Mothers Who Write- Free Workshop

Join us for a free introductory workshop

Mothers Who Write

Teacher: Leigh Rastivo

Based on the larger course, this workshop is intended to jump-start mothers who want to chronicle their experiences in a journal, or as a story.

We’ll use journaling prompts, writing exercises, and the stories of other women as springboards to begin exploring the “true nature of creation” and the many faces of motherhood.

Whether you’re seeking to make sense of it all, or you already know what you want to convey but need some direction, bring your journals and notebooks and join in this gratifying conversation. All other materials supplied.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008, 6:00 – 8:30 pm. This workshop is FREE.

at THE WRITER’S STUDIO in Virginia Beach.

www.thewritersstudio.us email: thewritersstudio@ yahoo.com

Call to reserve a space. 757-486-6515, Option 5, Leigh

Leigh Rastivo holds an MFA in Writing from Bennington College. She writes regular columns on motherhood for Port Folio Weekly and Richmond Parents, and she teaches writing at Old Dominion University. She is also a fiction writer.

Fall Classes

It is the beginning of the season and classes have begun.

Excitement fills the space as writers settle down from the heat and begin.

The task is to create community where writers feel inspired, supported, encouraged in creating a life of letters.

Fall Writing Classes

With the temperatures turning and the air clear we anticipate a great fall.

I personally am committed to completing several projects before the end of the year. The people who participate at The Writer’s Studio offer inspiration, close reading and dedication to the written word.

Next week a series of new classes begin. We are full of anticipation for what will develop.

Elaine Waters McFerron

Summer Classes

Summer classes have ended and were successful.

We are now looking to the Fall.

Summer and Fall 2008 Courses

SUMMER

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Revising and Re-Seeing
Advanced Creative Writing Workshop
Teacher: Elaine Walters McFerron

This workshop focuses on work currently in progress. A mixed genre of nonfiction and poetry, we will continue to discover what one offers the other. We will also discuss influences and inspirations.
Text: Marie Howe- The Kingdom of Ordinary Time
Limited number of participants.

Four Sessions: $150. Tuesdays from 6:30pm-8:30pm. July 8-August 19 (Every other week)

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Finding Story – Intention Meets Inspiration
Fiction Workshop
Teacher: Leigh Rastivo

You want to write, yet you can’t seem to begin. This get-to-it weekend workshop will introduce intention to inspiration, providing direction to writers of all levels who want to rouse the muse and focus on the fundamentals of craft. We’ll examine the impact of some of the most effective beginnings in fiction and experiment with a variety of writing exercises and prompts, and we’ll each start writing a new story. We’ll also discuss a plan to maintain the creative impulse. Could be used as a lead in to Leigh’s fall course on plot. Reading materials provided. Limited number of participants.

Weekend $200. July 25, 6pm-8pm; July 26, 10am-3:30pm (Break for lunch); July 27, 10am-12pm

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The Life and Letters of Vincent Van Gogh
Writing as Spiritual Guide
Teacher: Melanie C. Reuter

Through the study of Van Gogh’s letters to his brother, we’ll examine how writing our personal stories serves as a spiritual guide. Participants will write essays based on Van Gogh’s life, then move to writing themes on their personal experiences. Ultimately, we could move into writing a piece of fiction based on what we’ve learned through the examination of our personal experiences.
Text: Van Gogh and God: A Creative Spiritual Quest by Cliff Edwards

DVDs: Lust for Life, starring Kirk Douglas as Van Gogh, and Vincent Van Gogh: A Stroke of Genius, from A&E’s Biography series.

Four Sessions: $150. Mondays from 6:30pm-8:30 pm beginning July 7 (Every other week)

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Midrash: Risking a Creative Journey as a Means of Spiritual Insight
Teacher: Melanie C. Reuter

Midrash seeks to uncover hidden meanings in Biblical texts, meanings that do not lend themselves to analytical probing. Using particular texts from scripture, this course could focus on either (re-)writing the text or on creating visual art (or both) whereby the familiar can be seen in a new way.

Text: [if we go the visual art route] Handmade Midrash: Workshops in Visual Theology by Jo Milgrom.

Four Sessions: $150. Every Tuesday beginning July 8, 8:30pm-6:30pm

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Praying in Color
Teacher: Melanie C. Reuter

Using sketchbooks and colored pencils or Sharpies, participants will engage in new ways of conversing with God.

Text: Praying in Color: Drawing a New Path to God by Sybil MacBeth.

One Session: $35 Monday, July 14, 6:30pm-8:30pm

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Private Tutorials

All teachers at THE WRITER’S STUDIO offer private consultations in person or on-line at an hourly rate.

For more information, contact THE WRITERS STUDIO 757.486.6515

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SUMMER INSTRUCTORS

Elaine Walters McFerron is founder of THE WRITER’S STUDIO. She leads workshops in poetry, prose and mixed genre. She holds an MFA in Writing with a concentration in Poetry from The Bennington Writing Seminars of Bennington College, where she is the Alumni Liason and the graduating class facilitator for the academic lectures. She blogs at elainewaltersmcferron.wordpress.com

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Leigh Rastivo holds a Masters of Fine Arts in Writing with a concentration in Fiction from the Bennington Writing Seminars of Bennington College. She teaches writing at local colleges. and is on staff at PortFolio Weekly, where she writes book reviews, arts articles and “Mother Tongue,” a regular print column on modern motherhood. She has just finished a novel. She blogs at leighrastivo.com.

