Introduction

Shortly before the Covid pandemic, January, 2020, I was asked to write a poem inspired by the exhibit of photorealists currently showing at the Arnot Museum of Art, Elmira NY. A short time later, I was invited to write poems inspired by the glass-art of the Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, NY. The pandemic closed all museums and the poetry-inspired-by-art projects, but what began for me was an excursion into the world of ekphrastic poetry. What I found most enjoyable was rediscovering the strength of images in making a poem. The most common advice every writing teacher gives her student is, “show don’t tell,” which reflects the relationship of image to understanding and so I have created these poems out of a sense of image. The first poems are from works in local museums and galleries near where I live and then I move on to include some classical works of art which I intersperse with some of my own personal favorite modern artists. And finally, the collection ends with the works of ten noteworthy woman artists. The title is sort of tongue-in-cheek because I’m not sure my choices of arts works are from a discerning point of view; I’m not an art critic. My real purpose is simply to offer the reader an interesting experience. So join me now on a tour through my gallery.       

Mary A. Hood

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