GREGERSEN, Era

PERSONAL:

Born in Danzig, Germany; immigrated to United States, 1973; daughter of Heinrich and Hedwig (Gohlke) Karstens; married Erwin Gregersen (a dentist), October 21, 1944; children: Helmuth, Findtjof, Kristian, Susanna, Sabina. Education: Studied in Hirschberg, Germany; studied interior design in Italy, 1964-66. Religion: Christian. Hobbies and other interests: Education, human and civil rights.

ADDRESSES:

Home—2501 South Ocean Drive, No. 536, Hollywood, FL 33019. Agent—c/o Pentland Press Inc., 522 Bur Oak Circle, Raleigh, NC 27612.

CAREER:

Artist, sculptor, and author. Formerly worked as a schoolteacher in Germany. Exhibitions: Works exhibited in Sicily, Palermo, and Rome, Italy; New York, NY; Palm Beach and Miami, Fl; and Paris, France.

WRITINGS:

The Ocean—My Railroad—Diary of an Artist, 1937-1999, Pentland Press (Raleigh, NC), 1999.

Contributor of short fiction, essays, and poetry to periodicals in Germany, Italy, and the United States.

SIDELIGHTS:

Era Gregersen described to CA her motivation for writing as a "need to communicate my thoughts and feelings. And I always use to write my diary, where and whenever I found a piece of paper and a pen.

"I never start to write with a specific subject in mind; instead I react to events and circumstances involving people who have been thrown into 'deep waters' and been forced to swim in order to survive …and made it long enough to get safe to shore. This includes my own life, which I love with al my passion. I never could, can, nor will give up my fight to survive, in any situation life throws me into.

"I believe all the people in this world would do the same with their life if only they could be allowed to do so—but this can only happen when there exists justice and freedom."