Making It Speak: Poets & Artists in Cahoots!
Seventeen artists from the Sheboygan Visual Artists and sixteen poets from the Mead Library Poetry Circle took on the challenge of creating new works inspired by each others' art and poetry. The artists received envelopes (randomly assigned) with three poems from one poet. The artist was to choose one of the poems for inspiration of a new work of art. The poets received envelopes with three art images from one artist each (also randomly assigned). The poet was to choose one of the artworks for inspiration of a new poem.
Most of us had never met the members of the other group. It was an exercise in creativity and a challenge of inspiration.
From the envelope randomly assigned to her, "Tree of One" was chosen by Lisa Vihos to inspire her poem of the same name.
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| "Tree of One" (acrylic on canvas, 12"x24") 2013 |
By chance, this was a perfect match in that the envelope I received contained three poems by Lisa Vihos. I chose her poem entitled "Catching Poems" to create "Flights of Fancy Wisdom of Words" seen below.
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| "Flights of Fancy Wisdom of Words" (mixed media on canvas, 20"x24") March 2014 |
For some, the experience was quite the challenge. Others found immediate inspiration to create a corresponding piece. The end result is quite an exceptional side-by-side exhibit of poetry and art which opens with a Final Friday reception on Friday, March 28, at EBCO in Sheboygan. The event will include a reading of the new poetry by members of the Mead Library Poetry Circle. -Erico
