Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Ekphrasis

Next Reading:
The Red Shoes by Hans Christian Andersen

Some Ovid.

Also, here is some of Eric's video work
influenced by this piece of art.

Please read this poem by Charles Bukowski



I thought that we had a very interesting conversation about how ekphrasis operated though the Ovid to the Bruegel and then to both Auden and Williams. I wanted to point out that though the Auden poem (1938) came before the Williams (1960), and it would be highly unlikely that Williams was not aware of the Auden, it does not follow that they moved progressively. By this I mean that Williams was not working off of the Auden as much as he was, like Auden, coming at the painting with his own approach. This might help address the concern that a diminishment or a washing-away is taking place as was mentioned in class. Also, important to consider is that each act of art progressing from art to art functions very differently. I am including this article and particularly the table referred to as Figure 1 might help clarify the variety of ways that poems are written following a piece of art. The variations continue to multiply as we might add the second or third "ripple' from the stone thrown as the original artwork, but beyond those variations, there are the detours made when more than on poet or artist is responding to a piece and to those pieces and so on.

The possibilities become truly endless and the methods, not the least of which is the issue of whether a piece becomes more present in the subsequent artworks or washes away and leaves something nearly unrecognizable varies widely.

Just for fun here are some other examples of Bruegel's painting.

Edward Field Icarus
Diane Abse Bruegel in Naples
Michael Hamburger's Lines on Icarus and Ronald Bottrall's Icarus

Finally, if something seems missing in the treatment of a piece or you can see another way to do it, therein lies your idea/your poem. For example, Kelly's wish for there to be "more and not less" as the imitations continued (putting the tomatoes, mushrooms and more back into the "egg" analogy that she described in class) then there might be the poem she would write: the one that goes at the material as she wishes to see it approached. With all of these works and all of these approaches, it is my hope that you'll see gaps or find inspiration in how you would do it instead.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Advanced Creative Writing

A few notes:

1. Absences. My general course policy is up to two, you will not be docked, but after two, you can be asked to drop the course. In our case, missing even one class is a large percentage of the class-entire. You have one free absence that, if you hope to do very well in the class, you will not use at all. (It is once a week, after all.) Please make any arrangements needed to try to be there every single class, if at all possible.

2. Collaborations. In a day or two, I will announce "teams" for this and I will assign those teams a subject. We will do our first collaborative project in class and you may others as homework. (These are independent of your large projects and will be just for in class "advanced writing" practice.)

3. "The Mikes" will be providing me with your first workshop pieces. Their work is around fifty pages long, so get started early and take care and time with it. Additionally, Alejandro has around forty pages for us to examine and I would like to have these all be part of our first round. For others of you, smaller pieces are welcome--don't feel you have to match these page numbers if your project is shorter, not as far along, etc.
(As for Mikes A. and Alejandro, feel free to email me what you would like workshopped, as soon as you can.)

Monday, January 23, 2012

Chinese New Year

Advanced Creative Writing

Syllabus
2012 Spring Term Full Session
LA424/Lecture/01 - Advanced Creative Writing Workshop | Credits 3.00
In the Advanced Creative Writing Workshop, students will create written works in one genre-nonfiction, fiction, or poetry- but have the option of exploring all three including cross-disciplinary forms. Writers will hone their writing through a deeper understanding and use of traditional and experimental poetic, narrative, and essayistic forms, and be encouraged to undertake long-form works and artistic risks. Students will also examine the contemporary literature landscape with an eye toward publishing.

Instructors Ariana-Sophia Kartsonis
Contact information: skartsonis@ccad.edu
Duration 1/17/2012 - 5/11/2012
Schedule M 12:30 PM - 3:20 PM; Columbus College of, Kinney Hall, Room 207
Prerequisites ( LA190 / Lecture or LA190 / e-Learning ) and ( LA422 / Lecture or LA490A / Lecture or LA490B / Lecture )
Corequisites N/A
Credit Types Audit Credit HECC Credit NonCredit Transfer Credit
Required Texts:
Rhyme's Reason, John Hollander

Making Shapely Fiction, Jerome Stern

Additional suggested texts: (Not required, but useful now and later.)
Creating Poetry
Poetry Dictionary, both by John Drury

Extreme Fiction ed. by Michael Martone


M January 23
Introduction
In-class write-up involving your projects, personal goals, genres of interest.
Discussion
Read the following poem and discuss what narrative techniques it employs, how it is or is not a "poem" and how it would differ if the poet chose to tell the same story in prose form. Consider the decisions made within any genre and within that genre, all of the other choices (voice, point-of-view, form, typographical layout). How do these influence the way a piece is being read?
Sonnets Uncorseted, Maxine Kumin

Homework: Read the following essay and be prepared to discuss the concept of the literary tourist. Also, for a scene or poem, designate a character or an event to in some way, display "literary tourism." Bring in one copy ready to discuss how you went about this.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Course Policies for All Kartsonis Spring 2012 Classes

