Saturday, October 3, 1:00–4:00 p.m. 

Poetry in conversation with visual art is called ekphrasis. As poet Edward Hirsch has noted, ekphrastic writing “braves the mystery dividing the seen from the unseen,” and teaches us “to look and look again more closely.” In this creative writing workshop, you’ll practice looking and writing more deeply through the lens of color in abstract and figurative works. We’ll approach the art of the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art as portals into memories, experience, and imagination. We’ll also offer you a booklet that includes sample poems and the images that sparked them, as well as prompts to get you started. We’ll share how ekphrasis can unfold into an opportunity to create community and artistic magic. At the end of this workshop, we will collaborate on a poem, with everyone invited (though not required!) to share their work or questions about the writing process and the connection between visual art and poetry, also known as the sister arts.