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Haters gonna hate. Creators gonna create!
The Creators Program is a series of short community workshops, panels and talks focused on key skills and knowledge essential to “creating” for the creative entrepreneurs. The Creators Program, directed by WVSU EDC's director and Artist in Residence, Eric Douglas, packages expertise from some of the most accomplished individuals and companies in their fields (film, videography, photography, animations, podcast, and producing) to deliver information you need to move your ideas forward.
About the ARTIST in RESIDENCE
Our current Artist in Residence is Mr. Eric Douglas, a hybrid author, with books published by traditional publishers and an independent author. Through his fictional works, Eric takes readers on adventures of their own. His stories have everything thriller junkies crave; action, adventure and intrigue, set against a backdrop of beautiful locations, the ocean and the environment, and scuba diving. The fast-paced stories are exciting, but Eric also hopes to inspire future generations of explorers and adventurers like Cousteau did for him.
After completing a program at the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University, Eric jumped into documentary work, creating nonfiction works on lobster divers, war veterans, and cancer survivors.
He has authored eight novels and two novellas in the Mike Scott thriller series, written a series of dive thriller short stories , authored four children’s stories, and has recently released the inspirational biography Dive-abled: The Leo Morales Story through Best Publishing.
As a documentarian, Eric has worked in Russia, Honduras and most recently in his home state of West Virginia, featuring the oral histories of West Virginia war veterans in the documentary West Virginia Voices of War and the companion book Common Valor and the FestivALL Oral History Project that led to the Memories of the Valley documentary.
Spring 2021 Schedule
Stan Bumgardner
January
Preserving Oral Histories in Writing w/ Stan Bumgardner
Wednesday, January 27 | 7pm
So, now that you've interviewed someone, what's next? How can you take your interview and translate it into something you can share with family members or maybe even turn it into a magazine article? This session offers tips on how to transcribe your oral history and compose a more readable document that other family members and friends will cherish.
Shelia Redling
February
Finding the heart of your story w/ Shelia Redling
Thursday, February 11 | 7pm
Novels are living things and bringing them to life can vary from wrangling them like dragons to administering CPR and hoping for the best. No matter how lively or inert your story is, it's always a good idea to know where the heart of your story is and how to keep it pumping life throughout the writing process. We'll discuss character evaluation, pacing, and tone, as well as other tragedies and adventures that can befall your novel as it comes into the world.
Tuesday, February 23 | 7pm
Creators Program- Storytelling w/ W.I. "Bill" HairstonCreators Program presents Storyteller W.I. “Bill” Hairston will talk about using stories to entertain and how to keep audience attention in this Creators Talk. He often uses stories about his personal life "Growing up Black in Appalachia" to remind people of how life used to be and where we still have to go."
Bill Hairston
March
Street Photography w/Steven Rotsch
Tuesday, March 16 | 7pm
What a photographer should look for as they go through each day, the importance of talking to as many people as possible to find new leads, understanding your subject, being able to explain an entire event with one photograph and the variety of situations you may find yourself.
Steven Rotsch
Marc Harshman
April
Missed, Overlooked, Upcoming w/WV Poet Laureate, Marc Harshman
Wednesday, April 7 | 7pm
In his return to the Creators platform, Harshman wants to give attention to some of those authors whose book launches have been postponed during this pandemic or whose upcoming titles may likewise be denied their due celebration. The Creators talk will feature selected readings and biographical sketches as well as a discussion with host, Eric Douglas, about the role of the poet laureate. Some of the featured authors/poets include Ron Houchin, Carrie Conners, Timothy Russell, Anna Smucker, Bill King, [Keith Maillard, Meredith Sue Willis,] Joel Peckham, and Jake Strautmann.
Friday, April 9, 16, & 23 | 7pm
Beyond the Poem is a series of exploratory workshops that build community through the art of spoken word poetry.
Participants will write, create and share together as they explore and expound upon the one thing they know they have in common; poetry.
Weekly we will meet and elaborate on prompts and concepts designed to inspire and highlight the beauty and strength in our differences while connecting us poetically, one line at a time.
Josephus, III
These projects are being presented with financial assistance from the WV Humanities Council, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations do not necessarily represent those of WV Humanities Council or the National Endowment for the Humanities.
All workshops will be held online under further notice. Questions: give us a call or email edc@wvstateu.edu
What you missed so far...
Street Photography w/Steven Rotsch
Tuesday, March 16 | 7pm
What a photographer should look for as they go through each day, the importance of talking to as many people as possible to find new leads, understanding your subject, being able to explain an entire event with one photograph and the variety of situations you may find yourself.
Storytelling w/ W.I. "Bill" Hairston
Tuesday, February 23 | 7 pm
Creators Program presents Storyteller W.I. “Bill” Hairston will talk about using stories to entertain and how to keep audience attention in this Creators Talk. He often uses stories about his personal life "Growing up Black in Appalachia" to remind people of how life used to be and where we still have to go."
Preserving Oral Histories in Writing w/ Stan Bumgardner
Wednesday, January 27 | 7pm
So, now that you've interviewed someone, what's next? How can you take your interview and translate it into something you can share with family members or maybe even turn it into a magazine article? This session offers tips on how to transcribe your oral history and compose a more readable document that other family members and friends will cherish.
Wednesday, January 13 | 7pm
Creator’s Talk focuses on the basic techniques for interviewing family members and recording oral histories. We’ll discuss how to ask leading questions, how to make your interview subject feel at ease and how to keep an interview on track. It will include excerpts from previously recorded oral histories, along with examples of how to edit and prepare your recordings for sharing.