The Poetry of Things: Using O'Keefe's art and landscape to find your creative center
FOR ALL LEVELS OF POETRY WRITERS - BEGINNING OR ADVANCED - Georgia O’Keeffe influenced modern painting by forcing the viewer to project physically, rather than intellectually, into her painted world of flowers and bones, barns and skyscrapers. As writers, we will use O’Keeffe’s work to invite meditation and contemplation of the natural wonders of the world, and write from the subjects familiar to us.
O’Keeffe follows in the tradition of Henry Thoreau, for whom the natural world provided guidance for the conduct of social affairs and the develoment of personal faith which comes out of the late 19th-century movement of the transcendentalist philosophy.
Class will cover the formative phases of O’Keeffe’s life and ideas, delve into the inner and outer landscape of self, O’Keeffe as Goddess and icon, the language of environment and eros of place, as well as her relationship with photographer Alfred Stieglitz. Many references to her books, along with video media as inspiration. We may also explore other nature oriented poets, but the main focus will be using O'Keeffe and her art as inspiration for writing poetry.
50% writing exercises, 50% reading and viewing other work
Four week class.
Optional text: Georgia O’Keeffe, by Lisa Messinger
Optional text: Georgia O’Keeffe: The Poetry of Things, by E.H. Turner
O'Keeffe hitching a ride to Abiquiu.....