Upcoming Workshop
The Act of Seeing Yourself: An Ekphrastic Workshop
A workshop on crafting poems using inspiration from art, featuring a poem by Danez Smith.
April 2025 at Chicago Public Library​
Ekphrasis is a correspondence between the self, the art, and the artist. In this ekphrastic workshop, writers of all levels are invited to witness the relationship between poetry and visual art. We will take time to engage with Danez Smith’s poem “self-portrait as a 90s r&b music video” as a guide for how one might see oneself anew through a work of art. Participants will play a game of association, gain new vocabulary to discuss art and poetry, and generate writing based on local and contemporary art.
Past Workshops
On the Verge of Hope
A workshop on writing towards hope with inspiration from Ada Limón.
October 22, 2024 at Gallery Wrightwood / St. Luke's​
“Look, we are not unspectacular things," says poet Ada Limón. "We’ve come this far, survived this much. What would happen if we decided to survive more? To love harder?” This workshop asked that question, with the goal of making the process of answering it accessible to anyone at any level of comfort with poetry.
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In a single session, participants:
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Got an introduction to Ada Limón, U.S. Poet Laureate
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Read and discussed the poem "The Conditional"
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Viewed and discussed artwork in the "On the Verge of Hope" exhibition
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Crafted a single poem modeled after "The Conditional"
Reimagining Poetry with Off the Page
A workshop on ekphrastic poetry, a form of poetry inspired by works of art.
Thursday, April 11, 2024 at Lot'sa
This workshop consisted of a three hour session including background on ekphrasis, discussion, generative writing, group feedback, and submitting to literary arts magazines.
What was included:
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an overview of ekphrastic poetry
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two examples of contemporary ekphrastic poems
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guidance through the process of drafting two poems and the submission process
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peer and workshop leader feedback
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a catalog of publication opportunities for future use
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Issue 1 Special Edition of Off The Page