Writing POETRY in Response to Art at the Q

The “Q” continues to be a fountain of inspiration for artists, writers, readers and poets! Our walks through each gallery inspired by the art we see there have been rich in so many ways. It is a joy to have patrons of Ekphrasis return, eager to discover nuances.  Please join us for this welcoming and fun poetry session to learn more about ekphrastic poetry and to write poems of your own! All levels of writers and poets are welcome. Feel free to ask a Quinlan staff member for a chair if you wish to write in the presence of the artwork; sit in the Quinlan's Sculpture Garden for some fresh air; take a photograph of the piece and write at your leisure. ​

 Second Tuesday of each month at the Quinlan 
12:00 pm- 1:00 pm I Open to the Public 

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What is Ekphrasis? 

The word ekphrasis comes from the Greek language and is used for a vivid, often dramatic, verbal description of a visual work of art. 

Ekphrastic poetry may include literal descriptions of a work of art, the poet's mood in response to a work of art, metaphorical associations inspired by a work of art, or personal memories about a work of art.  

"Art gives me permission, it gives me ideas, individual artworks sometimes give me a stage on which to place a speaker so that I can maintain a sense of remove that will allow me to better curate my thoughts. Artworks also serve as prompts. Looking at a work of art will produce associations and by tracking those, constellations of thoughts can become rooms, just as stanzas are rooms."-Mary Jo Bang

Mary Jo bang is the author of eight books of poems and winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award. 

Five ways to write an Ekphrastic poem or story. 

- Describe what you see
-Describe what's happening beyond the frame 
- Write from the perspective of the artist 

-Give voice to a major or minor character in the image 
-Explain your response to the art  ​

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Reviews from the Community

​Ekphrasis is a way of discovering hidden dimensions and beauty in visual art. It surprised and delighted me, as an amateur poet, to transform visual art into poetry. It has opened new doors as I look at transforming one form of art into another...it has opened my eyes-plus it is fun."
​​- Jeff Jones, community member

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Things to Think About 

In an effort to introduce and lead others into a place of poetic quiet, attention and creation, we invite the community to submit original poems inspired by works of art at the Quinlan Visual Arts Center. 

Spread joy making yours an intergenerational experience. Invite a grandchild, a parent, a mentee, or a neighbor to view art together then craft a poem about the same artwork or separate works of art.

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Get in Contact with Us 

Lead Coordinator: ​Evelyn Asher
​For any questions about scheduling please contact 770-536-2575 or [email protected]

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Current Works

​​Artwork "The Wildflowers Grow," by Dana Reese

A life lesson
Captivated by the wildflowers
filling my view,
with their reds and pinks
yellows and whites.
​The fragrant air,
I get lost in the beauty.
A cautionary tale,
perspective is.
For if I am only seeing
what is before me,
I miss the stunning landscape,
the hills and mountainside,
the billowing clouds,
that serve as my frame.
- Janet Walden

 Artwork "Tableau 1" by Laura Davis Shainker

an empty passage
shadows fall against walls
causing colors to appear
​on the blonde, bland stucco
the only living thing here
a spindly tree, green-topped
odd stairs rise to an unseen door
that in other times is lit
by the lamp projecting over it
that no one sees now
-Lyn Hopper

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Past Works