Poetry Prompt 1 - Write about an Artist

A painting by Jean-Michel Basquiat called "Untitled (Quality)."
You can see it in person at the Whitney Museum in NYC. 

I've been noodling with a poem that reflects the artwork of Jean-Michel Basquiat. As a sometimes visual artist, I find the art-making process both familiar and fascinating. I'm always trying to capture a tiny bit of another artist's creative impulse and the best way I've found to be derivative, but unique, is to write poems about art, rather than direct copying in oil or acrylics or pencil.

I've written poems of or about Georgia O'Keeffe, Agnes Martin, Cy Twombly, and other artists. Tomorrow, I'll share one of these with you.

So, as I continue to consider (and happily research) Basquiat's life and work, I encourage you to try this yourself. Pick an artist whose work takes your breath away. Write from a comfortable distance about a painting, or a sculpture, or a quilt you like. Whatever it is you adore, write about it. Pretend to watch the artist work. Or better yet, move in closer and describe process. For a short time, be the artist.

If you end up with something incredible, send it to me. I'd love to see what you've created with your words.