Tag Archives: Ekphrasis

From My Event Calendar….

Posted by Jackie in personal goals, poetry, writing and tagged with , , ,
Baltimore Museum of Art on a fall morning.

Baltimore Museum of Art on a fall morning. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Last year, I realized that amidst all my color-coded categories in my Outlook calendar, I had neglected to add one for myself. I have six different work categories and four different family categories, but none just for me–a not-too-subtle sign that I need to make some literal space in my life for my own needs and interests! So I made a category for myself (a relaxing seafoam green) and have tried to make more “events” for myself, whether it’s something as mundane as a haircut, or plans with friends. Sometimes, I even get to add something like the event I’m talking about today……

Last February, I was pleased and proud to have two poems published in the Feb 2012 edition of the light ekphrastic, an online journal dedicated to ekphrasis art and literature. I submitted a poem, Chant for Cooks, and was paired with a painter, who sent me a painting of hers, and then we created new pieces inspired by what our partner had sent us. It was such a fun experience, and continued my love affair with ekphrastic art that began with a few workshops I took at the Baltimore Museum of Art several years ago, and has included one of my poems being included in the audio tour for the BMA’s permanent collection.

A few weeks from now, my poems will be featured among other works from the journal as part of exhibition at a local art gallery, and I’m so thrilled. I’m going to bring my family, soak in all the inspiring work from other contributors, and maybe even talk a little about my own writing/creative process. It’s my husband’s birthday, but supportive guy that he is, he is just as excited to attend as I am, and I’m enjoying the idea of showing my girls this side of myself as well.

As lovely as I expect this experience to be, it’s also a good reminder to myself to keep making space in my life for me as a person, outside of the fulfillment I find in my family and job. Whether it’s blogging, writing, or seeking out other events and pursuits I enjoy, I know we’ll all be the richer for it.

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Published!

Posted by Jackie in calls for submissions, writing and tagged with , , , , ,

The new issue of the light ekphrastic is up, and happens to be the issue in which my work is featured! Come read the poem I submitted, as well as the poem I wrote, inspired by a painting, and see the painting inspired by my work!

This is a really beautiful project, and I’m thrilled with the results; definitely a great place to publish, or keep checking in on if you are intrigued by ekphrastic art (or really, if you like poetry or visual art at all!).

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The Light Ekphrastic

Posted by Jackie in personal goals, poetry, writing and tagged with , , , , ,

Discovering my voice as a poet is an ongoing evolution for me, but in recent years, one aspect of my poetic practice that has become more and more clear is that I am often and fruitfully inspired by the works of other literary and visual artists. I’ve so enjoyed ekphrastic work and have felt such pride in the results of my work in this genre, and I’ve continued to mine this vein; one of the poems in my notebook uses The World According to Garp as jumping-off point, and another speaks of a three-cornered hat.  Someday, I’d love to try writing in response to music.

Higher Ground: A Century of the Visual Arts in...

Image by Knoxville Museum of Art via Flickr

This fall, a friend said I should check out the light ekphrastic, an online journal that pairs visual artists and poets, each creating a piece inspired by the work of the other, publishing the results in each edition. What a fantastic idea, right? So, I dug out three poems, had the same friend give me some helpful feedback, polished them up and sent them to the editor, Jenny O’Grady, a poet and book artist here in Baltimore.

Reader, she accepted them. Right now I’ve got several digital images of paintings from a talented artist and will be writing a piece inspired by one of them, while that artist works on a painting inspired by one of my pieces. The entire enterprise is so stimulating and exciting to me; what will I see in her work, and what will she see in mine? The potential is so rich, and I can’t wait to see the final pieces.

The issue with my work in it goes live in February–watch this space!

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