LEADING A WORSKHOP ON “Writing-From-Art”: A BASIC APPROACH

by Therese L. Broderick, MFA

May 2008

(In text below, “WFA” means “writing from art”)

A) Before the Workshop: Planning

1. Collaborate with the staff of the museum, gallery, or exhibition site in order to design a mutually-beneficial workshop. Coordinate publicity, registration, collection of fees, reproduction of handouts, seating facilities for writers, evaluation methods, etc. 

2. Visit the museum, gallery, or exhibition site in order to choose which artwork you will use as a teaching model for the WFA process.

3. Apply the WFA process (described below) to that artwork in order to produce your own packet of sketches, notes, rough drafts, etc., which you will show to the workshop participants as examples of the raw material, the “stuff” of the WFA process. (Don’t show participants your final piece of writing, which may unnecessarily influence or discourage their own efforts.)

B) During the Workshop: The WFA Process

The workshop leader should focus primarily on the participants’ responses to the works of art. The workshop leader should spend as little time as possible on: his/her own background, qualifications, teaching philosophy, opinions about the artwork; the biography or technique of the artist; art history, theory, or terminology. (This information can be provided on handouts to be distributed later.)

1. Gather the participants around the work of art which you have selected as the teaching model. Mention to them that later, they will have their choice of artwork to write about (either this teaching model, or a different work of art).  Introduce yourself briefly. Mention that additional handouts will be available later in the workshop to cover topics in more depth. Briefly summarize the four-part structure of the workshop: Close Observation, Personal Connections, Writing Activity, Sharing.

2. Start with CLOSE OBSERVATION of the artwork. Begin with the simple question “What do you see?” or “What grabs your attention first?” As people respond, feedback to them what they say (without evaluative comments such as “That’s right! Great!”), then ask probing questions to encourage more precise observation. For example, if someone says, “I see a barn,” then you reply, “A barn. What color is the barn?” Continue to encourage participation with questions such as “What else do you see?” or “Anyone else?” At this stage in the workshop, you will have to decide whether or not to reveal the title of the artwork to the participants. For some artworks, it’s best to withhold the title; for other artworks, it’s best to reveal the title. One last question to ask at this stage is, “What do you NOT see in this work of art?”

3. When participants have had enough of close observation, start asking questions to elicit PERSONAL CONNECTIONS. Ask questions to elicit feelings, reflections, memories, meditations, speculations, questions, imaginative fictions, dramatic dialogues, etc. The context can be small (limited to just one portion of one painting) or large (the entire gallery). Begin with the simple question, “Do you like this work of art? Why or why not?” Then ask questions such as:  “What does this scene remind you of? How does this color or shape make you feel? What do you think happened just before the moment depicted in this painting? What might this statue be saying? What is your single favorite spot within this painting? Why are those three photographs hung together on that one wall? How do you feel right now about being in this gallery? What would you like to ask the artist?”

4. By now, participants should have enough raw material or “stuff” for the WRITING ACTIVITY. Tell them that they can go off on their own to choose an artwork to write about. Tell them exactly how much time they have to write. Tell them to follow the methods just demonstrated to them: Close Observation and Personal Connection. If people request to see handouts for further inspiration, provide the handouts. If participants still don’t know what to write about, tell them that they can sketch an artwork, then label everything in the sketch. This process of sketching and labeling will stimulate additional close observations and personal connections. To give them an idea of what can be produced, show them your own raw material, the “stuff” that you generated in advance of the workshop. (Again, don’t show them your final piece of writing.) Tell them that even if they can’t think of anything else to write about, they can at least make a “list poem” by listing what they see in the artwork, then arranging the list according to some principle of organization: left to right, top to bottom, inside to outside, focal point to exit point, bright to dark, small to large, etc.

5. After the writing session is over, gather the participants together for the SHARING. Ask for volunteers to read aloud what they have written, in front of the artwork which inspired the writing. If someone is hesitant to read aloud, ask if she/he is willing to let you read it aloud instead. Reassure participants that their pieces don’t have to be perfectly finished in order to be read aloud.

6. Provide handouts to be taken home for further study.

7. Ask the participants to fill out a brief evaluation form at the end of the workshop, or to email it later.

C) After the Workshop: Follow-Up

1. Read the evaluations.

2. If desired, and if approved by the writers, compile a booklet of the writings created during the workshop. Or post the writings on a blog or website (alerting the participants to the fact that such posting is considered “publication”).

3. If desired, and if approved by the writers, share some of the writing with the original artist.

4. Write a thank-you to the museum, gallery, or exhibition site.

FINAL NOTE FROM THERESE BRODERICK

I am willing to help develop handouts for anyone who wants to lead a WFA workshop.

I am willing to post on my blog any appropriate piece of writing generated at a WFA workshop, as long as I have the writer’s permission.

The above how-to is a basic introduction, a starting point. It does not address every artistic, educational, or ethical challenge which such a workshop might present to a workshop leader. However, I am willing to discuss those challenges in greater depth with anyone who wishes to contact me by phone (518-482-2639) or by email (theresebroderick AT yahoo DOT com).