The Museum of Fine Arts, in partnership with poet Ariana Kija Matondo, is excited to launch a three-part poetry workshop series focused on ekphrastic poetry—the art of writing descriptive and imaginative poetry inspired by visual art. The first workshop invites participants to gently explore the subconscious through close observation, with an emphasis on dreamscapes, junk journaling, and transforming ephemera and collected memorabilia into personal talismans.

Expect intimate walks through the galleries, quiet moments of reflection, and opportunities to examine personal memory through the practice of attentive looking. No prior poetry experience is required, and all ages are welcome—just bring a journal and an open mind to experience visual art in a new way.

Writer’s Workshop | Dream Residue: Ekphrasis in the Real World

Open to all ages
Thursday, February 26, 2026
5:30 PM–7:30 PM
Mary Alice McClendon Conservatory
Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg
255 Beach Drive NE, St. Petersburg FL 33701

Free for MFA Members; $16 for Not-Yet-Members (Youth 17 and under are Free!)

REGISTER

The workshop is included with Art After Dark admission, so participants can enjoy the program and explore the museum after hours for the same ticket price.

Not yet a member?
Become a member today and enjoy all the benefits membership at the MFA offers! 

MFA Members enjoy free admission for an entire year, early access to special exhibitions, discounts at the MFA Shop and Café Clementine, special member-only exclusive events, and more. Bring the whole family!

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ABOUT ARIANA KIJA MATONDO

Ariana Matondo (they/she) is a queer, disabled Tanzanian-American poet, editor, and teacher based in Tampa, Florida. They are the winner of the Zora Neale Hurston Award for Poetry (2025) and were previously named a finalist for the Disquiet Prize for Poetry (2025). Their honors also include the Sundress Publications Fellowship (2025), Vermont Studio Center Fellowship (2024), Light for Public Health Poetry Prize (2024), and the Bettye Newman Poetry Prize (2024–2025). Ariana’s work has been published and is forthcoming in Light Magazine, Honey Literary Magazine, The Common, and others. They serve as Poetry Editor for Creation Magazine and CM Editorial House and are currently pursuing an MFA in Poetry at the University of South Florida. Learn more at arianakijamatondo.com.

EXPLORE ALL UPCOMING WRITER’S WORKSHOP SERIES EVENTS

Writer’s Workshop | Dream Residue: Ekphrasis in the Real World
Thursday, February 26, 2026 | 5:30 PM–7:30 PM

Writer’s Workshop | The Alive Poets Society: Poetry and Ancient Art
Thursday, March 26, 2026 | 5:30 PM–7:30 PM

Writer’s Workshop | The Garden of Your Mind
Thursday, April 30, 2026 | 5:30 PM–7:30 PM