Writing the Visual: An Ekphrastic Poetry & Mixed-Media Workshop with Blair Hobbs

OLLI Presents
Writing the Visual: An Ekphrastic Poetry & Mixed-Media Workshop
A Weeklong Residency with Guest Instructor Blair Hobbs
Senior Lecturer in English, University of Mississippi

Explore the relationship between the visual and the verbal in this immersive creative workshop focused on nature poetry—poetry inspired by flora and fauna. We will read poems by Ada Limon, the 24^th Poet Laureat of the United States, and discuss her metrical patterns and thematic ideas as models for our own poems.

While the original plan included a visit to the Jule Collins Smith Museum’s study room, we are currently finalizing alternate sources of visual inspiration—such as the Donald E. Davis Arboretum or another local venue—that will provide an afternoon of connecting a personal narrative to a natural object or animal.

Throughout the week, students will refine their writing through group discussion, writing prompts, and instructor feedback. Then, using canvas and mixed-media supplies, they will bring their poems to life as expressive works of art—illuminated through texture, color, and design.

This workshop, co-sponsored by the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities in the College of Liberal Arts, is ideal for writers, artists, and curious creatives of all skill levels. No prior experience in poetry or visual art is required—just a willingness to experiment and have fun!

Workshop Details
Dates:
• Option 1: July 28 – August 1
• Option 2: August 4 – 8

Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Location: Sunny Slope Annex
Cost: $125 per person (due at registration)

Materials to Bring
• A notebook or journal
• Canvas – any size; splined canvas preferred for ease of framing
• Any personal collage materials you’d like to use or contribute—“fancy trash” is welcome!
Think fabric scraps, decorative tape, sequins, doilies, ribbons, or anything else that might inspire your creativity.
We’ll have a class “buffet” of collage materials to share.

OLLI will provide paints, brushes, glue, pencils, drawing pens, and additional mixed-media supplies to support your creative process.

About the Instructor
Blair Hobbs is a writer, visual artist, and Senior Lecturer Emerita in English at the University of Mississippi, where she has taught literature and creative writing since 1996. Her poetry has appeared in various magazines and journals, and she is represented by:
• Spalding Nix Fine Art, Atlanta, Georgia
• Southside Art Gallery, Oxford, Mississippi
• Fischer Gallery, Jackson, Mississippi

Her teaching guides ways to link written and visual narratives.
Learn more at: www.blairhobbs.com
Paris Review feature: https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2025/03/25/happy-hundredth-birthday-flannery-oconnor/

Fee Breakdown