Join us at Newlands House Gallery for a creative writing workshop inspired by Andy Warhol: My True Story. Discover how visual art can spark powerful narratives—real or imagined—and learn how to translate what you see into compelling written stories. Whether you’re drawn to memoir, fiction, or

personal reflection, this workshop will guide you in using art as a springboard for rich, layered storytelling.

No prior experience needed—just curiosity and a notebook.

Workshop Concept:

This immersive writing workshop invites participants to explore the intersections of art, storytelling, and identity through the lens of Andy Warhol: My True Story exhibition at Newlands House Gallery.

Peeling Back the Persona: Telling Stories Through Art builds on the idea that curating is a form of narrative-making, and that exhibitions are experiences designed to be felt as much as seen. It encourages writers, whether emerging or experienced, to engage with the storytelling power of visual art. Using Warhol’s life and work as both subject and springboard, participants will explore how artworks can spark personal reflections, imagined stories, or new ways of seeing the world.

Whether you’re interested in writing intimate artist portraits, crafting fictional narratives inspired by visual detail, or simply responding creatively to what you observe, this session offers the space and structure to experiment, reflect, and write.

Learning Objectives:

• Discover techniques for using visual art as inspiration for storytelling.

• Practice crafting short pieces—memoir, fiction, poetic responses, or creative nonfiction— sparked by works in the exhibition.

• Explore how contradiction, persona, and hidden meaning in art can open up rich storytelling possibilities.

• Reflect on the role of the writer-observer and how narrative choices shape the reader’s

experience.

Key Activities:

• Gallery Walk + Observation Exercises: A slow-looking session within the exhibition, encouraging participants to engage with the artworks through emotion, memory, and imagination.

• Writing the Unseen: Persona, Mystery, and Story: A guided exercise exploring the gaps between what we see and what we sense—using Warhol’s constructed image as a creative starting point.

• From Image to Narrative: Participants choose an artwork and develop a story, reflection, or vignette based on their personal response to it.

• Voice and Perspective: Discussion and exercises around narrative voice—whether writing from observation, invention, or personal experience.

• Sharing & Feedback Circle: An optional read-aloud session and group discussion to share insights, ideas, and writing in a supportive setting.

Audience:

Writers of all levels—whether you’re drawn to memoir, fiction, or creative nonfiction—who want to explore how art can unlock powerful, layered stories. Artists, educators, and art-lovers curious about the storytelling potential of visual works are also welcome.

Time

10.00-16.00, Thursday 31st July, with HG lunch included

Newlands House Gallery, Newlands House, Pound St, Petworth GU28 0DX

Standard ticket £120 HG lunch included

NHG Art Pass holders 50% use code CW50