A free June workshop! The Clark Art Institute Writing Through Art Poetry Workshop
Jun
25
3:00 PM15:00

A free June workshop! The Clark Art Institute Writing Through Art Poetry Workshop

Join poet and educator Jan Freeman for this free June 25 Clark Art Institute Writing Through Art Poetry Workshops. Together, we will write drafts in the galleries of the Clark, using paintings and sculptures as portals to open memories, emotion, and new ways of using language and feeds poetry.

Poets from Franklin County, the Hilltowns, and the Pioneer Valley are invited to create new drafts and poems while experiencing the many ways that visual art opens inspiration, perception, memory, and language.

The afternoon workshop will take place at the Clark Art Institute, 225 South Street, Williamstown, MA. Admission to the museum is free to workshop participants!

Writing in response to Odilon Redon’s “Woman With a Vase of Flowers” at the Clark Art Institute.

New and experienced poets over the age of 16 may attend. Wear comfortable walking shoes, and bring a notebook and sharpened pencils (no pens are permitted in the museum galleries). Maximum enrollment: 14. Sign up now!

To register, please email librarian Sarah Hertel-Fernandez at Ashfield’s Belding Memorial Library: bmlashfield@gmail.com  or contact Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com.

This workshop is co-sponsored by Ashfield’s Belding Memorial Library, Florence’s Lilly Library, and the Clark Art Institute. The program is funded in part by a grant from the Ashfield Local Cultural Council, a local agency that is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

Keep in mind the free Smith College of Art Writing Through Art Poetry Workshop, which will take place in July. Date and time coming soon.

Writing in response to Edgar Degas’ Dancers at the Clark Art Institute.

Immerse yourself in writing and reading poetry, surrounded by an eclectic, supportive creative community.

Please share this information with your poetry friends and sign up together for a memorable afternoon!

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Fall 2025 Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat at MASS MoCA, The Clark Art Institute, and the Williams College Museum of Art
Oct
9
to Oct 13

Fall 2025 Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat at MASS MoCA, The Clark Art Institute, and the Williams College Museum of Art

Join poet, educator, and editor Jan Freeman for the Fall 2025 Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat at MASS MoCA, The Clark Art Institute, and the Williams College Museum of Art. A generative-writing experience at the largest contemporary art museum in the U.S., and at the two jewels — the Clark and WCMA — which include paintings, prints and sculptures from classical art, Impressionism, and Post Impressionism.

Poets gather for the fall 2024 MASS MoCA Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat

Poets from around the country and around the world form a supportive community to create dozens of new drafts and poems while experiencing the many ways that visual art opens inspiration, perception, memory, and language. The expansive 5-day writing retreat will culminate in a poetry reading at The Artist Book Foundation, located on the MASS MoCA campus in North Adams, Massachusetts.

Through daily prompts, exercises, readings, and discussions, we will explore new ways of expressing ourselves, heightening our use of metaphor and surprising details in our writing. Morning workshops take place in the galleries of MASS MoCA, the Clark Art Institute, and the Williams College Museum of Art. Afternoons and evenings are free to explore autumn in the beautiful Berkshires. Or to sit beside the meditative reflecting pool at the Clark.

A one-hour private consultation focusing on your individual poems and writing goals is included. In-depth manuscript consultations can be scheduled separately for an additional fee.

Reading a draft aloud in MASS MoCA’s Prow

Immerse yourself in writing and reading poetry, surrounded by an eclectic, supportive creative community and extraordinary classical, modern, and contemporary art that invites a life-changing, expansive oasis in the restorative environment of autumn in New England.

Writing in response to Anselm Kiefer, The Schechina

Jan Freeman and poets reading drafts and discussing writing through the body in the Prow at MASS MoCA

“I loved being immersed in the art and having this in-person experience. Access to MASS MoCA and the Clark was wonderful. The writing prompts and exercises helped to reinforce the associative connections between art and writing, and I appreciated hearing the first drafts of other poets. Often we only get a day at a museum. But this retreat afforded us all the wonderful opportunity to come back to the exhibits, and spend much more time in the galleries. Many of my drafts became finished poems that are now included in my new poetry manuscript.”
— R. Rossi, Vermont
“Jan Freeman’s poetry residency at MASS MoCA offered a unique opportunity. We spent our days writing in our studios and in museum galleries, inspired by the art work before us. Jan provided excellent writing prompts that opened me up to my imagination and to new discoveries. For me, the concentrated writing time gave me a chance to go deeper into my poems, my emotions. I learned so much from Jan’s teaching and guidance and from connecting with other poets.”
— Faith Paulsen, Pennsylvania
“The MASS MoCA Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat exceeded my expectations and gave me sustenance, helping me recognize the necessity of poetry in my daily life and how visual art can help generate new inroads to poetic ideas and daring.

My conference with Jan might be my favorite part of a retreat filled with favorite parts. Her comments about my poems were encouraging, generous, and aimed at considering my goals and where I am now as a poet. I also was impressed with Jan’s unusual prompts, exercises, and her talks about poetry and writing. And I loved the poems she brought for us to read together, which offered new and exciting sources of inspiration.”
— Genivieve Carminati, Maryland

Group poetry reading at the Artist Book Foundation

Cost and Accommodations

Included:

Welcome gathering on afternoon of arrival, October 9.

Daily workshops in museum galleries.

1-hour individual conference to discuss selected poems and/or writing goals.

Group poetry reading at the Artist Book Foundation on the MASS MoCA Campus.

Accommodations:

Participants are responsible for room and board during the October retreat. A variety of Vrbo and Airbnb accommodations are available. Hotels can be found at https://berkshires.org/business-directory/hotels and https://massmoca.org/visit/stay/. A Hotel Downstreet poetry group discount will be posted in June or July.

Extras:

The Berkshires in the fall are a haven for leaf peepers, autumn festivals, hiking, and other outdoor activities. Enjoy the area’s extensive walking trails and visit the Berkshire Botanical Gardens, Naumkeag Gardens, The Norman Rockwell Museum, Edith Wharton’s home, The Mount, and The Berkshire Theatre Group.

Cost:

$750. Limited financial assistance is available.

Questions? Contact: Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com.

Sign up with your poetry friends for a rich and memorable creative experience.

Apply

Please fill out the application below, including three poems and a brief statement of interest and bio. Registration is open until the retreat is full, with a limit of 10 poets. Experienced and new poets are welcome. For additional information, contact Jan Freeman.

Writing in response to Odilon Redon’s “Woman With a Vase of Flowers” at the Clark

Please share this information with your poetry friends and sign up together for a memorable poetry holiday!

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Spring 2025 MASS MoCA Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat
Apr
25
to May 1

Spring 2025 MASS MoCA Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat

Join poet, educator, and editor Jan Freeman for the Spring 2025 MASS MoCA Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat. A generative-writing experience at the MASS MoCA Artist Residency Center in the largest contemporary art museum in the U.S. New and experienced poets are welcome!

The spring retreat is presently full. To be included on the cancellation list, please contact janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com.

Poets gather in the entrance of the studios for the fall 2024 MASS MoCA Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat

Poets from around the country and around the world form a supportive community to create dozens of new drafts and poems while experiencing the many ways that visual art opens inspiration, perception, memory, and language. The expansive 6-day writing retreat will culminate in a poetry reading at The Artist Book Foundation, located on the MASS MoCA campus in North Adams, Massachusetts.

Through daily prompts, exercises, readings, and discussions, we will explore new ways of expressing ourselves, heightening our use of metaphor and surprising details in our writing. Morning workshops take place in the galleries of MASS MoCA, the Clark Art Institute, and the Williams College Museum of Art. Afternoons are free to explore springtime in the beautiful Berkshires and to write in your own private writing studio at MASS MoCA. Or to sit beside the meditative reflecting pool at the Clark.

A one-hour private consultation focusing on your individual poems and writing goals is included. In-depth manuscript consultations can be scheduled separately for an additional fee.

Reading a draft aloud in MASS MoCA’s Prow

Immerse yourself in writing and reading poetry, surrounded by community and extraordinary classical, modern, and contemporary art invites a life-changing, expansive oasis in the restorative environment of springtime in New England.

