Write! Chicago
Morton Arboretum workshop

Write! Chicago

Join fellow poets for an exciting Fall event — led by Sheila Elliott and Caroline Johnson. Enjoy a few hours of hiking, fall colors, nature observation, thought-provoking art, and — most important of all — time to write and socialize with your peers. 

Participants meet at 12 noon in the parking lot and will have 90-120 minutes to explore the spacious grounds and exhibits by foot or by tram. Then the group will meet up to have lunch, write poems and share these new works. 

To RSVP:
1. Email:  poetsandpatrons@gmail.com 
2. Put Write! Chicago in the subject line.
3. Include your name in the message.

The Cost:
There is no charge for this workshop. However, there is an admission fee for The Morton Arboretum. The admission covers the full day – from 9 a.m. to Sunset. Here is a Link to admission prices and purchasing options.  We recommend you purchase tickets the day of the event or a day before if the weather forecast is agreeable.

Free parking and electric charging stations are available for guests who drive in for a visit. Link to the Arboretum transportation page with information on travel by car, train, bike, or rideshare.

What to bring and how to dress:
You may bring water and snacks but there is a café at the Arboretum that offers freshly prepared food and flavors from around the world. Because the weather in late October can be fickle — we recommend that everyone check the weather reports in advance of their visit, dress appropriately, and wear comfortable shoes.  

About the Morton Arboretum
The Arboretum features plant collections and gardens amid natural landscapes of woodlands, prairie, lakes, and streams. Its living collections include more than 100,000 specimens representing more than 4,000 different kinds of plants. Additionally, guests can enjoy 16 miles of hiking trails, nine miles of roads, a Children’s Garden, educational programs and exhibits, the Sterling Morton Library of botanical literature and art, a Visitor Center with a museum store and a restaurant, special events, and seasonal exhibitions.

An exciting sculpture exhibit at the Arboretum — Of the Earth — featuring five large-scale sculptures by Polish American artist Olga Ziemska — exploring the artist’s expression and philosophy that Olga says, “We are nature.”

About Write! Chicago and
Write! History

“You can cut all the flowers, but you cannot keep spring from coming.” 
Pablo Neruda

Several ago we decided we needed a writing workshop in addition to the bimonthly critiquing sessions.  Hence, Write! Chicago was born.  We normally hold 4 or 5 workshops a year and have met in such venues as the Art Institute of Chicago, the National Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen, Garfield Park Conservatory, the Illinois Holocaust Museum in Skokie, the Museum of Contemporary Photography, the Field Museum, the Chicago History Museum, the Hemingway House in Oak Park, and many more.

Generally, interested poets meet at a museum, disperse to view the art or exhibits, then gather once again to write together and share their poetry (only if they wish!). If you would like more information, please e-mail us at poetsandpatrons@gmail.com. Or stay tuned to our website for the latest poetry outing.

Past
workshops

We are always seeking new venues for our Write! Chicago and Write! History trips. Please email us if you have suggestions.

Write! History

The National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C.
The National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) is the first museum in the world solely dedicated to championing women through the arts. A Poets & Patrons online Write! History event in celebration of Women’s History Month. Participants met up on Zoom and visited the Museum. After receiving some guidance on navigating the museum’s website, each participant selected an exhibit or an object from the museum as inspiration for writing a poem. Participants who wish to shared a draft of the poem they had written. Hosted by Wilda Morris on Mar. 11, 2023, via Zoom.

The DuSable Museum of African American History in Chicago, and the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. To celebrate Black History Month we visited both museum websites and wrote poems based on the exhibits. Led by Caroline Johnson on Feb. 12, 2022.

Write! Chicago

Garfield Park Conservatory, Chicago — led by Sheila Elliott.
Turn to local history and nature for poetic inspiration. The Garfield Park Conservatory is one of the Midwest’s largest and most prestigious collection of horticultural masterpieces. Participants will met at 10:30 am and spent about 90 minutes exploring the greenhouses and the wonderful prairie just west of their campus. Around noon, the group met up in the Conservatory to go over notes and drafts for new poetry.

The Fullersburg/Graue Mill Nature Preserve, Oak Brook, IL — led by Sheila Elliott.
Turn to local history and nature for poetic inspiration. The Fullersburg/Graue Mill Nature Preserve is part of the DuPage County Forest Preserve District, with centers situated along beautiful Salt Creek. Graue Mill once served as a site on the Underground Railroad and its trail system offers plenty of places to stop, observe the flora and fauna, and make notes for the first draft of a poem.  

Museum of Contemporary Photography, 600 S. Michigan Avenue. The exhibit for our August visit was “Beyond the Frame” and included pictures from the college’s permanent collection.

Cantigny Park and Gardens, 1s151 Winfield Road, in Wheaton, Illinois
Cantigny, with its combination of nature and history, was a great source for first drafts. Around 2:30 p.m. we gathered at Cantigny’s Cafe for writing, refreshments, and socializing.

Field Museum on Lake Michigan’s shore, after meeting up participants dispersed to view exhibits. After a few hours of exploring exhibits, we met up to write.

Chicago Maritime Museum in Bridgeport

National Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen to view the Day of the Dead exhibit, among others.

Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art, 220 Cottage Hill Ave., Elmhurst
The museum has a unique collection of gemstones, jade carvings, and cameos, and a temporary exhibit about Italian shell cameos and Chakra Stones.

Hemingway House, 339 N. Oak Park Avenue, Oak Park
About 15 of us met at the Hemingway House at 339 N. Oak Park Avenue in Oak Park on Saturday, Nov. 25, 2017. A guide gave us a private tour of the home, then we gathered for lunch at a nearby restaurant. Some of us drafted a poem or prose piece and shared it with the group.

American Writers Museum, 180 N. Michigan Ave., Second Floor, Chicago 
About 10 of us met at the newly constructed American Writers Museum on Saturday, June 10, 2017, the same weekend as Printers Row Lit Fest. The museum sports permanent and temporary exhibits, including one about poet M.S. Merwin. It's definitely worth a trip if you haven't done so already!