An Ekphrastic Writing Workshop June 22nd "From the wall to the page: making story and poetry from art"

Join us for an evening of deeper reflection on the current show in a playful and generative creative writing workshop “From the wall to the page: making story and poetry from art” June 22^nd at 6 – 7:30 pm.

The MELHOP GALLERY º7077 is a woman-owned business with a mission to introduce and support practicing artists who are creating art with ethical and conceptual substance. The gallery works with architects and designers helping collectors refine their art collections while helping to build a thriving arts community in Nevada and nearby California.

This past Saturday evening, two concurrent shows opened at the gallery. A solo exhibit, "American Snapshot", of paintings and drawings by artist Kelly Popoff explores snapshots as "a reference to try to capture the essence of American life – with emphasis on family, memory and socio-psychological dynamics."

In addition to exhibiting solo exhibitions of represented artists, Melhop Gallery also exhibits curated group exhibitions that include invited artists as well as those represented. What I love about the artists is that all of them are teachers as well of their medium. As Frances Melhop, the gallery owner and curator pointed out at the opening last Saturday evening, this engagement pushes these artists to stay present on the ground with current and new students and the practicalities of making new art.

"No Such Place" is an exhibition of invited artists playfully exploring non-traditional approaches to the landscape genre:  

"After these last strange years of internalization, absence from friends and excursions, living more and more through the screen, these are contemporary artists thinking about our surroundings, exploring landscapes of the imagination or no-such-places, where the mind, heart and eye can rest or dream…"

In this creative writing workshop, we will talk about how writers can respond to visual art as inspiration for new writing in poetry and prose. What is happening in this artwork? What story is being told? How does this artwork connect with you personally? As a storyteller or a poet, you’ll discover new methods to understanding art as well as new jumpstarts for art-inspired (ekphrastic) writing. 

Arrive early on June 22nd if you’d like to view the show with snacks and beverages before the workshop. We will begin at 6 pm with a short discussion with insights into the art of Kelly Popoff and the other artists in the show, and then sit down to write from a fun series of writing prompts. This is a supportive, playful, and generative workshop for creatives of all art mediums and all levels of experience.

The address is 210 Elks Point Road, Zephyr Cove, NV, 89448.