By Raymond Tyler
Pen to Paper – The Creative Writing Workshop Series at Union Hall. This is a review of the recent class facilitated by Vanessa Fiore on Sunday, April 14. The next scheduled class is 1 p.m. Sunday, June 9, at the Union Hall Arts, 2806 Atlantic Ave, Atlantic City. Phone 609-878-7000 or see www.Unionhallarts.com
This past Sunday, I woke up wanting to indulge my creative juices. What to do? I could always go to Books A Million and draw and paint. I was, however, feeling the need to engage in something artistic but with community.
“To the Union Hall Arts website!” I said in my head.
There was the creative engagement I was looking for. “Creative Writing Workshop: Tap Into The Creativity That Will Take You Into The Future.” I honestly would be happy with tapping into creativity that would “take me out of the house,” and being around other creative people and sharing an experience.
I showered and dressed and took a drive into Atlantic City. I included the shower, dress and drive information because I took the time to enjoy the shower. Sometimes you have to put on a whole concert in the shower (when you are not in a rush). Billy Joel was going to be on CBS that night, so Billy and I performed the songs from his album, “Glass Houses,” as I bathed.
I put on my favorite fatigue pants and my Tony The Tiger t-shirt (sometimes called “my writin’ shirt), and my black suede Puma sneakers. The point is I wore clothes that made me feel creative, open and free.
I climbed into my Jeep and turned off the talk show station and played one of my favorite hip-hop mixes and rolled the windows down. I felt like I had never paired fresh air and loud music before. In fact, I felt like I was the first person to discover that warm weather, ocean breezes and loud singin’ music (Wu-Tang, Run-DMC, Queen Latifah) go together.
I already felt amazing when I walked in the place.
Side note: I was able to find street parking about a block away. Luckily I was in a good mood and the ocean breeze was more May weather than middle of April weather.
Once inside the Union Hall, I sat down at the table and began writing.
I had been so wrapped up in enjoying the journey to the Creative Writing Workshop, I missed the first 10 minutes of the class. As my fellow creative writers were working on their warm up, I decided to stop writing and do some quick sketches of some of the vibrant statues in the hall.
If you’ve never been to the Union Hall Arts, has the feel of a slightly seedy art gallery in the SoHo area of NYC circa 1980-something. There are couches and comfy chairs, books on art, Atlantic City memorabilia, random art lying around for the upcoming Mixtape show and all kinds of “what nots” that you would see in more creative art spaces and low-brow garage sales.
I fixed my eye on a mannequin of a woman in a bikini holding a large fish. I want to come back and do a whole painting of the woman with fish, but I enjoy my quick sketch version.
The Creative Writing Workshop instructor Vanessa Fiore introduced herself to me and gave me a great welcome. We then heard from one of the writers who shared their warm up.
Vanessa passed out a prompt: “7 trees,” six grey-ish or gray-ish, and one bright red. The mission was to write something creatively based on the painting.
Each of the writers penned exciting poems using words in ways that danced, sang, cried, yelled on the paper.
I was in a place where I wanted to create, but also experience the creative process with others. I got everything I came for and some free pizza.
Here’s what I liked about the Creative Writing Workshop. There were writers there from several generations and so the perspectives were all fresh and different.
Several of the writings shared were a little radical and nobody made a nasty prune face. The instructor herself was laid back. She focused more on making writers comfortable than instructing. Yes. I do value great critiques, tips and insights on writing, but some workshops spend so much time on instruction, you never get to write or enjoy the space with the other writers. The pizza from Tony’s Baltimore Grill was indeed a plus.
I had a great Sunday. I also would recommend that you visit Vanessa Fiore’s website, www.Village-Works.com.
The Creative Writing Workshop series is a great experience. The next one is on Sunday, June 9, at the Union Hall Arts center and according to Vanessa, one lucky writer will win a Murphy Writing workshop scholarship.
Until June 9, keep writing! I hope to see you at the next Creative Writing Workshop!
You can connect with Raymond Tyler via Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram @RaymondTyler2018.
