Monday, September 19, 2016

Monday Muse: Writing at the National Gallery




In Washington, D.C., the National Gallery of Art plays host to an annual series of creative writing workshops that draw on NGA's permanent collection for inspiration. The workshops are led by area writers, including poets and playwrights. In addition to examining artworks that are useful in teaching and learning about elements of creative writing, the workshops feature writing exercises and conversation. Each program in the series addresses a specific aspect of writing; this year, the programs cover monologues and dialogues, short-form poetry, memory's role in reflective writing, and the literal and metaphorical roles of setting.

The 2016-2017 programs are:

Character: The Spoken Word ~ September 30 and October 1, 2, 15, and 16. Register beginning September 27, 2016. The sources of inspiration are paintings by Berthe Morisot and Mary Cassatt.

Poetry: Words in Motion ~ January 6, 7, 8, 14, and 15. Register beginning January 3, 2017. The sources of inspiration are Alexander Calder's playful and colorful mobiles.

Memoir: Art from Life ~ February 24, 25, and 26 and March 18 and 19. Register beginning February 21, 2017. The sources of inspiration are the surrealist works of Joan Miro.

Setting: The Power of Place ~ April 21, 22, 23, and 30. Register beginning April 18, 2017. The source of inspiration is a Venetian cityscape by Canaletto.

Created for all skill levels, the writing workshops are free and open to the public, ages 18 and older. Participants are asked to bring their own writing materials. 

Registration is required the Tuesday before the start of a program because of limited-space availability. For details, see Writing Salon. A downloadable two-page program (pdf) also is available.

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