Ekphrastic Poetry: Words & Pictures with Inez McDermott & Maura MacNeil
Lunch: 12:00-1:00pm | Presentation: 1:00-2:30pm
Ekphrastic poetry is a form of poetry that describes or responds to a work of visual art—such as a painting, sculpture, or photograph. Ekphrastic poetry uses language to expand on an artwork’s themes or meditates on the way that the artwork evokes an emotional response or memory in the viewer. Poet Maura MacNeil and art historian Inez McDermott will introduce the history of this literary form, discuss well-known ekphrastic poems, and participants will write an ekphrastic poem of their own. Participants are welcome to bring a printed image of a favorite artwork, or one will be provided. No experience with creative writing or art history is required.
Inez McDermott is Professor Emerita of Art History at New England College. She is a curator of art and history exhibitions at various museums and galleries throughout New England and presents lectures on art and history topics through New Hampshire Humanities “Humanities to Go” program. Inez also teaches art history courses for Kimball Jenkins.
Maura MacNeil is a Professor of Creative Writing at New England College. She is the author of three poetry collections, and her poetry, prose, and critical writing has been published and anthologized in numerous publications over the past four decades. She is on the roster of the NH Humanities to-Go program with her interactive writing program: Family, Memory, Place: Writing Family Stories.
