Aims of the Creative Writing Workshop:

This workshop utilizes Creative Writing to foster creativity as well as creative thinking, and to apply practices of constructive criticism in group feedback as participants share their written responses to observations of representational / figurative artworks. We are not only looking at artworks from the outside, but also considering what it would mean to look at an artwork from the inside. The discussion will focus on the points-of-view of characters in an artwork, fostering empathy for different characters as we consider “What are they feeling?” and “How are they living that moment?” 

Notes:

• The workshop is designed to take place in an art museum, but could also be conducted using prints or projections of artworks.
• Due to the focus on empathizing with characters, exploring viewpoint and narrative, this particular activity works best with representational images that includes figures such as people, animals, and other such characters rather than other types imagery such as landscapes or abstract art.

 Learning Outcomes:

• This activity allows the participants to reflect on their observations, rather than passively viewing artwork, they use these artworks as the springboard to launch their own creative responses.
• This workshop helps students gain skills in creativity and creative thinking, and the facilitated group discussions during the course of the workshop help students gain skills in communication.
• Through this activity, students are encouraged to not just be satisfied with a pre-established narrative, but to dig deeper and to empathize with characters, imagining how it might be to see the world from the perspective of another.