaborative poetry performance groups, and founder of the Intermedia Video Band (1970 - 1972). His interest in sound and concrete poetry led him to explore various and innovative approaches to the visual presentation of poetry which found a receptive audience in South America and Europe. His work appeared in numerous magazines and exhibitions.
He published Openings (Intermedia, 1969), a portfolio of poems and prints, Summer Songs (Midnite Press, 1971) poetry, and Human Nature (Intermedia, 1974) a collection of poetry, graphics and concrete poetry. He became involved in trading poetry and visual art through the mail with other artists and poets and was one of the first generation of Mail Artists, a worldwide correspondence network of artists and writers who used the postal system as an expressive mode of communication and exchange and which foreshadowed the internet by two decades. In 1973, he was given an 1896 pinhole perforating machine and he began what was a lifelong fascination with Artistamps, producing well over a hundred different edititions.
He was the founder of the Vancouver Poetry Co-op (1973 - 1975), a member of the Vancouver Poetry Quartet (1977 - 1978) and the Vancouver Surrealist Group (1979 - 1993). in the 1980s, he continued to publish work in small magazines and to exhibit his work in venues around the world. he became increasingly involved in the visual arts, servin on the organizing committee of Artropolis (1984 - 2003), and on the board of numerous art galleries and arts organizations. He was a founding editor of Bite poetry magazine (1985 - 1988) and in 1991, he and Carolyn Zonailo founded the Poem Factory (1991 - 2003). In the early 1990s, he published a substantial collection of poetry titled, What the Wind Said (Caitlin, 1991) and since then has produced several chapbooks, numerous essays, art catalogue essays, and reviews as well as seeing his visual art appear in over 300 exhibitions in 35 countries.
In the 1990s, he became interested in public art and was the manager of several important public art projects in Vancouver. He served on various committees with the City of Vancouver and the Parks Board including the organizing committee of Roundhouse and was a member of its first board of directors. He is a research fellow at the Specific Research Institute and a consultant for the Museo Internacionale de Neu Art and continues to serve on the boards of several organizations and societies.
Varney has been a fervent promoter of Canadian poets and artists and continues to find context for poetry and art outside of the usual established and academic arenas. His own poetry is marked by philosophical surrealism, twisted and stretched syntax, and it is scattered with aphorisms and epigrams. His underlying theme is exploration of moments of natural mysticism and charged emotion within everyday existence. His visual art is full of visual conundrums and tricks, fooling the eye and the mind into a metaphorical level of understanding. He continues to write and explore the art making process.
Based in Royston on Vancouver Island, Varney has continued to write, print and sell "strange and beautiful handmade books for advanced readers"; from out of Courtenay, including Perro Verlag's alluring The Book of Nada, a petite philosophical treatise that Varney initially described as being found in his archives dating back to the early 1970s. He later revealed he had written it in the Seventies and updated it for publication under a pseudonym.
~ Written by Alan Twig of BC Book World