Ekphrasis is the technique through which one artist responds to another. The true use of ekphrasis is not to simply provide the details of a work of art, but to share the emotional experience of the arts. In this workshop, we'll not only explore the traditional approach of writing poetry in response to paintings, but we'll push the boundaries of ekphrasis and use poetry to interpret and respond to music, photography, and folk art. We'll also discuss examples of ekphrastic poems. In-class writing exercises will be used as the basis for finished poems, which will be shared with the class. Bring pen and paper.
