Ekphrasis IV - So much fun!

I was so very happy to participate in this year's Ekphrasis IV event at the Venue in Bloomington, Indiana on October 20.   Nine painters and nine poets came together to share their inspirations. I met some wonderful people and heard many inspiring stories from them.   Art is often a solitary thing and it was good for my soul to hear other artists talk about their process and inspiration. 

It worked like this:  Artists were invited to deliver a painting to the gallery a few weeks in advance and then the poets were invited to come in and select the painting that sparked a poem for them.  Once a painting was selected, the poet had a few weeks to write, then on the night, we came together to hear what inspired the painting and to hear the poem inspired by the painting.

The painter spoke first about what inspired the painting - and this was the first time the poet heard the story behind the piece - and then the poet read a couple of poems to allow the audience to become familiar with his/her voice, finally reading the poem inspired by the painting.

There aren't words to explain how deeply this event touched me.  Something about the collaboration between artists, the known, the unknown, the magic of color, form and words.

I love words.  I am a certified, card-carrying linguist.  I have a Ph.D. in linguistics with a focus on conversational analysis and pragmatics.  For many years, words were my bread and butter.  It was wonderful to come back around to the art of words and hear some of the most talented wordsmiths in our area recite their work.

It was also gratifying to hear other artists talk about their process and to find that the ups and downs and quirks of process are common to many of us.   I am new enough to art - and it was such a departure from my old career - that there has been a part of me that was afraid I 'was doing it wrong'.  It's a comfort to know that I'm not.  Process is just process and the goal is to keep cycling through it.

This event is held every fall at the Venue [114 S. Grant St, Bloomington, Indiana].  I am looking forward to the next one. 

p.s.   I was paired with Nathan Schmidt, a poet grad student in the Indiana University English Department.  [He had to leave before the photo was taken].  I thoroughly enjoyed explaining my inspiration and then listening to his poem and then hearing how it came about.

© Robin Edmundson, 'Goose Pond #530', watercolor, 10 x 14 inches.  $375

Nathan's poem discussed What if Frank Lloyd Wright looked out his window from his studio and this was his view? 

Ekphrasis - Where art meets poetry

© Robin Edmundson, 'Goose Pond' #530, watercolor, 10 x 14 inches.  $375. 
Available at The Venue on Grant St. in Bloomington, Indiana

A new season is upon us and change is in the air as the larger cycles of nature turn, turn, turn.  The more things change, the more they stay the same.

I was reminded of the larger cycles of life recently when I was invited to participate in Ekphrasis, a show whose purpose is to pair poets and paintings.  The poet has to write a piece inspired by the painting, without knowing any of the background of the piece.  On the day, the poet recites the piece and then the artist talks briefly about the inspiration for the painting.   What a gloriously fun idea!

Painting and poetry have come full circle in my family.  My grandmother, Emily G. Leisz,  was a gifted poet - and a painter - and she would have loved the idea of Ekphrasis.  I'll be thinking of her when I talk about the inspiration for my piece [above].  I wonder if any of my future family will become a painter or a poet. 

The Ekphrasis presentation is Sunday, Oct 20, 2019 at 6:00pm at the Venue on Grant St. in Bloomington, Indiana. 
 

 

P.S.  My current show 'Not Far Afield' is hanging at the Vault at Gallery Mortgage [121 E 6th St. Bloomington, Indiana] until October 29.  Gallery hours are M-F, 9-5.  If you get a chance to see it, I'd love to hear your comments.  

P.P.S.  The truth is that I'm a poet, too.   I have no illusions that I'm any good at it, but it sure is fun.  You can read my poetry HERE.