Workshops
Ekphrastic Poetry Workshop at Arts on Main in Gloucester, VA
Sponsored by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
For 50 years Carolyn has conducted custom-designed writing workshops and poetry readings in many different settings, including The Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C., the Kennedy Center, and The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond. Each workshop is targeted to an audience of writers, teachers, students, artists, or the general public. Previous presentations have included “Poetry & Politics”; “The Nobel Laureates in Poetry: What Makes Them Unique?”; “Testing the Limits of Structure and the Power of Words: Line Breaks and Diction”; “How I Write”; “Ekphrastic or Art-Inspired Poetry”; “The Writer’s Art: Writing in the Galleries”; “Why Read Poetry?”; “Georgia O’Keeffe: The Poetry of Things”; “Dramatic Monologue: Art-Inspired Poetry”; “Poems Inspired by the Visionary Paintings of Marsden Hartley”; and others.
Her teaching career has earned her a Rotary Meritorious Educator of the Year Award; a Hodgson Award for Excellence in Teaching English; a National Scholastic Teacher Portfolio Award (1 of 5 recipients in the United States); a National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts Outstanding Educator recognition; a Fairfax County Board of Supervisors' Recognition Award for Excellence in Writing Instruction; a Council for Basic Education Fellowship to study Pablo Neruda’s poetry; a Jenny McKean Moore Grant to study poetry at George Washington University; a West Springfield High School Teacher of the Year Award, among others.
Please contact Carolyn through this website to request a poetry reading, seminar and/or writing workshop fees.
Note: Carolyn offers three workshops, entitled "Poetry Inspired by the Artwork of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo," “Discover Your Inner Poet: Art-Inspired Writing” and “Ekphrastic Poetry in the Gallery and/or Museum Setting,” through the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts’ Statewide Partners Program. For more information, click here.
Below are comments by participants in her workshop sessions, as well as by former students and professors:
"The presentation was wonderful (I’ve got students who are still raving about it). They mentioned specifically the research you do, and the way you prepare yourself to write. They were impressed that you allow different interpretations in your classes, and, as one student wrote, ‘she made you feel like poetry can be done by everyone.'"-- Mark Farrington, graduate writing course for teachers, George Mason University
"The excitement and understanding Carolyn brings to her teaching is that rare thing in arts education, the enthusiasm and knowledge of an active participant in the making of art. I want to stress that she is not only a superlative classroom teacher, she is a precious resource for other teachers. Her successes with both students and fellow teachers are exactly the kinds of successes that the nationally funded Artists-in-Education programs aim at."-- Peter Klappert, Professor of Creative Writing, George Mason University
“She has a very ethereal attitude and kind approach. She loves to teach and cares about her students, and her range of talent is absolutely amazing.”-- Ashley Maynard, former student, West Springfield High School - Quoted from The Oracle, March 30, 1990.
“That marvelous woman introduced me to free verse poetry and encouraged me to write, although I am profoundly deaf and have had difficulty expressing myself on paper. Under her tutelage and endless patience, I learned to express myself through free verse poetry. After that, I was hooked and have had a deep love for poetry ever since.”-- Mindy Hayden, Letters to the Editor, The Washington Post, August 14, 1981.
"I have never known a teacher as adored as Dr. Carolyn Foronda. To step inside her classroom is to immerse yourself in love and creative energy. She promotes individual expression, and her lessons are often extensive one-on-ones where the students design their own projects and then, with her guidance, work toward their personal goal. She not only develops talented writers, but helps each to be his/her own distinct and special person."-- Jennifer LeRoy, Graduate, West Springfield High School, Fairfax County, VA
"March 31st was a red letter day not only for me, but for the 125 people who attended the conference. I knew when I saw you in Smithfield that you would do a magnificent job at the conference. I only wish you could hear all the splendid comments your people made about you."-- Doris Gwaltney, Writers’ Conference, Christopher Newport University
Poetry Workshop Inspired by a Living History Presentation at Gunston Hall in Alexandria, VA
Ekphrastic Poetry Workshop at the Maier Museum of Art in Lynchburg, VA
Sponsored by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Poetry Workshop at George Mason University
Northern Virginia Writing Project
Poetry Presentation at Hampton University
Sponsored by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Carolyn with students (left) and with their professor, Shonda Buchanan (right)