A 12-week online poetry class with Erica Goss designed to help you find inspiration from art and bring it to the page.
If you ever sit down to write a poem and don’t know where to start, you’re not alone. Staring at a blank page is frustrating—and normal. But you don’t have to conjure poems from thin air. Ekphrasis, the practice of writing in response to visual art, gives you a powerful creative spark to guide your pen.
In this 12-week online class with poet Erica Goss, you’ll explore the work of Expressionist painters who focused on subjective emotions, inner experiences, and spiritual themes, moving beyond literal descriptions. Expressionism, an art and poetry movement that started in Europe at the beginning of the 20th century and spread worldwide.
Each week, you’ll explore a new artist—people like Franz Marc, Marianne Werefkin, Gabriele Münter, and Egon Schiele—and let their work take you somewhere unexpected. You’ll ask yourself how the work moves you, what you can relate to and what seems strange–and then write in response.
You’ll create poems that reflect your inner landscapes while drawing on the inspiration of another artist’s vision.
In class, you’ll also look at how Expressionism overlapped with other art movements of the time–Cubism, Surrealism, and Dadaism–and how these artists reacted, in their work, to what they saw as the dehumanizing effect of industrialization.
And, as part of a writing community, you’ll comment constructively on your fellow participants’ work, giving and receiving feedback respectfully. By the end of the course, you’ll have twelve drafts or completed poems, one for each week, and an appreciation for ekphrasis as an inspiration for poetic creativity.
This class is for you if:
You’re an adult poet with some experience. You’re ready to explore new ideas and want to grow your voice through close observation, creative play, and community.
When inspiration feels out of reach…
You know you want to write. You feel the pull of creativity. But some days, it’s just hard to begin. You might flip through a prompt book, scribble random lines, or hope the words show up. And still, nothing.
That doesn’t mean you’re blocked. It just means you need a new doorway in.
With ekphrastic writing, the art gives you something to hold onto. It asks you questions. It stirs emotions. It challenges you to see and feel—and then to write. You don’t have to “come up with something.” You get to respond. And that’s a powerful shift.
What you’ll get:
- Twelve new poems, one each week, inspired by visual art
- A creative process that helps you overcome the blank page
- Fresh perspectives from Expressionism, Cubism, Surrealism, and Dada
- Meaningful feedback in a supportive, respectful space
- Weekly structure that keeps you writing—and makes it fun
By the end, you’ll have a solid collection of drafts—and a fresh sense of your poetic voice.
Erica’s teaching philosophy
My goal as a teacher is to foster creative communities. I try to foster a place where writers feel safe, where they can express themselves without fear of criticism, and where they are rewarded for taking risks.
My classes are not just about writing and publishing, but about supporting and encouraging fellow writers. One of our most important responsibilities as artists is to connect with others, help them grow and improve, and develop lasting relationships with each other. This is my teaching philosophy, in a nutshell.
My students have published their poetry and reviews in many literary journals. Just as importantly, they stay in touch with each other, help each other, listen, and offer constructive feedback. In my classes, we learn together.
Tuesdays, 9/9, 9/16, 9/23, 9/30, 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, 11/11, 11/18, 12/2. (no class 11/25)
6-7:30 pm Pacific
Online in the Wordcrafters Zoom Room (Meeting link sent with registration)
Cost
Access: $344 – if you have limited access to funds
Sustainer: $459 – the actual cost of this program
Patron: $574 – if you have more access to resources and can support others who need to pay less
Choose the ticket price that best reflects your financial capacity. We trust you to discern your level of need or ability to help others with less access to wealth.
Learn more about our Pay From Your Heart Pricing.
Scholarship info: We want everyone to have access to our writing programs. If you need additional support, please complete our scholarship request form.
Wordcrafters members save 10% on this and other events and classes.
HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS
Masks are optional. Please stay home if you’re unwell with any upper respiratory illness.
Your instructor
Erica Goss (she/her) served as Poet Laureate of Los Gatos, CA from 2013-2016. In 2019, she won the Zocalo Poetry Prize. She is the author of Night Court, winner of the 2016 Lyrebird Award; Wild Place; and Vibrant Words: Ideas and Inspirations for Poets.
Recent work appears in Lake Effect, Atticus Review, Contrary, Convergence, Spillway, Cider Press Review, Eclectica, The Tishman Review, Tinderbox, The Red Wheelbarrow, and Main Street Rag, among others.
She is the founder of Girls’ Voices Matter, an arts education program for teen girls. Erica is the editor of Sticks & Stones, a monthly poetry newsletter. Please visit her at www.ericagoss.com.
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