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Inspiration Station: Art to Ignite Our Writing - Saturday, February 20
Saturday, February 20 | 1:30pm - 4:30pm
Instructor: Gretchen Cion
Materials Fee: None, just bring your preferred method for writing
Saturday, February 20 | 1:30pm - 4:30pm
Instructor: Gretchen Cion
Materials Fee: None, just bring your preferred method for writing
In this creative writing workshop, you will go beyond the description of visual artwork to discern meaning and tap into art as a source of inspiration for your writing.
The workshop will begin with observational questioning to conjure character, setting, and sensory details hidden within a work and uncover threads of ideas. You will discuss the unicorn of inspiration: the rendering of emotional resonance in the piece. After viewing and discussing the works of art, you will spend time generating an early draft in your preferred genre.
You will share your drafts with fellow writers for positive-only feedback. Our goal is to repeat the process of observation and generation of ideas twice during the three-hour block. You will leave with two early drafts as well as a new practice for engaging with art to inspire future writing.
Gretchen Cion is a multi-genre writer, filmmaker, and educator currently teaching through Berkeley City College. She is the creator and teacher of Poetic Playlist, a writing class for girls and gender-expansive youth. She has an M.Ed. from Hunter College, and an MA in English and an MFA in Creative Writing, both from San Francisco State University. Her essays have appeared in Points-In-Case, Brevity, Sky Island Journal, The Ekphrastic Review, and elsewhere. Her first short film, "Full Crow," was a Semifinalist at the Boden International Film Festival. Gretchen is a 2026 Erma Bombeck Humorist-in-Residence.
Website: www.gretchencion.com
Fee: MarinMOCA Members: $120; Non-members $150
Materials Fee: None, just bring your preferred method for writing (notebook and pen, laptop, etc.).
Where: Marin Museum of Contemporary Art; 1210 Fifth Avenue, San Rafael (at B Street)
Saturday, November 14; 1:30pm to 4:30pm
Instructor: Mirka Knaster
Materials Fee: An additional materials fee of $15 will be paid to the instructor
Sunday, November 15; 11am to 3pm
Instructor: Catherine Cruz
Materials Fee: An additional materials fee of $20 will be paid to the instructor
SOLD OUT - Please join the WAITLIST
Saturday, November 21 | 10:00am - 11:30am
Instructor: Barbara Pollak-Lewis
Materials Fee: An additional fee of $25 will be paid directly to Barbara if you reserve a portfolio review
Six Fridays, November 6, 13, 20 and December 4, 11, 18 I 10:00am - 11:00am
Instructor: Susy Olson
Saturday, November 21 | 1:30pm-4:30pm
Instructor: Edie Trautwein
Materials Fee: A materials fee of $15 will be paid to the instructor
Saturday and Sunday I December 5 & 6 I 10:30am - 4:00pm
Instructor: Diane Williams and Chuck Potter
Materials Fee: An additional materials fee of $30 will be paid directly to the instructors. This fee includes cold wax medium, Arches oil paper, wax paper, tissue paper, Gamsol odorless mineral spirits and two prepared wooden panels.
Saturday, January 9 | 1:30pm - 4:30pm
Instructor: Ilah Jarvis
Materials Fee: A materials fee of $10 will be paid to the instructor
Sunday, January 17 | 1:30pm - 4:30pm
Instructor: Mohammed Shamma
Materials Fee: A materials fee of $15 will be paid to the instructor
Saturday and Sunday, January 23 & 24 | 10:00am - 4:30pm
Instructor: Diane Williams and Chuck Potter
Materials Fee: A materials fee of $20 will be paid to the instructor
Saturday, January 29 | 10:00am to 4:00pm
Instructor: Tracy Flanagan
Materials Fee: An additional materials fee of $25 will be paid to the instructor
Saturday, January 30 | 1:30pm - 4:30pm
Instructor: Suzy Kopf
Materials Fee: A materials fee of $20 will be paid to the instructor
Sunday, January 31 | 11am - 3pm
Instructor: Catherine Cruz
Materials Fee: A materials fee of $15 will be paid to the instructor
Saturday, February 6 | 1:30pm - 4:30pm
Instructor: Rena Tom
Materials Fee: A materials fee of $16 will be paid directly to the instructor
Saturday, February 13 | 11:00am - 3:00pm
Instructor: Suzy Kopf
Materials Fee: An additional materials fee of $50 will be paid to the instructor
Saturday, February 20 | 1:30pm - 4:30pm
Instructor: Gretchen Cion
Materials Fee: None, just bring your preferred method for writing
Three Sundays, 2/21, 2/28, 3/7 | 9:30am - 12:30pm
Instructor: Duncan Figurski
Materials Fee: There is no additional materials fee but students will need to bring a laptop
Saturday, February 27 | 10:00am - 4:00pm
Instructor: Sherrie Lovler
Materials Fee: An additional materials fee of $15 will be paid to the instructor
Sunday, February 28 | 1:30pm - 4:30pm
Instructor: Lara Starr
Materials Fee: An additional materials fee of $10 will be paid to the instructor.
Saturday, March 6 | 1:30pm - 4:30pm
Instructor: Mohammed Shamma
Materials Fee: A materials fee of $15 will be paid to the instructor
Sunday, March 7 | 1:30pm - 4:30pm
Instructor: Ilah Jarvis
Materials Fee: A materials fee of $20 will be paid to the instructor
Saturday, March 13 | 10:00am - 4:00pm
Instructor: Tracy Flanagan
Materials Fee: An additional materials fee of $25 will be paid to the instructor
Saturday, April 3 | 12:00pm - 4:00pm
Instructor: Ilah Jarvis
Materials Fee: An additional materials fee of $20 will be paid to the instructor
Saturday and Sunday, April 17 & 18 | 11am - 3pm
Instructor: Ali Vaughan
Materials Fee: An additional materials fee of $50 will be paid to the instructor
Sunday, May 2 | 1:30pm - 4:30pm
Instructor: Mohammed Shamma
Materials Fee: A Materials Fee of $15 will be paid to the instructor
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Fees are due at the time of registration. You may cancel up to one week prior to the start of the class and the registration fee, less $25 for processing, will be refunded to you. Should you cancel less than one week before a class/workshop begins you will not receive a refund of any portion of the registration fee.
If MarinMOCA cancels a class/workshop, you will receive a full refund.
Saturday, November 14 | 9:30am - 12:30pm
Instructor: MJ Connors Davison
Materials Fee: