The Southern Ohio Museum in partnership with the South Central Ohio Educational Service Center will begin a unique and special artist-in-residency program on Oct. 16.

Debra Conner will lead local junior and high school students through an intense poetry-writing workshop with a goal of increasing students' creative writing skills.

Using the theme “Local Color,” the artist intends to use Jack Earl's art exhibit of character sculptures to inspire students and illustrate the interconnectiveness of visual art and the art of creative writing.

Earl's clay sculptures of quirky inventions and small town personalities will present a direct connection and starting point for presenting Conner's theme and the students' inspiration.

Students will produce poetry notebooks about unique local personalities and will share in “open-mic” presentations of their work.

The newly formed Poetry Club from South Webster Junior/Senior High School under the direction of teachers Judy Ellsesser, Katie Kilgore and Mandy Ailes will serve as the core group of students who will be guided by the artist throughout the three-week program.

Nine other Scioto County schools will participate in day-long poetry-writing exercises inspired by Museum gallery exhibitions.

Conner has gained national recognition through her portrayals of historic women poets and writers including Emily Dickinson, Zelda Fitzgerald and Margaret Mitchell. She performs at national conferences including the History Alive! Program; she has had her worked published, and she often conducts creative writing workshops.