WHAT IS EKPHRASTIC POETRY?

May 12, 2019 Sharon Bouchard

Ekphrastic poetry is inspired by visual art - a poetic response to a painting, sculpture, or installation. Ekphrastic poetry allows poets to expand upon the painting in a vivid, interactive manner and to expand the story within the painting.

Ekphrastic poetry, or ekphrasis, has a long history, starting with the Greeks around 1100BC and continuing to the present, with ekphrastic poets including Homer, William Carlos Williams, Anne Sexton, Allen Ginsburg, and Marianne Moore.

Interest in ekphrastic poetry has experienced a recent resurgence, with museums and galleries producing events to encourage poetic responses to works of art. Earlier this year, the Portland Museum of Art and Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance created ARTWORD 2019 to enable poets and the public to engage with and respond to museum works.

Examples of ekphrastic poetry include Anne Sexton’s response to Vincent Van Gogh’s “The Starry Night”. Van Gogh’s famous painting moved Sexton to write “Oh starry night! This is how I want to die.” Her personal response reflects a lifetime of struggles with depression and demonstrates how deeply personal ekphrastic poetry can be.

In 1970 Don McLean, American singer-songwriter, wrote “Vincent” in response to a the painting, “The Starry Night”. His inspiration emerged after reading van Gogh’s biography and studying the painting. He believed the painting symbolized van Gogh’s life and struggles. Visit Don McLean’s website to hear him singing his composition.

Compose your own ekphrastic poem using Edward Hopper’s painting, “Ground Swell” for inspiration.

Study the painting and gauge your reaction to its colors and form.
Avoid literal descriptions in your poetry, instead trying to “stretch” and expand upon the meaning of the work.
Write in the voice of the person or subject in the painting.
Create a dialogue with the painting’s subject..
Imagine a story behind what you see depicted in the piece.
Write about your thoughts and feelings while looking at the work.
Use simple free verse or other simple poetic form.
Have fun!

SAVE THE DATE!

ELEVEN LOCAL POETS READ POEMS INSPIRED BY GALLERY PAINTINGS.

AT CENTRE ST ARTS GALLERY

11 CENTRE ST. BATH, ME

FRIDAY, JUNE 8 FROM 5 TO 7.

Meet Sarah S. Harvey

April 26, 2019 Sharon Bouchard

Coming from a family that worked with its hands, I have always been involved in creating objects. I worked in clay while raising children and working as a psychiatric nurse for the early and middle parts of my life. I threw pots and then moved on to slab rolling porcelain, and made cylindrical vessels with sea forms in porcelain attached as ornamentation. I attended Haystack School of Crafts in Deer Isle, Maine several times to develop my skills, and to learn something new in the clay realm.

Clay vessel with porcelain ornamentation

in the 1990’s I came to an impasse with my career and with clay and enrolled in the University of Southern Maine art program. Most appealing to me were the painting and bookmaking arts, which I continue to pursue. Rebecca Goodale, Department Head of the Book Arts Program, remains a mentor for me.

I painted in a variety of mediums until I attended a workshop in casein tempera with Alan Bray, one of my favorite Maine artists. Since that time casein tempera has been my medium of choice. Casein, a milk-based medium, is one of the oldest forms of paint. I particularly like the luminosity that comes from the layering of color and the selective details I can create. The fact that it dries quickly and is nontoxic is an added bonus.

I continue to make artist books, one of a kind or limited editions. These books often describe a personal experience, such as walking trail or observing wildlife. Watercolor is the medium I use in my books with text handwritten or printed from a computer. I belong to a group of book making artists associated with the Kate Cheney Chappell ‘83 Center for Book Arts at the University of Southern Maine. Meeting once a month we discuss and critique each others work and help raise awareness and funds for the Center.

Much of my work focuses on the natural world. I am drawn to the seashore, woods and surroundings of my home in Woolwich, Maine. I cannot imagine what I would do with myself if I did not have the skills to paint and create books. These activities help me observe and experience the world in an intimate way.

John Gable Murals

March 25, 2019 Sharon Bouchard

John Gable

John Gable has created murals and paintings for public and corporate accounts throughout his career. His commissions have included portrait work for the Smithsonian Institution, historic paintings in the Willard Continental Hotel in Washington and murals for high-end restaurant groups.

Centre St Arts Gallery is pleased to have Jack as a member and to share images of his latest commissioned mural.

Christopher Cart, muralist and painter, assisted John with this project. Chris is known for murals he created in Bath, Brunswick and Hallowell.

This project, commissioned by a client in Tyson, Virginia, includes two 15 by 30’ murals and five 6’ paintings. The murals were are designed to give the perception of a stained class window. A carnival scene employing vivid color, plentiful detail and theatrical drama was created to achieve the client’s desire and to reflect high drama.

**One of the 15 feet by 30 feet murals.**

These murals grace the ends of a newly constructed 25,000 building.

The acrylic on canvas murals were created in John’s Bath, Me studio. For ease and installation each mural was created in two sections. This type of installation is more convenient for both artist and client than painting on site.

**It takes a team to hang and adhere these murals!**

**Almost done! John and Christopher at work.**