Creative Writing: Ekphrastic Poetry is a generative writing course designed for all level poets and creative writers (fiction and non-fiction) who want to have a structured weekly writing process. Ekphrasis is "description" in Greek; and an ekphrastic poem describes through vivid language and imagery a work of art--a painting, photograph, sculpture, mural, etc.. Students will be provided a series of images to narrate and reflect upon, in poetic/story form, as well as bring their own images. Seminar will include robust discussions about writing to/for visual images and exposure to multi-perspectives, as nobody "sees" or interprets a single image the same way. The end of the quarter will culminate with each student completing their own mini book of 7 workshopped and revised ekphrastic poems/stories. This is a writing intensive course. Poetic forms and creative writing elements will be discussed in order to practice and understand how to create prose poems, free verse, villanelles, sestinas, odes, and sonnets.
Class will meet on Thursdays 1pm - 4pm in person. There will be an asynchronous component of the course that will require students to 1) attend an art exhibit of their choice during weeks 2-7 and 2) keep a daily photo/image journal outside of class during weeks 2-7. All levels of writers and creatives are welcome. 4 credits in Creative Writing.