Writing in response to Anselm Kiefer, The Schechina

Jan Freeman and poets reading drafts and discussing writing through the body in the Prow at MASS MoCA

“I loved being immersed in the art and having this in-person experience. Access to MASS MoCA and the Clark was wonderful. The writing prompts and exercises helped to reinforce the associative connections between art and writing, and I appreciated hearing the first drafts of other poets. Often we only get a day at a museum. But this retreat afforded us all the wonderful opportunity to come back to the exhibits, and spend much more time in the galleries. Many of my drafts became finished poems that are now included in my new poetry manuscript.”
— R. Rossi, Vermont
“Jan Freeman’s poetry residency at MASS MoCA offered a unique opportunity. We spent our days writing in our studios and in museum galleries, inspired by the art work before us. Jan provided excellent writing prompts that opened me up to my imagination and to new discoveries. For me, the concentrated writing time gave me a chance to go deeper into my poems, my emotions. I learned so much from Jan’s teaching and guidance and from connecting with other poets.”
— Faith Paulsen, Pennsylvania
“The MASS MoCA Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat exceeded my expectations and gave me sustenance, helping me recognize the necessity of poetry in my daily life and how visual art can help generate new inroads to poetic ideas and daring.

My conference with Jan might be my favorite part of a retreat filled with favorite parts. Her comments about my poems were encouraging, generous, and aimed at considering my goals and where I am now as a poet. I also was impressed with Jan’s unusual prompts, exercises, and her talks about poetry and writing. And I loved the poems she brought for us to read together, which offered new and exciting sources of inspiration.”
— Genivieve Carminati, Maryland

Studio space at the museum, accommodations, and cost

Included:

Your own private writing studio at the museum, with 24/7 access.

Free admission to MASS MoCA, the Clark Art Institute, and the Williams College Museum of Art throughout the week.

Private bedroom (queen-sized bed) with shared bathroom and kitchen in the MASS MoCA 2nd and 3rd floor, 4-bedroom apartments across the street from the museum. Please note: there is no elevator access to the apartments.

Boxed lunches from Lickety Split, the museum cafe, are provided April 26–April 30.

Welcome gathering and dinner on April 25.

Free parking.

Member discounts to attend MASS MoCA evening performances that take place during the retreat.

Extras:

The Berkshires in the spring is a haven for cultural and outdoor activities. Enjoy the area’s extensive walking trails and visit the Berkshire Botanical Gardens, Naumkeag Gardens, The Norman Rockwell Museum, Edith Wharton’s home, The Mount, and The Berkshire Theatre Group. A members discount is offered when purchasing tickets to evening performances and concerts at MASS MoCA.

Cost:

$1,600. Limited financial assistance is available.

For questions, please email janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com.

Group poetry reading at the Artist Book Foundation

Apply

The retreat is presently full. To be included on the cancellation list, email janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com.

Please fill out the application below, including three poems and a brief statement of interest and bio. Registration is open until the retreat is full, with a limit of 10 poets. Experienced and new poets are welcome. For additional information, contact Jan Freeman.

Writing in response to Odilon Redon’s “Woman With a Vase of Flowers” at the Clark

Please share this information with your poetry friends and sign up together!

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Mar
7
3:00 PM15:00

Pop-Up Clark Art Institute Writing Through Art Poetry Workshop!

For anyone in need of taking a breath, I am offering an in-person pop-up Clark Writing Through Art Poetry Workshop at the Modern French Tapestry exhibit at the Clark Art Institute, Friday, March 7, from 3:00 –4:30 p.m. ET. If you can use a dose of extraordinary beauty and a chance to open your imagination and write, please join me for this restorative experience.

Sonia Delauney, Rythmes Couleurs

I'll provide prompts that accompany several works in the Modern French Tapestry exhibit, and we'll write together! All levels of experience are welcome.

Dom Robert, Mille Fleurs Sauvages

The cost is $30 or pay-what-you-can for those experiencing financial challenges. If you'd like to participate, please email me at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Marcel Gromaire, L’hiver ou les Alpes

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Winter 2025 Monday Evening Zoom Poetry Workshops
Jan
13
to Mar 3

Winter 2025 Monday Evening Zoom Poetry Workshops

This 8-week poetry workshop will begin via Zoom on Monday, January 13, @ 7:00 p.m. ET. Each 2-hour workshop will include feedback on poems; exercises to help you open your memories, imagination, perceptions, and creative expression; and unique writing prompts accompanying images from visual art and the natural world. Themes include grief, family, childhood, home, love, fear, anger, the body, and humor.

Please email Jan 3 poems to apply. Click here to submit poems or to request information. Or email Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com.

Tuition is $575. Payment via Venmo, Zelle, or check.

Apply today! Please share with your poetry friends.

Sharon Harper, Blue Boat

Winslow Homer, West Point, Prout’s Neck

Rosamond Purcell, Hermaiite Wing

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Writing Through Nature & Art Poetry Workshop
Nov
11
to Dec 30

Writing Through Nature & Art Poetry Workshop

This 8-week poetry workshop will begin via Zoom on Monday, November 11 @ 7:00 p.m. ET. Each 2-hour workshop will include feedback on poems; exercises to help you open your memories, imagination, perceptions, and creative expression; and unique writing prompts accompanying images from art and the natural world. Themes include grief, family, childhood, home, love, anger, and landscape.

Please send 3 poems to apply.

Tuition is $575. Payment via Venmo, Zelle, or check. Click here to submit poems or to request information. Or email Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com.

Apply today! Please share with your poetry friends.

Sharon Harper, Blue Boat

Winslow Homer, West Point, Prout’s Neck

Rosamond Purcell, Hermaiite Wing

View Event →
MASS MoCA Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat
Oct
31
to Nov 6

MASS MoCA Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat

Join renowned poet and editor Jan Freeman for the Election Week 2024 MASS MoCA Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat. A generative-writing experience at the MASS MoCA Artist Residency Center in the largest contemporary art museum in the U.S. New and experienced poets are welcome!

MASS MoCA entrance to the studio gathering space

During our pivotal election week, in the supportive community of poets from near and far, we will create dozens of new drafts and poems. Together we will experience the many ways that painting, sculpture, and photography open inspiration, perception, memory, and language. The expansive 6-day writing retreat will culminate in a poetry reading at The Artist Book Foundation, located on the MASS MoCA campus in North Adams, Massachusetts.

Through daily prompts, exercises, readings, and discussions, we will explore new ways of expressing ourselves. Morning workshops take place in the galleries of MASS MoCA, the Clark Art Institute, and the Williams College Museum of Art. Afternoons are free to explore the beautiful Berkshires or to write in the museums and your own private writing studio at MASS MoCA. Or to sit by the peaceful reflecting pool at the Clark.

A one-hour private consultation focusing on your individual poems and writing goals is included. In-depth manuscript consultations can be scheduled separately for an additional fee. To register, please email janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com.

Reading a draft aloud in MASS MoCA’s Prow

Immersing ourselves in reading and writing poetry, surrounded by autumn in New England, art, and community will be a useful and comforting experience during the historic days before, during, and following our Presidential Election.

Writing in response to Anselm Kiefer, The Schechina

Jan Freeman and poets reading drafts and discussing writing through the body in the Prow at MASS MoCA

“Jan Freeman’s ekphrastic poetry residency at MassMoCA offered a unique opportunity. We spent our days in our studios and in museum galleries, inspired by the art work before us. Jan provided excellent writing prompts that opened me up to my imagination and to new discoveries. For me, the concentrated writing time gave me a chance to go deeper. I learned so much from Jan’s teaching and guidance and from connecting with other poets.”
— Faith Paulsen, Pennsylvania
“The MASS MoCA Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat exceeded my expectations and gave me sustenance, helping me recognize the necessity of poetry in my daily life and how visual art can help generate new inroads to poetic ideas and daring.