Required and Recommended Text(s):
See particular class syllabus

Schedule of Classes (including key events including assignments, projects due dates/exam dates):
(See Attached)
Methods/weights of Evaluation (this is a list of items that will be used as the basis for calculating students’ grades in the course, i.e., presentations, quizzes, projects, assignments 70%,
attendance &class participation 30%):

Course Grading Policies (this is a list of policies regarding due dates, late submissions, standards and expectation regarding work, etc.):
Due dates are crucial, particularly for those assignments that involve class-wide presentation or discussion. Late work will not be welcome and if an assignment is not turned in for a student’s upcoming or workshop or a presentation is not ready, there is no way to make that up to the whole class. For this reason, those assignments must come in on time, students must be present for their own workshops and as they are given two free absences, it is expected that students save those for such occasions and to keep the instructor informed (at least eight hours before class is to begin, where possible) that there has been an issue or emergency. After three absences, the instructor reserves the right to request the student consider dropping the course. All work unless otherwise noted is to be typed, proofread and turned in as a final, to-be-graded, copy.
CCAD Academic Policies:
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
(see the Student Handbook for complete policy information) Academic dishonesty may assume several forms. The most common are the use of unauthorized materials during exams, acquiring information from other students during an exam, and plagiarism. Plagiarism is defined by the following actions:
• Reproducing another person’s work and submitting it as one’s own
• Lifting material from other sources, including the Internet, to use in assignments without acknowledgment
• Using another person’s original ideas without providing appropriate credit
• Misrepresenting oneself as another individual to an instructor in the context of completing assignments or tests
• Participating in co-construction of assignments without the knowledge and approval of the instructor (not to be confused with legitimate and appropriate tutoring activities, which do not include actually completing another person’s work for him/her)
In all cases, if a student is unsure about a question of plagiarism or academic misconduct, the instructor should be consulted. Please consult the appropriate section under “Disciplinary Procedures” to learn about specific procedures involved in academic misconduct cases.
DISABILITY SUPPORT SERVICES
(see the Student Handbook for complete policy information) ADA STATEMENT If you have a documented cognitive, physical, or psychological disability, which includes learning disabilities (LD), attention deficit disorder (ADD), depression, anxiety, or mobility, as described by Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it is recommended that you contact Disability Services at 614-222-3292. They will assist you in arranging appropriate accommodations with the instructor.
ATTENDANCE POLICY
(see the Student Handbook for complete policy information) Students are required to attend all classes on their schedule. Students may receive a failing grade if they have three or more absences in courses meeting once a week or four or more absences in courses meeting twice a week. For Summer Semester, the number of absences is computed on the basis of the total number of class hours missed (nine or more hours for studio courses and six or more hours for other courses). For May Minimester or summer sessions, missing 15% or more of a class constitutes an automatic failure. Students are reminded that they will receive a failing grade if they stop attending a course without properly dropping it. Dropping courses is the responsibility of the student.
REQUESTING AN INCOMPLETE
(see the Student Handbook for complete policy information) A grade of incomplete (I) is given only in cases involving serious illness or unforeseen emergencies. In case of illness, a written verification may be required from the attending physician. The student should see the director of advising to process the proper medical documentation.
STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT
(see the Student Handbook for complete policy information) The college expects students to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the high ideals and standards that CCAD has set for its community and its students. Students who violate college policies, cause harm to others, commit criminal acts, or engage in disruptive behavior on or off campus premises may be subject to disciplinary sanctions by the institution.

One for All

Check out Sylvia Plath by Ryan Adams for some art on art action, some contemporary literature reference and yes, advanced creative writing, both Plath and Adams are fine examples of good words.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Ekphrasis Class

HNLA101/Lecture/03
Art Begets Art: Ekphrasis
Instructor: Sophia Kartsonis
Time:TR 11:00 am - 12:20 pm Columbus College of/Design Studios on Broad/210
Required Texts:
Poets on Painters,ed. J.D. McClatchey
Dimestore Alchemy, Joseph Cornell
Inflorescence by Sara Hannah


Not required but you might enjoy: By Nightfall by Michael Cunningham. It deals with art, and some of the literary allusions will be familiar after some of our studies.
Also, the very pricey but intriguing: The Gazer's Spirit by John Hollander

The following will be part of our discussion tomorrow and some of your weekend homework. You need not have read it before class as I posted it very late.
Much of what we will be focusing on is how much we need to be able to "see" the piece rendered in language.
Torso of Apollo
Archaic Torso of Apollo
Shield of Achilles
The Shield of Achilles
More about the original piece of art
Stealing the Scream
Landscape with the Fall of Icarus
Musee de Beaux Arts
Essay: Ekphrasis or Not?