Writer’s Workshop | The Garden of Your Mind
Celebrate National Poetry Month at the MFA! In partnership with poet Ariana Kija Matondo, the MFA is hosting a three-part poetry workshop series focused on ekphrastic poetry—the art of writing descriptive and imaginative poetry inspired by visual art.
In the third workshop of the series, participants are invited to consider how art exists beyond museum walls. What happens when we listen to the world around us, not just ourselves? Led by poets Ariana Kija Matondo and Kallie Blakelock, this session will move between the galleries and outdoor spaces for guided journaling. Participants will practice mindfulness while gathering sensory notes from the environment around and within them, deepening the connection between observation, place, and poetic expression.
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. Please wear clothes suitable for being outdoors and comfortable walking shoes.
Writer’s Workshop | The Garden of Your Mind
Open to all ages
Thursday, April 30, 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!)
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!
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.
ABOUT KALLIE BLAKELOCK
Kallie Blakelock is a current MFA student in poetry at the University of South Florida. She worked as a high school teacher for five years before packing up her Pontiac and moving to Tampa, Florida. Far from the quiet Eastern Shore of Maryland where she grew up, Kallie explores the world—and herself—through poetry.
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
