Write! Ekphrastic
Meet fellow poets.
Take a virtual visit to a renowned
art museum.
Be inspired to Write!
Ekphrastic: poems written about works of art; the skill of describing a thing with vivid detail.
Write! Ekphrastic are in-person events at museums in the Chicagoland area and also virtual events at museums around the world. The events are open to members, poets and writers, and by a member of Poets & Patrons.
Participants receive an introduction and an orientation to the exhibits and galleries available, and then invited to explore — and be inspired to Write! The events include time where participants can discuss their experience choose to share their ekphrastic poems with the group.
Write! Ekphrastic events have been held at the Joan Miró Museum in Barcelona; National Galleries of Scotland; Cleveland Museum of Art; Museo Abierto in San Jose, Costa Rica; Tokyo National Museum; and Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.
Past
workshops
We are always seeking new venues for our Write! Ekphrastic visits and Write! Chicago trips. Please e-mail us if you have suggestions.
Write! Ekphrastic – Visits to the Picasso Museum in Barcelona via Zoom September 20, 2025.
An online event led by Wilda Morris
To begin the event, we briefly reviewed ideas for writing ekphrastic poetry. Then Wilda will provided the link and gave suggestions on how to successfully navigate the museum website. Each poet selected one or more of Picasso’s works as inspiration for a poem (or poems). After some writing time, poets had an opportunity to share their drafts if they wished to participate.
The virtual tour of the Picasso Museum in Barcelona allowed participants to see the museum’s collection, which focuses on Picasso’s early formative years and his growth as an artist. His works can be viewed chronologically, from his early realistic pencil sketches and paintings like First Communion (1896) to his later creative phases, including the complete series Las Meninas (1957). The collection includes over 4,200 works, encompassing paintings, sculptures, drawings, and ceramics.
Write! Ekphrastic – Visit to the Joan Miró Museum in Barcelona via Zoom
January 20, 2024.
A fantastic virtual event with 15 attendees, organized and hosted by Wilda Morris. The event began with an online tour of the galleries in the Joan Miro Museum in Barcelona. There was a collection of Miro’s major works and a collection of his sketches, paintings, textiles, sculptures and ceramics. After visiting the galleries, participants selected works of art then had time to write ekphrastic poems. Participants were then invited to present the work of art that inspired them to write and to also read their ekphrastic poem. The poems expressed a wide range of approaches to writing an ekphrastic poem and the variety of Miro’s work that inspired the writers.
Write! Ekphrastic – Visit to the National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi
via Zoom July 29, 2023
Write! Ekphrastic – Visit to the National Galleries of Scotland
via Zoom May 27, 2023
After a short discussion of ekphrastic poetry, we went online to The National Galleries of Scotland in Edinburgh. Each poet selected one or more art objects to respond to in poetry.
Write! Ekphrastic – Visit to the Cleveland Museum of Art
via Zoom January 28, 2023
Participants met on Zoom for a brief introduction to ekphrastic poetry, followed by an orientation to the museum’s virtual galleries by Wilda Morris. Poets selected one or more art objects to respond to in poetry. Participants shared their poem drafts, as time allowed, at the end of the workshop.
Write! Ekphrastic – Visit to the Museo Abierto in San Jose, Costa Rica
via Zoom July 23, 2022
Led by Wilda Morris. After a short discussion of ekphrastic poetry, we went online together to Museo Abierto in San Jose, Costa Rica. Each poet selected one or more art objects to respond to in poetry. Some time at the end was reserved for sharing poem drafts. After the workshop, those who wished joined an email exchange to share their drafts for mutual critique.
Ekphrastic Poetry featuring art in the Tokyo National Museum collection
via Zoom – Jan. 22, 2022
Led by Wilda Morris, the workshop began with an introduction to the museum website and art collection. Poets then had 45 – 60 minutes to explore the website on their own and write about art that interested them. The group reconvened a little later to share their poems.
Ekphrastic Poetry featuring paintings by Vincent Van Gogh
via Zoom – March 20, 2021
Led by Sheila Elliott and Wilda Morris. After a short discussion of ekphrastic poetry, we went online together to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. Each poet selected one or more of Van Gogh’s paintings to respond to in poetry.