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The Rev. Dr. Melanie C Reuter holds the Doctor of Ministry in Arts & Theology from Wesley Theological Seminary and a Master of Religious Education degree from Duke University. She has over thirty years of experience in ministry and is passionate about creativity and spirituality. She and her husband Mark reside in Virginia Beach. She blogs at handstosoul.wordpress.com

TO REGISTER:

Call Elaine Walters McFerron at
THE WRITER’S STUDIO Phone 757.486.6515
613 N. Lynnhaven Road, Suite B
Virginia Beach, Virginia 23452
http://thewritersstudio.us

FALL

Poetry Workshop: The Truly Shaped Voice of One’s Self
Teacher: Elaine Walters McFerron

James Wright wrote in a letter to Donald Hall dated July 25, 1958 about “the two necessary steps of creation of a great and original poetry: 1. Mastery of formal competence in one’s tradition. 2. Then the breaking through this formal competence, in order to create a poetry which is unique and all one’s own: the truly shaped voice of one’s self.” In this eight week workshop we will read and study great poems with the hope and expectation of breaking through to our own unique voice. This workshop is designed to generate new poems. Revisions, as always, will also be considered. Limited number of participants.

Eight Sessions: $300. Every other Wednesday beginning September 17, 6:30pm-8:30pm.

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Mothers Who Write
Teacher: Leigh Rastivo

This workshop is intended for mothers who want to chronicle their experiences in autobiography, personal essay or storytelling. We’ll use writing exercises, hands-on assignments and texts as springboards for recording life as a mother and understanding “the true nature of creation.” Whether you want to craft a record for your family, a journal for yourself or fiction for the world, this course will provide a path to reconcile your responsibilities as a woman with your artistic vision. Designed to generate new work or aid in the revision of works in progress. Limited number of participants.
Text: The Mother Reader edited by Moyra Davey

Eight Sessions; $300 Every other Monday beginning September 15 6:30pm –8:30 pm

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Creativity in Action
Teacher: Martha Hamilton

What to do when you are stuck? Set yourself in motion. This workshop uses principles and techniques of psychodrama to get the juicy energy flowing. Using exercises focused on claiming the “bright shadow,” anxiety is converted to spontaneity and new possibilities emerge. This class is designed for anyone involved in a creative process or wanting to begin a creative project. Limited to 10 participants.
$40 Saturday, October 4 10am-1pm

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Redemption and Reconciliation in Drama
Teacher: Melanie C. Reuter

Through the reading of scenes from various plays with spiritual themes centering on the idea of redemption and reconciliation, participants will learn about character development and playwriting.
Plays: W;t by Margaret Edson, The Piano Lesson by August Wilson, Racing Demon by David Hare, Doubt by John Patrick Shanley, Top Girls by Caryl Churchill, and Copenhagen by Michael Frayn.

Eight Sessions: $300 Every Monday beginning September 15, 6:30pm-8:30pm

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Letters As Literary Form
Teacher: Elaine Walters McFerron

What happens when artists write letters discussing their creative process? A body of work is produced that is often overlooked as art. We will examine the letters of Virginia Woolf, James Wright and others for inspiration for our own writing. The participants in this workshop will be writing poetry and nonfiction.
Limited number of participants
Eight Sessions: $300. Every other Tuesday Beginning September 9, 6:30pm-8:30pm.

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That Sinister Plot: Fiction Workshop
Teacher: Leigh Rastivo
This course is designed to help writers of all levels answer the question “What happens next?” We’ll look at the stories of a wide variety of authors, and use exercises and assignments to build the narrative arc of our stories. We’ll also consider other craft basics, like voice and character. Designed to generate new work or to aid in the revision of work in progress. Course materials provided by instructor. Limited number of participants.

 

Eight Sessions: $300 Tuesdays beginning September 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm. Limited number of participants.

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Themes of Atonement in Fiction
Teacher: Melanie C. Reuter
In one sense, atonement is reparation for an offense or injury. In a greater sense, atonement can refer to the reconciliation of a human being with God. We’ll examine four theories of atonement in Christian theology – Christus Victor View, Penal Substitution View, Healing View, Kaleidoscopic View. We’ll examine how various authors use this theme, then write short stories based on what we learn. Various texts will be used.

Eight Sessions: $300 Every other Thursday beginning September 15, 6:30pm-8:30pm

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On Keeping A Journal
Teacher: Elaine Walters McFerron

At their core, journals are about sharpening consciousness. The deeper benefit of keeping a journal is that it offers a way to be consistently aware or mindful. – Alexander Johnson

This workshop will provide direction and inspiration in beginning and maintaining a journal while exercising our creative capacities. Some time will be spent on journal writing as a stepping stone to recording life stories and possibly developing themes for a memoir. Limited number of participants.

