Wordsmiths and spiritualists alike are invited to attend the poetry workshop: Illumination and the Literary Imagination, presented by Urban Grace and the Tacoma Art Museum Thursday, July 24.

This writing workshop takes place at the Tacoma Art Museum and is free of charge. The only cost to participants is admission to the museum, which will be discounted 10 percent for workshop members. Writing materials will be provided.



Writers attending the workshop will examine the museum’s visiting exhibit of the Saint John’s Bible (www.saintjohnsbible.org), a contemporary work created in the tradition of handwritten medieval manuscripts. It is the first handwritten Bible commissioned in over 500 years.

William Kupinse, Urban Grace’s Poet Laureate of Tacoma for 2008-09 and Associate Professor of English at the University of Puget Sound, will facilitate the poetry workshop. Kupinse will start writers off with an “ekphrastic” exercise — the tradition of writing that responds to visual art. Participants will view the Saint John’s Bible exhibit then respond to it through their poetry. The workshop includes a lecture by Father Eric Hollas about the Saint John’s Bible and concludes with a poetry reading by workshop participants. “I’m excited about the opportunity to write ekphrastic poetry inclusive of such a rich text,” says Kupinse.



To register for the poetry workshop, contact Becky Stephens at bstephens@urbangracetacoma.org.



[Tacoma Art Museum, Thursday, July 24, 5-8 p.m., free with admission, 1701 Pacific Ave., Tacoma,]