UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. —The Pennsylvania Center for the Book and 3 Dots Downtown are hosting a reading in the spirit of "Words of Art"—an online collection of audio poems in response to artwork — or ekphrastic poetry — by Nicole Miyashiro and sponsored by the Center that shares the creation process of each poem to encourage self-led engagement with the visual arts.
The Words of Art/Ekphrastic Poetry Reading will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 7, at 3 Dots Downtown, 137 East Beaver Ave in State College. This event is free and open to the public.
As part of the Words of Art/Ekphrastic Poetry Reading, each poet will share the origin concepts, investigations, and experiences that influenced their ekphrastic work. Featured poets include:
- Julia Kasdorf, Penn State English Department
- Marjorie Maddox, Lock Haven University
- Nicole Miyashiro, Pennsylvania Center for the Book
- Lee Peterson, Penn State English Department
- Mary Rohrer-Dann, Penn State English Department, retired
- Camille-Yvette Welsch, Penn State English Department
3 Dots Downtown, led by managing director Harvey Weidman and innovation director Spud Marshall, is a community space in the heart of State College that “supports artistic and innovative experiences” and features live music performances, art gallery shows, popup restaurants, improv groups and more.
The Pennsylvania Center for the Book, sponsored by Barbara I. Dewey, dean of University Libraries and Scholarly Communications, and Penn State University Libraries, is an affiliate of the Center for the Book at the Library of Congress. It encourages Pennsylvania’s citizens and residents to study, honor, celebrate and promote books, reading, libraries and literacy.
In addition to Words of Art, the Pennsylvania Center for the Book also administers the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, the Lynd Ward Graphic Novel Prize, the Public Poetry Project, Letters About Literature, A Baker’s Dozen: The Best Children’s Books for Family Literacy, Poems from Life, and the interactive Literary & Cultural Heritage Map of Pennsylvania.
For more information about the Words of Art/Ekphrastic Poetry Reading, please contact Nicole Miyashiro, editor at nmm16@psu.edu.