“Illustrating Your Poem: A Two Part Poetry Zine Workshop at Lamplight AVL,” June 2026
Keagan Wheat and Aliah Lavonne Jahan-Tigh facilitated this workshop June 13 at Lamplight AVL! They led participants through two writing exercises (in part based around Liz Williams Trader's joyful pride portraits). These drafts became the poem we illustrated in our zine-making workshop the following Saturday. This workshop series welcomed you whether you were a visual artist or writer!
On June 13th, Keagan Wheat and Aliah Lavonne Jahan-Tigh facilitated this workshop at Lamplight AVL! They led participants through two writing exercises as the group reflected on Liz Williams-Trader's joyful Spectrum of Hope portraits.
Jahan-Tigh(fuchsia top) listening as Wheat(not in the frame) guides the group through an ekphrastic prompt reflecting on the artwork. Author Nita Jade is on the edge of the frame(black top) to the left in the picture.
Liz Williams-Trader’s “Jarvis’ from their Spectrum of Hope series It is not hard to understand their work is a frequent inspiration for Jahan-Tigh or why they often collaborate.
For the second meeting, June 20th, attendees were invited to bring back the poem and begin assembling a handmade zine booklet. This booklet then becomes the home of their visual, or illustrated, rendering of the poem. Keagan Wheat kicked off this gathering by discussing what a “zine” or “chapbook” is. Wheat brought some examples and shared them with the group. For example, Niki Herd’s _____, don't you weep or heidi andrea restrepo rhodes’ Medusita. The drafts from June 13th became the poem participants used as they created their own illustrated zine. If a participant was new to the workshop, they were invited to write as they drew.
Liz Williams-Trader working on creating their zine. In the foreground of the photo, you can see some handmade and limited print chapbooks and zine Keagan Wheat and Aliah Lavonne Jahan-Tigh brought from their collection.
Liz Williams-Trader helped set up and project the portraitures, and these workshops would not be possible without Williams-Trader’s beautiful and inspirating art and expertise.
This workshop itself reflects the reality of the artist life: community and collaboration make the artist’s work so much richer, better, and joy-giving.
Chapbooks, snacks, and community. The workshops were a pleasure.