My conference with Jan might be my favorite part of a retreat filled with favorite parts. Her comments about my poems were encouraging, generous, and aimed at considering my goals and where I am now as a poet. I also was impressed with Jan’s unusual prompts, exercises, and her talks about poetry and writing. And I loved the poems she brought for us to read together, which offered new and exciting sources of inspiration.”
— Genivieve Carminati, Maryland

Studio space at the museum, accommodations, and cost

Included:

Your own private writing studio at the museum, with 24/7 access.

Free admission to MASS MoCA, the Clark Art Institute, and the Williams College Museum of Art throughout the week.

Private bedroom (queen-sized bed) with shared bathroom and kitchen in the MASS MoCA 2nd floor, 4-bedroom apartments across the street from the museum. Please note: there is no elevator access to the apartments.

Boxed lunches provided November 1–November 5.

Welcome gathering and dinner on October 31.

Free parking.

Member discounts to attend MASS MoCA evening performances that take place during the retreat.

Extras:

The Berkshires in the fall is a haven for cultural and outdoor activities. Visit Naumkeag Gardens, William College Museum of Art, The Norman Rockwell Museum, Edith Wharton’s home, The Mount, The Mount, and The Berkshire Theatre Group. And enjoy the area’s extensive walking trails. A members discount is offered when purchasing tickets to evening performances and concerts at MASS MoCA.

Cost:

$1,600. Limited financial assistance is available.

For questions, please email janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com.

Group poetry reading at the Artist Book Foundation

Apply

Please email 3 poems and a brief paragraph describing your poetry background and your interest in attending the retreat. Send to janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com or click on Jan Freeman Registration is open until the retreat is full, with a limit of 10 poets. Experienced and new poets are welcome. For additional information, contact Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com. Apply now!

Writing in response to Odilon Redon’s “Woman With a Vase of Flowers” at the Clark

Please share this link with your poetry friends and sign up together! https://www.janfreeman.net/workshops-readings

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Writing Through Nature & Art Poetry Workshop
Jul
8
to Aug 12

Writing Through Nature & Art Poetry Workshop

This 6-week poetry workshop will begin via Zoom on Monday, July 8 @ 7:00 p.m. EST. Each 2-hour workshop will include feedback on poems; exercises to help you open your memories, imagination, and creative expression; and unique writing prompts accompanying images from art and the natural world. Themes include grief, family, childhood, home, love, and landscape.

Please send 3 poems to apply.

Tuition is $435. Payment via Venmo, Zelle, or check. Click here to submit poems or to request information. Or email Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com.

Apply today! Please share with your poetry friends.

Sharon Harper, Blue Boat

Winslow Homer, West Point, Prout’s Neck

Rosamond Purcell, Hermaiite Wing

View Event →
Jun
12
to Jun 16

MASS MoCA Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat, June 12–16, 2024

MASS MoCA Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat: June 12, 2024 – June 16, 2024, in the heart of the Berkshires.

Explore the many ways that painting, sculpture, and photography can open your poems and perceptions in this expansive and generative 4-day writing retreat. New and experienced poets are welcome. A welcome gathering and introduction will take place at The Artist Book Foundation located on the MASS MoCA campus. Through daily prompts, exercises, readings, and discussions, you will experience the many ways that art can open memories, emotion, the imagination, and help you explore new poetic ways of expressing yourself. A one-hour private consultation about your poetry and goals is included. The retreat is limited to 10 poets. Please submit 3 poems and a brief statement of interest. Applications will be accepted until retreat is full. Email janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com.

The retreat is full. To sign up for the waiting list, email Jan Freeman.

Jan Freeman and poets at the October Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat, reading drafts in the Prow.

Together we will explore the many ways that painting, sculpture, installations, and photography can open your perceptions and your poems in this expansive 4-day writing retreat.

Morning workshops will take place from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. in the galleries of MASS MoCA and the Clark Art Institute. Afternoons and evenings are yours to spend as you wish. Many poets enjoy spending more time writing in the museum visited in the morning or exploring the Berkshires, walking along the beautiful trails at the Clark, and working on new poems and revisions.

Reservations will be been made for participants to visit James Turrell’s “C.A.V.U.,” “Perfectly Clear,” and “Hind Sight.”

A one-hour private consultation to discuss individual poems and writing goals is included. In-depth manuscript consultations and private coaching can be scheduled with Jan separately.

Apply

Please email 3 poems and a brief statement of interest to Jan Freeman. Registration is open until the retreat is full, with a limit of 10 poets. New and experienced poets are welcome. For additional information, email Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com.

Poets writing drafts in response to Edvard Munch’s paintings at the Clark Art Institute.

Comments from poets

I loved being immersed in the art and having this in-person experience. Access to MASS MoCA and the Clark was wonderful. The writing prompts and exercises helped to reinforce the associative connections between art and writing, and I appreciated hearing the first drafts of other poets. Often we only get a day at a museum. But this retreat afforded us all the wonderful opportunity to come back to the exhibits, and spend much more time in the galleries. Many of my drafts became finished poems that are now included in my new poetry manuscript.— R. Rossi, Vermont

The MASS MoCA Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat exceeded my expectations and gave me sustenance, helping me recognize the necessity of poetry in my daily life and how visual art can help generate new inroads to poetic ideas and daring.

My private poetry review with Jan might be my favorite part of a retreat filled with favorite parts. Jan’s comments were encouraging, generous, and aimed at considering my goals and where I am now as a poet. I also was impressed with Jan’s talks about poetry and writing to the group, and the poems she brought for us to read and discuss, consider as models and inspiration.—Genevieve Carminati, Maryland

Sharing a draft perched on a windowsill at MASS MoCA.

Poets writing drafts in response to sculptures by Anselm Kiefer at MASS MoCA.

Cost

$650. Limited financial assistance is available.

Admission to MASS MoCA, the Clark Art Institute, and the Williams College Museum of Art is included for the days we visit each museum.

Poets are responsible for room and board during the June retreat. A variety of airbnb’s are available, and hotels can be found at https://berkshires.org/business-directory/hotels.

Questions? Contact: Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com.

Sign up with your poetry friends for a rich and memorable creative experience.

Please share this link with your poetry world!

Poets responding to Elle Perez’s “Intimacy” exhibit at MASS MoCA

View Event →
A Pop-Up Poetry Workshop at the Clark Art Institute
Feb
6
1:00 PM13:00

A Pop-Up Poetry Workshop at the Clark Art Institute

Come in From the Cold! A Generative Writing Through Art Poetry Workshop at the Clark Art Institute to Warm Up Your Imagination

New and experienced poets are invited to write in response to artwork from the permanent of the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, MA. Click here for info about these magnificent and memorable artworks.

In this 1.5-hour workshop we will write together in the galleries of the Clark, using unique prompts to experience artwork that will open our imaginations, memories, and emotions. We will visit paintings and sculptures by artists such as Paul Gauguin, Edgar Degas, Mary Cassatt, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Winslow Homer.

The goal: to experiment, play, delve deeply, and express ourselves with new forms of creative expression.

To sign up and ask questions, please email your name and contact info to janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com. New and experienced poets are very welcome.

The Clark Art Institute, winter 2024

Where

We will meet at the Clark Art Institute, in the lobby by the ticket counter on the main floor of the museum. Admission is free but please make sure to have your sticker visible when we gather. A coat area and lockers are available on the lower level, beside the cafe.

When

Tuesday, February 6, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. ET (snow date Thursday, February 8)

Cost

$40 per person. Financial assistance is available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Poets writing in response to Edvard Munch’s “Sun” at the Clark, September 2023

What You’ll Need

A couple of sharpened pencils (no pens are permitted in the galleries). Notebooks will be provided. Wear comfortable shoes. Gallery stools are available on the lower level beside the cafe.

After the Workshop: Optional

Following the workshop, we can gather in the cafe to talk about the artwork and our experience writing.

For additional information, email janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com

“Woman With Vase of Flowers” by Odilon Redon

“Woman With Dog” by Pierre Bonnard

“Rockets and Blue Lights (Close at Hand) to Warn Steamboats of Shoal Water” by William Turner

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Oct
12
to Oct 15

MASS MoCA Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat, October 12–15, 2023

MASS MoCA Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat: October 12–15, 2023, in the heart of the Berkshires.

