Found Poetry
Art Prompt: Using a scanned page from a favorite book, create a poem using the words found in your scanned passage. Create an art response to your poem.
Materials: Scanned pages from a book, glue, scissors, chalk pastels, paper, permanent markers and a pencil
Now, this may not be my most aesthetically pleasing piece, but it was about the process of fusing together words in a way that represented myself. I scanned a couple pages from a great book written by John Wooden, a basketball coach for UCLA. I sat with those pages and read each one again - all with great messages on leadership, team building and perserverence. I chose a book that would give me a boost of positivity and generate an overall good mood. After, I chose a page and started creating my poem.
Found poetry can be relaxing and stimulating at the same time. You are working to create a cohesive sentence with words or phrases found in the passage. There are a few ways you can generate your poem: 1. choose the words/phrases as you go to formulate a sentence in the order of the passage (therefore, you would not skip around to create your sentence), or 2. choose words/phrases that you want to use and take those words to create your sentences. You can circle the words you want to keep or “black-out” the words you don’t want to keep. There are a few options for adding your art response: 1. create art directly on your copied passage, 2. cut out then paste your passage to a large paper for creating art, or 3. re-write your poem on a new piece of paper and add an art response. There is really no right or wrong way to do this! Use whatever materials interest you, and get to creating!
In my image, I used all three techniques to show the different options. I really enjoyed re-writing my poem and adding imagery to my final piece. Another technique I would have tried would be using my scanned page with my edits, then adding collage materials.
Journal prompts for further exploration of the directive and/or image:
What word stood out to your most in your passage? Why did it stand out to you?
Find a phrase in your poem or passage that you feel connected to in this moment and explore that connection.
Tips:
I am vague in my description of my image for two reasons: A.) this is an example to help people see the progression and thought behind the process, B.) so that my image and description does not stifle your own creative exploration within this prompt.
Do not overthink the art directive. Jump into creating with your first thought and allow the image to form itself.
Explore the artwork when you’re completed and see what you notice in your colors, method, imagery. Sometimes you’ll have new insights once you’re finished creating.
Materials will be suggested, use whatever you have access to or materials you’d prefer.
Work as little or as long as you’d like.
Don’t create thinking of a product, focus solely on the process. This may not be something you’d like to hang on the wall and that is perfectly fine and often preferred 🙂
You may not always be able to reflect on your image and understand what it means. Sometimes just simply engaging in the art process is therapeutic enough.
While these directives are designed for deeper exploration of self, sometimes they may cause one to feel overwhelmed. These prompts should not replace therapy. If any of these prompts bring up unsafe emotions and you feel you are a danger to yourself or others, please call 911 or go to your nearest hospital.
