A new way to look at art.
Years ago I went to the Indiana Museum of Art with coworkers. One named Randy stood with me in front of a Monet as I exclaimed “How beautiful!” It was the first painting we looked at, and he admitted that he rarely noticed the paintings. I was surprised, but then he explained that he always admired the frames and that this one, on the Monet, was out-of-square! Randy is a carpenter, and I suddenly found a new way of looking at art. I enjoyed the rest of our visit listening to Randy critique frames, something I had never before given a glance. As a writing exercise, put an unlikely viewer in front of a work of art at the John Waldron Arts Center and imagine the viewer’s reaction. What would she or he think, say, do? Write from the character’s voice. Experiment with the character’s thoughts and style of speaking.
Prompt about art and desire.
Explore your or your character’s strongest desire. Does your character want respect, status, companionship, solitude? Find a work of art that calls out to or represents that desire. For instance, if your character longs for solitude, what painting would he hide in? Describe what he is thinking, doing.
Art and character development.
Explore your or your character’s image. Find a work of art that represents your character’s appearance and mannerisms. Does the art have sharp edges like the character’s sense of humor? Does it use colors that your character prefers to wear only on weekends? Write a description of your character based on similarities with the art piece.
Art and dialogue.
Take a look at two art exhibits by artists who differ greatly in style. For instance, one artist creates metal sculpture and another photographs nature. Now, pretend the art represents two characters having a conversation. Write a dialogue between them. How would metal lady talk to woodland fellow if they were strangers stuck in an elevator or if they were planning their wedding?
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