This generative poetry retreat is for new and published poets. Immersive exercises, prompts, and writing in museum galleries of MASS MoCA and the Clark Art Institute will open your imagination, inviting an experiential exploration of paintings, sculpture, and installations, while offering you paths into the depths of memory, emotion, and fresh creative expression. The retreat is limited to 10 poets. Sign up today!

Poets at the June Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat, writing drafts in response to Anselm Kiefer’s “Schechina.”

Together we will explore the many ways that painting, sculpture, installations, and photography can open your perceptions and your poems in this expansive 4-day writing retreat.

Through daily prompts, exercises, readings, and discussions, you will explore new ways of expressing yourself. Morning workshops will take place from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. in the galleries of MASS MoCA and the Clark Art Institute. Afternoons are yours to write in the museum visited in the morning, explore the Berkshires and regional Autumn Festivals, and walk along the beautiful trails at the Clark.

Reservations will be been made for participants to visit Laurie Anderson’s virtual reality installations “To the Moon and Back,” and “Chalkroom,” James Turrell’s “Perfectly Clear,” and “Hind Sight.”

A one-hour private consultation about your poetry, writing goals, and/or manuscript is included.. These will take place in the afternoons. Additional in-depth manuscript consultations and coaching can be scheduled separately.

Writing in the Prow at MASS MoCA.

I loved being immersed in the art and having this be an in-person experience. Access to MASS MoCA and the Clark was wonderful. The writing prompts and exercises helped to reinforce the associative connections between art and writing, and I appreciated hearing the first drafts of other poets. Often we only get a day at a museum. The retreat afforded us all the wonderful opportunity to come back to the exhibits, and spend much more time in the galleries.— R. Rossi, Vermont

The MASS MoCA Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat exceeded my expectations and gave me sustenance, helping me recognize the necessity of poetry in my daily life and how visual art can help generate new inroads to poetic ideas and daring.

My private poetry review with Jan might be my favorite part of a retreat filled with favorite parts. Jan’s comments were encouraging, generous, and aimed at considering my goals and where I am now as a poet. I also was impressed with Jan’s talks about poetry and writing to the group, and the poems she brought for us to read and discuss, consider as models and inspiration.—Genevieve Carminati, Maryland

To apply, please email three poems along with two paragraphs that describe your poetry background, your interest in attending the retreat, and your writing goals and/or challenges. Send to Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com. This retreat is limited to 10 poets. Sign up soon!

Cost:

$650. Financial assistance available until distributed.

Proof of vaccination is required.

Admission to MASS MoCA, the Clark Art Institute, and the Williams College Museum of Art is included for the days we visit each museum.

Poets are responsible for room and board. A variety of hotels can be found at https://berkshires.org/business-directory/hotels. A group rate will be available until August 15 at Hotel Downstreet, catty corner to the MASS MoCA campus in North Adams. Contact Kelsey Gardner at (413) 663-6500, https://www.hoteldownstreet.com.

Questions? Contact: Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com.

Sign up with your poetry friends for a rich and memorable experience.

Please share this link with your poetry world!

Poets responding to Paul Gaugin’s “Double Portrait” at the Clark Art Institute.

View Event →
Edvard Munch Pop-Up Poetry Workshop at the Clark Art Institute
Sep
5
10:00 AM10:00

Edvard Munch Pop-Up Poetry Workshop at the Clark Art Institute

AN EDVARD MUNCH POP-UP WORKSHOP ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 10:00 A.M.–12:00 P.M.

New and experienced poets are invited to write in response to Edvard Munch’s paintings and prints, at the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, MA. Click here for info about this magnificent and memorable exhibition.

In this 2-hour workshop we will write together in the galleries using unique prompts to experience Munch’s artwork while opening our imaginations, memories, and emotions.

Experiment, play, express yourself!

To sign up, please email your name and contact info to janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com. New and experienced poets are welcome.

Where

We will meet at the Clark Art Institute, in the lobby next to the exhibit (beside the cafe), on the ground floor of the museum.

Cost

$60 per person, plus cost of admission to the museum.

What You’ll Need

Bring a notebook and sharpened pencils (no pens are permitted in the galleries). Wear comfortable shoes. Gallery stools are available next to the exhibition.

After the Workshop: Optional

Following the workshop, we can gather outside by the reflecting pool to talk about the artwork and our experience writing. Bring a sandwich or enjoy the delicious offerings at the cafe.

For additional information, email janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com.

The Sun

Apple Tree by the Studio

Beach in Asgardstrand

Anxiety

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MASS MoCA Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat
May
31
to Jun 6

MASS MoCA Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat

Join Jan Freeman for the 2023 MASS MoCA Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat, a generative-writing boot camp for poets at the MASS MoCA Artist Residency Center in the heart of the Berkshires.

Explore the many ways that painting, sculpture, and photography can open your poems and perception in this expansive and generative 6-day writing retreat. Culminating in a poetry reading at The Artist Book Foundation located on the MASS MoCA campus. Poets and writers of all levels of experience are welcome. Through daily prompts, exercises, readings, and discussions, you will experience the many ways that art can open memories, emotion, the imagination, and help you explore new poetic ways of expressing yourself. Morning workshops take place from 10:00 a.m.– 1:00 p.m. and afternoons are free, to explore the Berkshires or write in the galleries of MASS MoCA, the Clark Art Institute and your own private studio at the museum.

A one-hour private consultation about your individual poems, writing goals, and/or manuscript is included. An in-depth manuscript consultation can be scheduled separately.

To apply, please email 3 poems and a paragraph that describes your poetry background and your interest in attending the retreat. Send to Jan Freeman. Registration is open until the retreat is full, with a limit of 10 poets. Experienced and new poets are welcome. This retreat is full. To sign up for the waiting list, email Jan Freeman.at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com.

Writing in response to Anselm Kiefer, The Schechina.

Poets writing in the Prow, next to the Louise Bourgeois gallery.

“Jan Freeman’s ekphrastic poetry residency at MassMoCA offered a unique opportunity. We spent our days in our studios and in art galleries, inspired by the art work before us. Jan provided excellent writing prompts that opened me up to my imagination and to new discoveries. For me, the concentrated writing time gave me a chance to go deeper. I learned so much from Jan’s teaching and guidance and from connecting with other poets.”
— Faith Paulsen, Pennsylvania
“The MASS MoCA Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat exceeded my expectations and gave me sustenance, helping me recognize the necessity of poetry in my daily life and how visual art can help generate new inroads to poetic ideas and daring.

My manuscript review with Jan might be my favorite part of a retreat filled with favorite parts. Jan’s comments were encouraging, generous, and aimed at considering my goals and where I am now as a poet. I also was impressed with Jan’s talks about poetry and writing to the group, and the poems she brought for us to read and discuss, consider as models and inspiration.”
— Genivieve Carminati, Maryland

Group poetry reading at the Artist Book Foundation

Studio space at the museum, accommodations, and cost

Included:

Your own private writing studio at the museum, with 24/7 access.

Free admission to MASS MoCA, the Clark Art Institute, and the Williams College Museum of Art throughout the week.

Private bedroom (queen-sized bed) with shared bathroom and kitchen in the MASS MoCA 2nd floor, 4-bedroom apartments across the street from the museum. Please note: there is no elevator access to the apartments.

Boxed lunches provided June 1–June 5.

Welcome gathering on May 31.

Free parking.

Extras:

The Berkshires in June is a haven for cultural and outdoor activities. Visit Naumkeag Gardens, William College Museum of Art, The Norman Rockwell Museum, Edith Wharton’s home, The Mount, and The Berkshire Theatre Group. And enjoy the area’s extensive walking trails, gardens, and lakes. A members discount is offered when purchasing tickets to evening performances and concerts at MASS MoCA.

Cost:

$1,600. Limited financial assistance is available. In the event that the pandemic necessitates that the retreat takes place via Zoom, tuition will be reduced to $800.

Questions? Contact: Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com.

Please share this link with your poetry friends!

