This 75-minute online session invites you to move beyond description and “cross the line,” exploring how writing in response to art can open new, unexpected territory on the page. Drawing on contemporary poets and approaches to ekphrasis, Melissa will offer practical ways to enter into conversation with visual work and discover what emerges when you write toward what you don’t yet know. As Mark Doty reminds us, we find ourselves not only by turning inward, but through how we see and say the world.
About your facilitator: Melissa McKinstry hosts poetry and jazz events and curates a Poet Tree in San Diego. Her work appears in Beloit, Adroit, and Best New Poets, and she was selected for the 2025 series. Learn more at MelissaMcKinstry.com.
Date: Sunday, May 31 Time: 1:00–2:15 PM PDT
Registration: $40 (standard) / $30 / $20 sliding scale We’re holding 2 fellowship spots for participants with financial need (first come, first served—email PACTDesk@gmail.com). To keep this offering accessible, sponsored spots are limited to once per year per participant.
Send payment via Venmo: @PACTDeskSet (please include your full name + email in the notes)
“Move back, Miss, behind the line, you’re too close to the painting.” – Ama Codjoe
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