Pictures, Poems and Prose: An Ekphrastic Experience
Description
Ekphrastic writing is inspired by works of art, sculpture, architecture and photography. Derived from the Greek word ekphrasis meaning “description,” artistic visual prompts offer inspiration for imagining and amplifying reflections on people, places, events and memories. In ancient Greece the term was applied to the skillful description of the subject matter with vivid detail. We will be using visual images to expand our writing skills as we set the scene, develop characters, and use our imagination to explore what has occurred. Ekphrastic writing is a wonderful way to stretch your powers of observation and find stories hidden in the world of art. Writing prompts will be provided weekly as “homework” to be shared and critiqued in class. Come prepared for visual treats and writing rewards!
Guest Instructor:
Elayne Clift, a Vermont Humanities Council Scholar, is an award-winning writer and journalist, a writing workshop leader, and a lecturer. Her work has been widely anthologized and appears in numerous publications internationally. A regular columnist for the Keene Sentinel and the Brattleboro Commons, and a reviewer for the New York Journal of Books, she has written for various magazines and periodicals. Her novel, Hester’s Daughters, a contemporary, feminist retelling of The Scarlet Letter, appeared in 2012 and her award-winning short story collection, Children of the Chalet, was published by Braughler Books (2015). Her latest book is Around the World in 50 Years: Travel Tales of a Not So Innocent Abroad (Braughler Books, 2019).
