A Generative Monthly Workshop  Jen Pitoniak will help us explore the lives, techniques, and works of famous artists, allowing us to deep dive into ekphrastic writing. What is ekphrasis? According to the Poetry Foundation, ekphrasis means: “Description in Greek. An ekphrastic poem is a vivid description of a scene or, more commonly, a work of art. Through the imaginative act of narrating and reflecting on the “action” of a painting or sculpture, the poet may amplify and expand its meaning.” Not a poet? No fuss, ekphrasis can be explored through any genre of writing.

OPEN TO WRITERS OF ALL GENRES & SKILL LEVELS

This Month’s Session: For November, which is Native American history month, we will be looking at the art of Queer Native American artist Jeffrey Gibson of Mississippi Choctaw and Cherokee descent.  His paintings and ornate multifaceted sculptures explore the complexity of identities.
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JEN PITONIAK An award-winning educator on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, artist Jen Pitoniak currently teaches both adaptive and traditional art to students of all aptitudes and grade levels in Wicomico County. In previous phases of her life, she has worked in jobs as diverse as children’s minister, intern for The National Clearinghouse on Runaway and Homeless Youth, and as assistant to a private investigator—all of which have added panache to her art. A Regional Representative for the Maryland Art Education Association, Jen also serves on the advisory council for The Water’s Edge Museum in Oxford, Maryland. Although she enjoys working in and exploring all artistic forms, her preferred medium is currently acrylic paint.  Jen is primarily a semi-abstract painter and loves transforming both traditional and non-traditional canvases into something different and whimsical.