The inaugural Writer-in-Residence for the Millay House in Rockland, Melissa McKinstry, a poet from San Diego, California, will be offering a two-part Ekphrastic Poetry workshop at the Farnsworth Art Museum during her residency. The program is free and open to the public. Register on the website https://www.farnsworthmuseum.org/event/ekphrastic-poetry-and-andrew-wyeth/. The two-part workshop will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 16 and Wednesday, Oct. 23 from 2-4 p.m.
Part I: Ekphrasis: Poets Engaging with Other Arts
Ekphrasis was originally an exercise in vivid description. After reading from a rich array of contemporary poets who cross “the line” to see what –– and how –– they discover beyond description, participants will explore the special exhibit entitled Andrew Wyeth: 1982, and generate ekphrastic poems in this workshop.
Part II: Revision: Craft Elements to Develop a Draft
Seeing a poem anew is a continuation of the writing that begins in our first drafts. This workshop will include a practical discussion of specific craft elements to strengthen and deepen a drafted poem.
McKinstry holds an MFA from Pacific University, and her poetry appears in such journals as The Adroit Journal, Beloit Poetry Journal, Rattle, Alaska Quarterly Review, december, Tahoma Literary Review, and Best New Poets 2023. For more information on the poet, please visit https://www.melissamckinstry.com.
The Millay House offers a new Writer-in-Residence program, supported by a generous stipend from the Ellis-Beauregard Foundation. The writer is chosen by a jury and judge in a competitive process and given the opportunity to create in the house where Pulitzer Prize–winning poet Edna St. Vincent Millay was born in Rockland, Maine, a city that combines a historically significant working waterfront with a flourishing art scene. As part of their residency they offer a free reading or workshop for the public.
Millay House Rockland, located at 198 Broadway, is a nonprofit organization that champions writers, as well as creators and practitioners of all the arts. It celebrates the legacy of Edna St. Vincent Millay and the rich heritage of midcoast Maine. Central to the mission is rejuvenating the literary landmark that is the birthplace of the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet. For more information on Millay House Rockland, please visit https://millayhouserockland.org/about.
