Language, Communication & Culture   

The course emphasizes discovery over perfection. Through short exercises and encouraging feedback, you’ll build confidence while exploring new ways to make language come alive. A central focus of the course is sensory writing that evokes without naming—describing what is seen, heard, tasted, or felt without relying on words like look, hear, or smell. Instead, you’ll learn to conjure vivid experience through image, action, metaphor, texture, and implication. It’s an immersive, playful workshop designed to wake up your senses and surprise your writing.

Thoughtful composition, subtle details, and expressive use of line and color can build the atmosphere and meaning of your work. This workshop blends technique and intuition to help you create evocative, poetically inspired mixed-media pieces.

Through guided exercises and the study of famous artists, you will explore core concepts such as perspective, the rule of thirds, and tonal composition.

Over two sessions, you will practice thumbnail sketching, prepare photo transfers, and develop a final drawing. By the end, you'll complete a dynamic mixed-media piece and gain a deeper understanding of the creative process.

Materials list for Poetic Spaces

~ 3 photocopies of student photograph of choice (i.e. landscape of natural or city environment).  

**Laser photocopy with high contrast must be made to complete the photo transfer project.

~ graphite pencils – 4b, 6b and 8b

 ~ black or colored markers (fine and medium tipped)

~ blue or black ink pen (regular ballpoint pen)

~ watercolor paint – payne’s grey, titanium white and 1 color of choosing

~ 4 oz bottle of liquid matte medium (for photo transfer project, layering and adhering collage papers)

~ Choice of collage papers (i.e. tissue paper, heavy card stock, newspaper, colored bond paper)   *Instructor will be bringing samples.

~ 2 watercolor brushes small and medium    *Michaels or craft stores better for this.  You can buy single instead of a kit

~ 1 pad of mixed media paper

For centuries, Japanese folktales (mukashibanashi) have been shared across regions of Japan as a means of transmitting cultural values, moral lessons, and ways of thinking. Although individual stories may vary by region or generation, their central themes and guiding principles remain consistent. These narratives have played an essential role in shaping cultural identity, influencing how individuals understand community, responsibility, nature, perseverance, and the unseen world. Participants will engage with well-known Japanese folktales and examine the cultural values embedded within them. Through guided discussion and storytelling, we will consider how these narratives reflect broader Japanese perspectives on harmony, obligation, humility, resilience, and the relationship between humans and the spiritual world.

This hands-on course gives participants a practical and supportive space to strengthen their speaking skills, refine their message, and communicate with presence. 
Come explore a six-step framework that blends storytelling, communication strategy, and theatre-inspired practice to build clarity, structure, and confidence. 
Through guided exercises, voice and body techniques, message-crafting tools, and peer feedback, participants will learn how to design and deliver clear, compelling, and authentic presentations — whether speaking at work, in community settings, or in everyday life.

Step into the art of seeing the world slanted in this lively flash fiction workshop. Through playful, low-pressure prompts, you will train your eye to notice the surprising, the strange, and the wonderfully specific hiding in everyday life. Guided experiments help you unlock fresh language, sharpen your voice, and discover stories you didn't know you had. With frequent short exercises and supportive feedback, you will build confidence while having fun on the page -- no prior experience needed.