Star Black Comes to The Church for Literary Workshops

The Church presents “Writing From Art: Poetry, Prose, and the Lyric Essay” on August 13 and 15. Led by published poet and scholar Star Black, this two-session literary workshop will focus on the idea of Ekphrasis, an ancient Greek term meaning “the use of detailed description of a work of visual art as a literary device.”

Inspired by the works featured in The Church’s summer exhibition “Are You Joking? Women in Humor,” participants will generate a series of creative texts detailing their unique experiences of selected works in the exhibition. Poets, writers, and anyone fascinated by the interweaving of art and literature is welcome to attend, no prior writing experience is needed.

Each session will meet on the main floor of The Church at 48 Madison Street, Sag Harbor, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., and will feature the close viewing of individual works in the exhibition. Both sessions will conclude with a group reading of written texts, sharing thoughts and ideas.

As Black says: “Writing from art invites you to look closely at a work of art that you are drawn to and create your own work out of that experience. Much like sketching in front of a painting at The Met, the painting remains there but the sketch is yours.”

Due to the intimate nature of this workshop, the total capacity will be limited to seven participants. A notebook and pen or pencil are the only required materials for this workshop — these will not be provided.

Star Black is a poet, photographer, and visual artist. After arriving in New York City in 1977 as a photographer for United Press International, she went freelance in 1980, photographing for The New York Times, the Museum of Modern Art and other clients while studying poetry at Brooklyn College with John Ashbery and earning an MFA degree in 1984. She is the author of seven books of poems, the most recent being “The Popular Vote” that addresses the aftermath of the 2016 presidential election. Her collages and artist books have been exhibited at Poets House and The Center for Book Arts. She co-founded the KGB Bar Monday Night Poetry Series in the East Village in 1997, which continues today, and has taught poetry at The New School and Stony Brook University.

Tickets are $30 for both sessions. For more information and tickets, visit thechurchsagharbor.org.