Six Sessions: $240 Every other Tuesday beginning September 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm

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Praying in Color
Teacher: Melanie C. Reuter

Using sketchbooks and colored pencils or Sharpies, participants will engage in new ways of conversing with God.
Text: Praying in Color: Drawing a New Path to God by Sybil MacBeth

One Session: $35 Thursday October 23, 6:30pm-8:30pm

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Private Tutorials
All teachers at THE WRITER’S STUDIO offer private consultations in person or on-line at an hourly rate.
For more information, contact THE WRITERS STUDIO 757.486.6515

FALL INSTRUCTORS

Elaine Walters McFerron is founder of THE WRITER’S STUDIO. She leads workshops in poetry, prose and mixed genre. She holds an MFA in Writing with a concentration in Poetry from The Bennington Writing Seminars of Bennington College, where she is the Alumni Liason and the graduating class facilitator for the academic lectures. She blogs at elainewaltersmcferron.wordpress.com

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Leigh Rastivo holds a Masters of Fine Arts in Writing with a concentration in Fiction from the Bennington Writing Seminars of Bennington College. She teaches writing at local colleges. and is on staff at PortFolio Weekly, where she writes book reviews, arts articles and “Mother Tongue,” a regular print column on modern motherhood. She has just finished a novel. She blogs at leighrastivo.com.

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Martha Hamilton, R.N., LCSW, is a creative spirit who has been helping professional for over 40 years. She has extensive training and experience in psychodrama, and has used it effectively within diverse communities. Martha finds the process of psychodrama a powerful tool for being fully present in the now. She blogs at spontaneitytheater.wordpress.com

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The Rev. Dr. Melanie C Reuter holds the Doctor of Ministry in Arts & Theology from Wesley Theological Seminary and a Master of Religious Education degree from Duke University. She has over thirty years of experience in ministry and is passionate about creativity and spirituality. She and her husband Mark reside in Virginia Beach. She blogs at handstosoul.wordpress.com

Call Elaine Walters McFerron at
THE WRITER’S STUDIO Phone 757.486.6515
613 N. Lynnhaven Road, Suite B
Virginia Beach, Virginia 23452
http://thewritersstudio.us

Remembering Jason Shinder

In my hands, a copy of Jason’s chapbook, Arrow Breaking Apart, published by Arrowsmith Press. In it he wrote, “May your strenght bring you strength, May your faith bring you faith, May you never be too far from the support of those who love you and poetry. Love Jason” ‘07 Bennington.

He sat beside me in the dining hall eating a plate of peas, only peas. He had a way of eating one thing at a time. Often it was a bowl of brown rice or an apple. We were discussing how to help students after graduation, how to further support them and their writing. He was always full of multiple ideas.

He was my teacher. I loved him. He was the one who wanted to read every poem I had ever written. The day he introduced me at a reading in NYC was the same day he told his friends he had cancer, four years ago.

He died a week ago today. He was loved by many people and will be missed greatly.

I sit today with his words in my hand. When I sit with my friends I pretend I am standing on the wings / of a flying plane. I cannot be trusted to tell them how I am.

ewm

Duende and the Work of Rainier Maria Rilke

Jason Shinder

Jason Shinder has passed on.  I will remember his generous talks at Bennington, all the memories he shared, his lectures on Ginsburg and Kunitz.  And the simple words of advice that resonated with me.  He said them to the audience from a podium, in the middle of one of his amazing stories;  and the advice was not the point to him, or to most.   It was simply a conversational aside.  But it struck me as wise, so I now forget the story, and recall only the aside.  Jason said: “Find some humility, or it will find you.”

I will remember his words. I will remember him.

A poem by Jason Shinder:

Eternity

A poem written three thousand years ago

about a man who walks among horses
grazing on a hill under the small stars

comes to life on a page in a book

and the woman reading the poem
in her kitchen filled with a gold, metallic light

finds the experience of living in that moment

so vividly described as to make her feel known
to another; until the woman and the poet share

not only their souls but the exact silence

between each word. And every time the poem is read,
no matter her situation or her age,

this is more or less what happens.

posted by Leigh Rastivo

Poetry workshop poem

The Writer’s Studio

 

For two weeks, rain has alternated

daily with sun.  In that time,

pine pollen, fine as air, has ripened

and released.

 

On damp days, puddles swirl

with emerald tracings.

Only on dry, bright days

does pollen fly, blessing

sidewalk and stamen alike

with the same green grace.

 

This practice we walk,

our words and silences –

your listening, my attention –

fertilize the work.

 

Pollen does not know its flight

but still it flies.

 

Ruth M. Bizot

16 April 2008

National Poetry Poem in A Pocket Day

On April 17th copy a poem and put it in your pocket. Carry it around with you all day and read it to your friends, collegues, and family members.

Here is a poem I love and will carry with me.

THIS LIVING HAND

This living hand, now warm and capable

Of earnest grasping, would, if it were cold

And in the isy silence of the tomb,

So haunt thy days and chill thy dreaming nights

That thou would wish thine own heart dry of blood,

So in my veins red life might stream again,

And thou be conscience-calm’d. See Here it is–

I hold it towards you.

    John Keats

ewm