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Oct
6
to Oct 10

MASS MoCA Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat, October 6–10.

MASS MoCA Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat: October 6–10, in the heart of the Berkshires.

This generative-writing retreat is for new and published poets. Immersive exercises, prompts, and writing in museum galleries of MASS MoCA and the Clark Art Institute will open your imagination, inviting an experiential exploration of paintings, sculpture, and installations, while offering you paths into the depths of memory, emotion, and fresh creative expression. The retreat is limited to 10 poets. Sign up today!

Poets at the June Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat, writing drafts in response to Anselm Kiefer’s “Schechina.”

Together we will explore the many ways that painting, sculpture, installations, and photography can open your perceptions and your poems in this expansive 4-day writing retreat.

Through daily prompts, exercises, readings, and discussions, you will explore new ways of expressing yourself. Morning workshops will take place from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. in the galleries of MASS MoCA and the Clark Art Institute. Afternoons are yours to write in the museum visited in the morning, explore the Berkshires and regional Autumn Festivals, and walk along the beautiful trails at the Clark.

Reservations will be been made for participants to visit Laurie Anderson’s virtual reality installations “To the Moon and Back,” and “Chalkroom,” James Turrell’s “Perfectly Clear,” and dawn and dusk viewings of James Turrell’s extraordinary C.A.V.U. (Skyspace).

A one-hour private consultation about your poetry, writing goals, and/or manuscript is included.. These will take place in the afternoons. Additional in-depth manuscript consultations and coaching can be scheduled separately.

Writing in the Prow at MASS MoCA.

I loved being immersed in the art and having this be an in-person experience. Access to MASS MoCA and the Clark was wonderful. The writing prompts and exercises helped to reinforce the associative connections between art and writing, and I appreciated hearing the first drafts of other poets. Often we only get a day at a museum. The retreat afforded us all the wonderful opportunity to come back to the exhibits, and spend much more time in the galleries.— R. Rossi, Vermont

The MASS MoCA Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat exceeded my expectations and gave me sustenance, helping me recognize the necessity of poetry in my daily life and how visual art can help generate new inroads to poetic ideas and daring.

My manuscript review with Jan might be my favorite part of a retreat filled with favorite parts. Jan’s comments were encouraging, generous, and aimed at considering my goals and where I am now as a poet. I also was impressed with Jan’s talks about poetry and writing to the group, and the poems she brought for us to read and discuss, consider as models and inspiration.—Genevieve Carminati, Maryland

To apply, please email three poems along with two paragraphs that describe your poetry background, your interest in attending the retreat, and your writing goals and/or challenges. Send to Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com. This retreat is limited to 10 poets. Sign up soon!

Cost:

$600. Financial assistance available until distributed.

Proof of vaccination is required.

Admission to MASS MoCA, the Clark Art Institute, and the Williams College Museum of Art is included for the days we visit each museum.

Poets are responsible for room and board. A variety of hotels can be found at https://berkshires.org/business-directory/hotels. Discounted rooms are available until September 6 at Hotel Downstreet (across from MASS MoCA). Contact Kelsey and mention the MASS MoCA Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat for the special rate: (413) 663-6500, https://www.hoteldownstreet.com

Questions? Contact: Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com.

Sign up with your poetry pals for a rich and memorable experience.

Come solo or sign up with your poetry friends. Please share this link with your poetry world!

Poets responding to Paul Gaugin’s “Double Portrait” at the Clark Art Institute.

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MASS MoCA Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat
Jun
8
to Jun 14

MASS MoCA Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat

Join Jan Freeman for the summer MASS MoCA Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat at the MASS MoCA Artist Residency Center in the heart of the Berkshires.

Explore the many ways that painting, sculpture, and photography can open your poems and perception in this expansive and generative 6-day writing retreat. Poets and writers of all levels of experience are welcome. Through daily prompts, exercises, readings, and discussions, you will experience the many ways that art can open memories, emotion, the imagination, and help you explore new ways of expressing yourself. With morning workshops and afternoon sessions writing in the galleries of MASS MoCA and the Clark Art Institute and in your private studio.

A one-hour private consultation about your poetry, writing goals, and/or manuscript is included.. An in-depth manuscript consultation can be scheduled separately.

To apply, please email two paragraphs that describe your poetry background, your interest in attending the retreat, and your writing goals and /or challenges. Send to Jan Freeman. Registration has been extended and is still open. Sign up today!

For additional information, write to Jan Freeman.at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com.

Anselm Kiefer, The Schechina (Sefiroth).

“Jan Freeman’s Ekphrastic Poetry Residency and Workshop at MassMoCA offered a unique opportunity. We spent our days in our studios and in art galleries, inspired by the art work before us. Jan provided excellent writing prompts that opened me up to my imagination and to new discoveries. For me, the concentrated writing time gave me a chance to go deeper. I learned so much from Jan’s teaching and guidance and from connecting with other poets.”
— Faith Paulsen, Pennsylvania
“The MASS MoCA Ekphrastic Poetry Retreat exceeded my expectations and gave me sustenance, helping me recognize the necessity of poetry in my daily life and how visual art can help generate new inroads to poetic ideas and daring.

My manuscript review with Jan might be my favorite part of a retreat filled with favorite parts. Jan’s comments were encouraging, generous, and aimed at considering my goals and where I am now as a poet. I also was impressed with Jan’s talks about poetry and writing to the group, and the poems she brought for us to read and discuss, consider as models and inspiration.”
— Genivieve Carminati, Maryland

Studio space at the museum, accommodations, and cost

Included:

Private writing studio at the museum, with 24/7 access.

Private bedroom (queen-sized bed) with shared bathroom and kitchen in the MASS MoCA 2nd floor, 4-bedroom apartments across the street from the museum.

Free admission to MASS MoCA, the Clark Art Institute, and the Williams College Museum of Art throughout the week. Access to museums will depend on COVID restrictions.

Boxed lunches provided June 9–June 13.

Welcome gathering on June 8.

Free parking.

Extras:

The Berkshires in June s a haven for cultural and outdoor activities. Visit Tanglewood, Jacob’s Pillow, Shakespeare & Company, Williamstown Theatre Festival, and Barrington Stage. And enjoy the area’s extensive walking trails, gardens, and lakes.

Cost:

$1,500. Limited financial assistance is available. In the event that the pandemic necessitates that the retreat takes place online, tuition will be reduced to $800.

Questions? Contact: Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com.

Please share this link with your poetry friends!

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Writing Through Nature & Art Poetry Workshop
Feb
21
to Mar 14

Writing Through Nature & Art Poetry Workshop

Four spaces available. This 4-week poetry workshop will begin via Zoom on Monday, February 21 @ 7:00 p.m. EST. Each ninety-minute workshop will include feedback on poems; exercises to help you open your memories, imagination, and creative expression; and unique writing prompts accompanying images from art and the natural world. Themes include grief, family, childhood, home. New and experienced poets are welcome. Tuition is $240. Payment via Venmo preferred. Checks and PayPal (with additional PayPal surcharge) are accepted. Click here to sign up or to request information. Or email Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com. Sign up today! Feel free to share with your poetry friends.

Winslow Homer, West Point, Prout’s Neck

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Writing Through Nature & Art Poetry Workshop
Jan
3
to Feb 7

Writing Through Nature & Art Poetry Workshop

One space available. This 6-week poetry workshop will begin via Zoom on Monday, January 3 @ 7:00 p.m. EST. Each ninety-minute workshop will include feedback on poems and unique writing prompts accompanying images from art and the natural world intended to open your memories, imagination, and creative expression. Weekly exercises will help to heighten your awareness of perceptions and associations while you write. New and experienced poets are welcome. Tuition is $360. Payment via Venmo preferred. Checks and PayPal (with additional PayPal surcharge) are accepted. Click here to sign up and to request information, or email Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com. Sign up today! Please share with your poetry friends.

