Discover how visual art can inspire creative writing and how writing can offer a powerful way to experience art. Join Mary Hall Surface, the founding instructor of the National Gallery of Art’s popular Writing Salon, for three online workshops that explore essential elements of writing and styles through close looking, word-sketching, and imaginative response to prompts.
The sessions spotlight a diverse range of visual art chosen to inspire writers of all experience levels to deepen their process and practice. Each workshop has a limited enrollment to maximize interaction among the instructor and students.
October 24 Collage and Poetry
Experience how the layers of contemporary Columbian-born artist Marchía Berrío’s collage, A Sunburst Restrained, can inspire multiple forms of poetry.
October 31 Symbol and Story
Discover the allegorical possibilities in 19th century American artist Thomas Cole’s four-painting series, The Voyage of Life when viewed from multiple points of view.
November 7 Place and Perspective
Explore the impact of place on a writer's perspective, inspired by 20th century African American artist Lois Mailou Jones’ The Green Door.
Surface is a teaching artist, playwright, and theatre director and producer. She presents workshops nationwide in creative writing, reflective writing and drama as a Kennedy Center teaching artist and museum educator. She was a faculty member at Harvard’s Project Zero Classroom.
3 sessions
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