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When Text Inspires Art

When Text Inspires Art

Author and artist Jill Kelly was the curator for our October Gallery exhibition, 1000 Words: Visual Response to Literary Works. Jill wrote a poem about her experience that we want to share with you.
When Text Inspires Art 
by Jill Kelly
Art by Charlene Rivers

Jack Kerouac in Mexico

get rendered in fabric
An Italian poet from 2932
sees through the 2017 eyes
of a girl in a red jacket
Penelope unweaves her fate
in tulle and oil
as she waits for Odysseus
Leonard Cohen’s lament is
                             calligraphed into
                             a koan in acrylic
                             Elvis’ little sister
                             Sings in pastel cubist shapes
                            100 people look
                            discuss
                            consider
                            the 1000 words
                            and the pictures
                            that express them
                             An opening in Hood River
                             an opening in to the creative impulse