Imogen Cunningham, Magnolia Blossom

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Writing through Nature & Art Poetry Workshop
Nov
15
to Dec 20

Writing through Nature & Art Poetry Workshop

This 6-week poetry workshop will begin via Zoom on Monday, November 15 @ 7:00 p.m. EST. Each ninety-minute workshop will include feedback on poems; unique writing prompts accompanying images from art and the natural world to open your memories, imagination, and creative expression; in-class exercises to heighten your awareness of your perceptions while you write; and inspiring poems by poets from the U.S. and around the world. The workshops are 90 minutes. New and experienced poets are very welcome. Poets accepted until workshop is full. Tuition is $360. Payment via Venmo preferred. Checks and PayPal (with additional PayPal surcharge) are also accepted. Click here to sign up and to request information, or email Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com. Refunds will be available until November 10. One space still open! Sign up now.

Emily Carr. “Western Forest”

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Nov
12
to Nov 14

Writing Through Art: The MASS MoCA Poetry Retreat, With Art From Around the World

  • Google Calendar ICS

Join Jan Freeman, acclaimed poet and Paris Press founding director (1995–2018), for the sixth Writing Through Art: MASS MoCA Poetry Retreat, With Art From Around the World, November 12–November 14.

In this transformative 3-day poetry retreat, we will create drafts while exploring the ways in which art can invite new perceptions, language, memories, and emotions. The focus: to open your imagination and your senses as you write, and to express your emotional truth. Workshops will take place via Zoom, but participants can make arrangements to stay in North Adams or Williamstown to enjoy MASS MoCA and the Clark Art Institute in person. New and experienced poets are welcome!

Louise Bourgeois, “The Couple”

Unique prompts and writing exercises will help you shed self-consciousness and find powerful new ways of expressing yourself. 90-minute workshops in the mornings and late afternoons will introduce you to artwork from MASS MoCA, the Clark Art Institute, and museums and galleries from around the world.

Each poet will receive a private 60-minute conference to discuss your poems, creative goals, or a manuscript in progress.

The retreat begins on Friday November 12 at 10:30 a.m.. EST. Each day, workshops will take place from 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and from 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Enrollment is open until the retreat is full. Maximum number of students: 8.

Click here to contact Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com for additional information and to sign up!

Please note: Though the November workshops will take place via Zoom., retreat participants are welcome to independently make reservations at hotels or Airbnb’s in the Williamstown/North Adams area so that you can spend time at MASS MoCA and the Clark Art Institute while enjoying the experience of late fall in the Berkshires. https://massmoca.org/visit/stay/ https://destinationwilliamstown.org/

“I deeply appreciate Jan’s feedback and the work of the retreat. The structure was fantastic. I felt energized by every writing session. Her framework is so inspiring. Our consultation really helped me begin to find my poetic voice. I can now name part of what eluded me about my writing, which was the element I didn’t quite understand and finally can own.”
— Amy Horowitz, Massachusetts
“The MASS MoCA Ekphrastic Poetry Retreat exceeded my expectations and gave me sustenance that I wasn’t fully aware I needed. The retreat helped me to recognize the necessity of poetry in my daily life and how visual art can help generate new inroads to poetic ideas and daring.

My personal manuscript review with Jan might be my favorite part of a workshop filled with favorite parts for me. Jan gave my manuscript careful attention, and her comments were detailed, encouraging, and generous, and aimed at considering my goals and where I am now as an artist. I also was impressed by Jan’s talks about poetry and poetry writing to the group, and the poems she brought for us to read and discuss, consider as models and inspiration….”
— Genevieve Carminati, Maryland
“Jan Freeman’s Ekphrastic Poetry Residency and Workshop at MassMoCA offered a unique opportunity. Jan provided excellent (optional) writing prompts that opened me up to my imagination and to new discoveries. For me, the concentrated writing time gave me a chance to go deeper. I learned so much from Jan’s teaching and guidance and from connecting with other poets.”
— Faith Paulsen, Pennsylvania

Application

Please email a brief paragraph to Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com, describing your interest in the Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat, and your poetry background. All levels of experience are welcome.

Tuition

$450. Payment via Venmo or PayPal . Checks can be sent to Jan Freeman, Writing Through Art, P.O. Box 487, Ashfield, MA 01330. One $200 discount is offered to a poet who expresses need for financial assistance.

To reserve your space, contact Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com. A maximum of 8 poets will be accepted.

Please share this link with your poetry friends!

View Event →
Writing through Nature & Art Poetry Workshop
Sep
20
to Oct 25

Writing through Nature & Art Poetry Workshop

This 6-week poetry workshop will begin via Zoom on Monday, September 13@ 7:00 p.m. EST. Each workshop will include feedback on poems; unique writing prompts accompanying images from art and the natural world to open your memories, imagination, and creative expression; in-class exercises to heighten your awareness of your perceptions while you write; and inspiring poems by poets from the U.S. and around the world. The workshops are 90 minutes. New and experienced poets are very welcome. Poets accepted until workshop is full. Tuition is $360. Payment via Venmo preferred. Checks and PayPal (with additional PayPal surcharge) are also accepted. Click here to sign up and to request information, or email Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com. Refunds will be available until September 8.

Emily Carr. “Western Forest”

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Writing through Nature & Art Poetry Workshop
Jul
12
to Aug 16

Writing through Nature & Art Poetry Workshop

This 6-week poetry workshop will begin via Zoom on Monday, July 12 @ 5:30 p.m. EST. Each workshop will include constructive feedback on poems; unique writing prompts accompanying images from art and the natural world to open your imagination and creative expression; in-class exercises to heighten your awareness of your senses and your perceptions while you write; and inspiring poems by poets from the U.S. and around the world. The workshops are 90 minutes. New and experienced poets are very welcome. Tuition is $360 (due by July 7). Payment via Venmo preferred. PayPal or checks are also accepted. Click here to sign up and to request additional information, or email Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com. Refunds will only be available for 2 days after payment is received.

Emily Carr. “Western Forest”

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Jun
9
to Jun 15

Writing Through Art: The MASS MoCA Poetry Retreat, with art from around the world

Join Jan Freeman, acclaimed poet and Paris Press founding director (1995–2018), for the fifth Writing Through Art: MASS MoCA Poetry Retreat, with art from around the world, June 9 – 15.

In this transformative 6-day poetry retreat, we will experiment, play, and create dozens of drafts while exploring the ways in which art can create a portal, inviting new perceptions, memories, and emotions. The focus of the retreat is on opening our imaginations and sharpening all of our senses as we write. Workshops will take place via Zoom, but participants can make arrangements to stay in North Adams or Williamstown to enjoy MASS MoCA and the Clark Art Institute in person. New and experienced poets are welcome!

Louise Bourgeois, “The Couple”

Louise Bourgeois, “The Couple”

Unique prompts and writing exercises will help you shed self-consciousness and find powerful new ways of expressing yourself. 90-minute workshops in the mornings and late afternoons will introduce you to artwork from MASS MoCA, the Clark Art Institute, and museums and galleries from around the world.

Each poet will receive a private 60-minute conference to discuss your poems, creative goals, or a manuscript in progress.

The retreat begins with a welcome gathering and introduction on Wednesday, June 9, at 7:00 p.m. EST. Workshop schedule: 10: 00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Enrollment is open until the retreat is full. Maximum number of students: 8.

Click here to contact Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com for additional information and to sign up!

Please note: Though the June workshops will take place via Zoom., retreat participants are welcome to independently make reservations at hotels or Airbnb’s in the Williamstown/North Adams area so that you can spend time at MASS MoCA and the Clark Art Institute while enjoying the experience of glorious June in the Berkshires. https://massmoca.org/visit/stay/ https://destinationwilliamstown.org/

“I deeply appreciate Jan’s feedback and the work of the retreat. The structure was fantastic. I felt energized by every writing session. Her framework is so inspiring. Our consultation really helped me begin to find my poetic voice. I can now name part of what eluded me about my writing, which was the element I didn’t quite understand and finally can own.”
— Amy Horowitz, Massachusetts
“The MASS MoCA Ekphrastic Poetry Retreat exceeded my expectations and gave me sustenance that I wasn’t fully aware I needed. The retreat helped me to recognize the necessity of poetry in my daily life and how visual art can help generate new inroads to poetic ideas and daring.

My personal manuscript review with Jan might be my favorite part of a workshop filled with favorite parts for me. Jan gave my manuscript careful attention, and her comments were detailed, encouraging, and generous, and aimed at considering my goals and where I am now as an artist. I also was impressed by Jan’s talks about poetry and poetry writing to the group, and the poems she brought for us to read and discuss, consider as models and inspiration….”
— Genevieve Carminati, Maryland
“Jan Freeman’s Ekphrastic Poetry Residency and Workshop at MassMoCA offered a unique opportunity. Jan provided excellent (optional) writing prompts that opened me up to my imagination and to new discoveries. For me, the concentrated writing time gave me a chance to go deeper. I learned so much from Jan’s teaching and guidance and from connecting with other poets.”
— Faith Paulsen, Pennsylvania

Application

Please email a brief paragraph to Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com, describing your interest in the Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat, and your poetry background. All levels of experience are very welcome!

Tuition

$800. Payment via Venmo or PayPal preferred. Or checks can be sent to Jan Freeman, Writing Through Art, P.O. Box 487, Ashfield, MA 01330. One $200 discount is offered to a poet who expresses the need for financial assistance.

To reserve your space, contact Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com. A maximum of 8 poets will be accepted.

Please share this link with your poetry friends!

View Event →
Writing through Nature & Art Poetry Workshop
Apr
12
to May 17

Writing through Nature & Art Poetry Workshop

This 6-week poetry workshop will begin via Zoom on Monday, April 12 @ 7:00 p.m. EST. Each workshop will include constructive feedback on poems; unique writing prompts accompanying images from art and the natural world to open your imagination and creative expression; in-class exercises to heighten your senses and awareness of your perceptions while you write; and inspiring poems by poets from the U.S. and around the world. The workshops are 90 minutes. New and experienced poets are very welcome. Tuition is $360 (due by April 10). Payment via Venmo preferred. PayPal or checks accepted. Click here to sign up and to request additional information, or email Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com. Two spaces left!

Emily Carr. “Western Forest”

Emily Carr. “Western Forest”

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Writing through Nature & Art Poetry Workshop
Feb
15
to Mar 22

Writing through Nature & Art Poetry Workshop

This 6-week poetry workshop will begin via Zoom on Monday, February 15 @ 7:00 p.m. EST. Each workshop will include constructive feedback on poems; writing prompts accompanying images from art and the natural world to open your imagination and creative expression; in-class exercises to heighten your senses and awareness of your perceptions while you write; and inspiring poems by poets from the U.S. and around the world. The workshops in this 6-week session are 90 minutes. New and experienced poets are very welcome. Tuition is $360 (due by February 10). Payment via Venmo preferred. PayPal or checks accepted. Click here to sign up and to request additional information, or email Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com. One space left!

Janet Echelman, 1.8 Renwick
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Jan
14
to Jan 17

Writing Through Art: The MASS MoCA Poetry Retreat, with art from around the world

Join Jan Freeman, acclaimed poet and Paris Press founding director (1995–2018), for the fourth Writing Though Art: MASS MoCA Poetry Retreat, with art from around the world.

In this 3-day poetry retreat, you will explore the ways in which paintings, sculptures, and installations can open a portal, inviting new perceptions, memories, and emotions as you experiment, play, and create drafts. The focus of the retreat is on the process of writing and opening the imagination. New and experienced poets are welcome!

Ledelle Moe

Ledelle Moe

Unique prompts and writing exercises will help you shed self-consciousness and open your senses, fueling your imagination and your creative expression. Daily morning and late-afternoon 90-minute workshops will introduce you to artwork from MASS MoCA, the Clark Art Institute, and museums and galleries from around the world.

Each poet will receive a private 60-minute conference to discuss your poems and creative goals.

The retreat begins with a welcome gathering and introduction on Thursday, January 14 at 7:00 p.m. EST. Workshop schedule: 10: 00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. each morning and 3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m each afternoon.

Enrollment is accepted until the retreat is full.

Click here to contact Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com for additional information and to sign up!

Please note: The January retreat will take place via Zoom. We will resume in-person retreats at MASS MoCA as soon as it is safe to do so!

“I deeply appreciate Jan’s feedback and the work of the retreat. The structure was fantastic. I felt energized by every writing session. Her framework is so inspiring. Our consultation really helped me begin to find my poetic voice. I can now name part of what eluded me about my writing, which was the element I didn’t quite understand and finally can own.”
— Amy Horowitz, Massachusetts
“The MASS MoCA Ekphrastic Poetry Retreat exceeded my expectations and gave me sustenance that I wasn’t fully aware I needed. The retreat helped me to recognize the necessity of poetry in my daily life and how visual art can help generate new inroads to poetic ideas and daring.

My personal manuscript review with Jan might be my favorite part of a workshop filled with favorite parts for me. Jan gave my manuscript careful attention, and her comments were detailed, encouraging, and generous, and aimed at considering my goals and where I am now as an artist. I also was impressed by Jan’s talks about poetry and poetry writing to the group, and the poems she brought for us to read and discuss, consider as models and inspiration….”
— Genevieve Carminati, Maryland
“Jan Freeman’s Ekphrastic Poetry Residency and Workshop at MassMoCA offered a unique opportunity. Jan provided excellent (optional) writing prompts that opened me up to my imagination and to new discoveries. For me, the concentrated writing time gave me a chance to go deeper. I learned so much from Jan’s teaching and guidance and from connecting with other poets.
— Faith Paulsen, PA”
— Faith Paulsen, Pennsylvania

Application

Please email a brief paragraph to Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com, describing your interest in the Writing Through Art poetry retreat, and your poetry background. All levels of experience are very welcome!

Tuition

$450. Payment via Venmo or PayPal preferred. Or checks can be sent to Jan Freeman, Writing Through Art, P.O. Box 487, Ashfield, MA 01330.

To reserve your space, contact Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com. A maximum of 8 poets will be accepted.

Please share this link with your poetry friends!

View Event →
Writing Through Nature & Art Poetry Workshop
Dec
21
to Jan 25

Writing Through Nature & Art Poetry Workshop

This 6-week poetry workshop begins via Zoom on Monday, December 21 at 7:00 p.m. EST. Each workshop will include unique prompts and images from art and nature to open your imagination and creativity; in-class exercises to heighten your senses while you write; feedback on poems; and inspiring work by poets from the U.S. and around the world. Workshops are 90 minutes. New and experienced poets are welcome. Tuition is $360 (due by December 20). Payment via Venmo or PayPal preferred. To sign up and for additional information, please email Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com.

Ansel Adams,


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Oct
26
to Nov 30

Writing Through Nature & Art Poetry Workshop

This 6-week poetry workshop will begin via Zoom on Monday, October 26 @ 7:00 p.m. EST. Each workshop will include constructive feedback on your poems, generative prompts from art and the natural world to open your imagination and creative expression, and affirming and inspiring poems by acclaimed poets from the U.S. and around the world. The workshops in this 6-week session are 90 minutes. Tuition is $360 (due by October 25). Payment via Venmo or PayPal preferred. For additional information and to sign up now, please email Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com

Ledelle Moe, “Remain” (MASS MoCA)

Ledelle Moe, “Remain” (MASS MoCA)

View Event →
Oct
7
to Oct 13

Writing Through Art: The MASS MoCA Poetry Retreat

Join Jan Freeman, acclaimed poet and Paris Press founding director (1995–2018), for the Autumn Writing Through Art: The MASS MoCA Poetry Retreat.

Due to the pandemic, the October retreat will take place via Zoom. Tuition has been reduced to reflect the online venue. We will resume retreats at MASS MoCA as soon as it is safe to do so!

In this 6-day poetry retreat, you will explore the ways in which art can open your perceptions and emotions as you write. Through unique daily prompts and exercises, you will experience the expansive effects that paintings, sculpture, and installations can provide, feeding your imagination and creative expression. Morning and late afternoon workshops will introduce you to artwork on exhibit at MASS MoCA and the Clark Art Institute. New and experienced poets are welcome.

Each poet will receive a private 60-minute conference, focusing on your poems, creative goals, and/or your manuscript.

Deadline to enroll: As soon as retreat is full.

Contact Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com for additional information and to sign up!

“The MASS MoCA Writing through Art Poetry Retreat exceeded my expectations and gave me sustenance that I wasn’t fully aware I needed. The retreat helped me to recognize the necessity of poetry in my daily life and how visual art can help generate new inroads to poetic ideas and daring.

“My personal manuscript review with Jan might be my favorite part of a workshop filled with favorite parts for me. Jan gave my manuscript careful attention, and her comments were detailed, encouraging, and generous, and aimed at considering my goals and where I am now as an artist. I also was impressed by Jan’s talks about poetry and poetry writing to the group, and the poems she brought for us to read and discuss, consider as models and inspiration….”
— Genivieve Carminati, MD
“I deeply appreciate Jan’s feedback and the work of the retreat. The structure was fantastic. I felt energized by every writing session. Her framework is so inspiring. Our consultation really helped me begin to find my poetic voice. I can now name part of what eluded me about my writing, which was the element I didn’t quite understand and finally can own.”
— Amy Horowitz, MA
“Jan Freeman’s Writing through Art Poetry Residency and Workshop at MASS MoCA offered a unique opportunity. Jan provided excellent (optional) writing prompts that opened me up to my imagination and to new discoveries. For me, the concentrated writing time gave me a chance to go deeper. I learned so much from Jan’s teaching and guidance and from connecting with other poets.”
— Faith Paulsen, PA

Application

Please email Jan Freeman a brief paragraph about your poetry background. All levels of experience are welcome!

Tuition

$800. Tuition has been substantially reduced to reflect the online venue.

To reserve your space, contact: Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com. A maximum of 8 poets will be accepted.

Please share this link with your poetry friends!

View Event →
Sep
16
7:00 PM19:00

“Tell It Slant” Through Dickinson’s Art, Artifacts, & Home: A Writing Workshop

As part of the annual Tell It Slant Poetry Festival sponsored by the Emily Dickinson Museum, this workshop offers poems by Dickinson and other poets, which use art, music, and literature as springboards to express emotions, memories, observations. Participants will engage in exercises that heighten awareness of their associations with color, emotions, and place to strengthen their use of metaphor to “tell it slant.” Experienced and inexperienced poets will open their imaginations and express their truths sideways just as Dickinson did, responding to paintings, artifacts in the Emily Dickinson Museum’s collection (the poet’s desk, Gib’s jacket, the cradle, the clock, Dickinson’s white dress), and photos of architectural features in the Homestead and The Evergreens. Prompts will be provided and participants will share their drafts. Recommended for writers age 17+.

Space for this program is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. THIS PROGRAM HAS FILLED. Click here to add your name to the waiting list.

For more information about the Tell It Slant Poetry Festival, click here.

A view into the Emily Dickinson Museum

A view into the Emily Dickinson Museum

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Aug
12
to Aug 18

MASS MoCA Ekphrastic Poetry Retreat: Writing Through Art

Join Jan Freeman, acclaimed poet and Paris Press founding director (1995–2018), for the summer MASS MoCA Ekphrastic Poetry Retreat at the Studios @ MASS MoCA Artist Residency Center in the heart of the Berkshires.

Due to COVID and adherence to social distancing, 3 participants will attend in person and 5 participants will attend via Zoom. All discussions, workshops, exercises, and readings will take place via Zoom. If MASS MoCA must close in August, the retreat will take place entirely via Zoom. Tuition for Zoom participants will be substantially reduced to reflect the online venue.

Explore the many ways that visual art can open your poems and perception in this expansive 6-day writing retreat. Through daily prompts, discussions, exercises, and readings, you will experience how paintings, prints, sculpture, and installations can provide access to memories, emotion, and the imagination. With morning workshops, visits to exhibits (online and in person), and afternoon writing time in your private studio and in the galleries of MASS MoCA and the Clark Art Institute. New and experienced poets are welcome.

Each participant receives a private 60-minute manuscript consultation or a conference focusing on 6 poems of your choice. A more in-depth manuscript consultation is available for an additional fee.

The Summer Ekphrastic Poetry Retreat presently has 3 openings for Zoom attendence. If you would like to be put on a waiting list, please contact Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com.

Contact Jan Freeman for additional information and to sign up!

“Jan Freeman’s Ekphrastic Poetry Residency and Workshop at MassMoCA offered a unique opportunity. We spent our days in our studios and in art galleries, inspired by the art work before us. Jan provided excellent (optional) writing prompts that opened me up to my imagination and to new discoveries. For me, the concentrated writing time gave me a chance to go deeper. I learned so much from Jan’s teaching and guidance and from connecting with other poets.”
— Faith Paulsen
“The MASS MoCA Ekphrastic Poetry Retreat exceeded my expectations and gave me sustenance that I wasn’t fully aware I needed. The retreat helped me to recognize the necessity of poetry in my daily life and how visual art can help generate new inroads to poetic ideas and daring.

“My personal manuscript review with Jan might be my favorite part of a workshop filled with favorite parts for me. Jan gave my manuscript careful attention, and her comments were detailed, encouraging, and generous, and aimed at considering my goals and where I am now as an artist. I also was impressed by Jan’s talks about poetry and poetry writing to the group, and the poems she brought for us to read and discuss, consider as models and inspiration….”
— Genivieve Carminati

Studio space at the museum, accommodations, and cost

Included:

Private writing studio at the museum, with 24/7 access.

Private bedroom (queen-sized bed) with bathroom and kitchen in the MASS MoCA 2nd floor, 4-bedroom apartments across the street from the museum.

Free admission to MASS MoCA, the Clark Art Institute, and the Williams College Museum of Art throughout the week. Access to museums will depend on COVID restrictions.

Welcome Zoom cocktail party on August 12.

Free parking.

Extras:

The Berkshires in August is a haven for outdoor activities. Due to COVID, activities at Tanglewood, Jacob’s Pillow, Shakespeare & Company, Williamstown Theatre Festival, and Barrington Stage are canceled this summer.

Cost:

$1,500. Limited financial assistance is available. Zoom tuition is $800.

To reserve your space, contact: Jan Freeman at janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com.

Please share this link with your poetry friends!

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Oct
23
to Oct 29

MASS MoCA Poetry Retreat

  • Google Calendar ICS

Join Jan Freeman, poet and founding director of Paris Press (1995–2018), for the MASS MoCA Ekphrastic Poetry Retreat at the Studios at MASS MoCA Artist Residency Center in the heart of the Berkshires.

Enroll now through July 7, 2019.

Contact janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com to sign up or ask questions.

Create new poems and work on your manuscript surrounded by art and the beauty of autumn foliage in the Berkshires

Write and revise poems, enjoy daily writing prompts, discussions, readings, and workshops. Explore the many ways that you can use visual art and metaphor to express love, fear, anger, grief, joy, and a multitude of experiences in your poems.

Paintings and sculptures, along with metaphors that arise from the natural landscape, can feed our imaginations and help us access emotions, memories, and language with immediacy and surprise. Join this intimate, eight-person workshop to write and revise poems as you explore the visual feasts of MASS MoCA, the Clark Institute, and the Williams College Museum of Art. New and experienced poets are welcome.

Each participant will receive a private 60-minute manuscript consultation or a conference focusing on 6 poems of your choice. In-depth manuscript consultations will be available for an additional fee.

Studio space at the museum, accommodations, and cost

Included:
Private writing studio at the museum, with 24/7 access.

Private bedroom (queen-sized bed) with shared bathroom and kitchen in two four-bedroom apartments across the street from MASS MoCA.

Free admission to MASS MoCA, the Clark Art Institute, and the Williams College Museum of Art throughout the week.

Welcome dinner on Oct. 23.

Lunches at MASS MoCA’s eatery Lickety Split, Oct. 24 – Oct. 28.

Free parking

Cost:
$1,500. Limited financial assistance is available on a first come, first serve basis.

To reserve your space and to request additional information, contact: janfreemanpoetry@gmail.com.

Please share this link with your poetry friends!

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