E.A. LENT
ARTISTIC STATEMENT
I am an artist and a poet (currently serving as the First Poet Laureate of Madison, Connecticut). Often these creative responses from paint and words are so close for me, that they become linked. There is the poetry of art, the art of poetry, like twins, each the same while each with unique individualism of course. The Spanish artist Joan Miro is quoted as saying, “I try to apply colors like words that shape poems, like notes that shape music”.
So, when I paint, I can’t help but sense the symbolism of colors, the psychological references of colors and shapes, the play of shapes, the attraction or curiosity created by shape, form or texture. Like poetry, I am arranging colors like words, telling a story so the viewer in a sense is actually reading a story visually.
I paint from imagination, a translation of a thought, sometimes a real memory and sometimes an imagined memory like a fictional event or story. That is what I’m trying to interpret. I am not painting a still life or a view in front of me, but the thing from the place inside of me. It’s visual, visceral or a unique expression, interpretation of that place and its feeling. Often, I let the material of paint itself lead me, in blobs or drips, colors that blend or overlap. The application and at other times, even the overlap or the removal of paint and its layers is applied to find a spontaneous expression in my art.
The art then inspires me to write a poem about it. I use haiku or ekphrastic poetry styles. This rises in me as I am creating the art piece. After spending so much time in the development and creation, the poem arises usually quite spontaneously and I write these on the back of each work.
In my education to be artist in college, I was always sculpturally oriented, I worked in clay, metals, fibers -only printmaking or painting and drawing when I had to and usually to quickly capture an idea for a sculpture. Painting may not be new to me that way, but allowing myself to paint and appreciate it as a finished work of expression is. I taught art for many years. When I wasn’t teaching, I was always in creative career fields such as product design and development, merchandising and lifestyle marketing of those products. Mostly dinnerware, fine china, ceramics, crystal and glass- for international and domestic dinnerware companies such as Noritake China in Japan, Mikasa and Simon Pearce glass and pottery (based in Vermont). This also led to interior design in the developing showrooms and retail stores around the world and across the U.S.
I’ve been a poet since retiring about 15 years ago and in 2024 became the Poet Laureate of Madison, Connecticut, which I am highly honored by. I created and lead the Ekphrastic Poetry Trust of CT, and often put together custom classes or workshops, working with after school Middle and High School writing programs for teaching Ekphrastic Poetry. I have been very fortunate to do this for the American Mural Project, the Adams Middle School, the Morgan School and the Guilford Art League at the Guilford Art Center. ( see events 2024 for more detail from index, top right, on this web page. I could easily tie poetry to art or art to poetry during a show exhibition, as well as do a lecture on my art or art appreciation if so desired.
Edward Lent is an artist, poet, teacher, but most of all a performer. He is part ringleader, part circus master but entirely an advocate for art and poetry in his communities of Connecticut. After obtaining a B.S. in Art Education from Nazareth University in Rochester, N.Y., he became both artist and high school art teacher. Eventually moving back to Manhattan, he soon started his illustrious professional career as a home entertaining guru, tabletop design expert, showroom designer and lifestyle writer with the Noritake China Co. inc. where he created and hosted a globe-spanning event called “Edwards Table” with retailers across the U.S., Canada, Japan, Europe, and South America.
Fast forward to present day, Edward continues his legacies of teaching, active artistry, (exhibiting regularly as a member of the Guilford Art League and Madison Art Society) and poetry (published poetry originally under the name Ezra Lovecroft. His first collection of poems, “As Above, So Below” was published in the fall of 2018. His recent chapbook, “Perceptions”, was published in 2023). He was nominated for CT. Poet Laureate in 2018 and 2022, and became the first poet laureate of Madison, CT. in 2024. He received a Connecticut Arts Hero Award for his work in poetry in 2020 from the Connecticut Office of the Arts. Presently and for over a decade, he has hosted “Ezra Lovecroft Presents, the Unexpected Poet,” an open mic and poetry event across Connecticut. His events include poets from laureates to beekeepers. (He has had the pleasure of reading with many illustrious poets; Sandy Sonsoon, Sandy Carlson, Robert Claps, Pat Mottola, Sue Wolf, Sharon Smith, Barbara Di Mauro, Rodger Singer, Elaine Zimmerman, Bill Moorehead, Brad Davis, and on and on). He is a supporting member of the Academy of American Poets, the Poetry Foundation, the Poetry Society of America as well as a member of the Connecticut Poetry Society, allpoetry.com and the Haiku Society of America. He is the founder of the Ekphrastic Poetry Trust of Connecticut and teaches ekphrastic style poetry in assorted classes and workshops.
In 2023, the (CPS) Connecticut Poetry Society, held a workshop on ekphrastic poetry at the New Britain Museum of Art. Ed joined a dozen poets and along with creators Sharon Smith, Pat Mottola, and Ginny Thomas crafted a collection of ekphrastic poems inspired from pieces in the collection. This collection of poems was later turned into a video: “Poems Illuminating Art,” for the museum. Ed has been motivated to dig deeper into ekphrasis style poetry so much that it is the foundation of his upcoming third book of poetry. Ed has been a guest poet, working with Phillip Day, English Language Arts teacher and facilitator at Adams Middle School in Guilford, Ct. leading an ekphrastic study in ‘writers block’, the AMS creative writing club that’s been established for over a decade.
He and his husband of 30 years, host two art scholarship programs at Nazareth University. Often he likes to create combined art and poetry contests for college students. Most recently in 2023 for art and design for his chapbook ‘Perceptions” and a 2024 contest for art based on his poem ‘The Mysterious and Unfortunate Incident at the Grave of Eliza Barrow’, which was selected by the New England Ballet Theatre as the winner of a CPS contest to start their premier of The Mystery and Madness of Edgar Allen Poe during their 2021 season.
Originally from Wantagh, Long Island, N.Y., Ed and his husband Scott, lived in Norwalk for almost 20 years, moving to Guilford, Ct three years ago and enjoying all that the shoreline has to offer. He insists he will never write a pandemic poem and so far, has still resisted.
Key Takeaways
Ed Lent is an active Member in the Guilford Art League and the Madison Art Society.
A long time Connecticut resident, he is originally from Long Island and lived and worked in Manhattan after going to college in upstate, New York. Since moving to the Shoreline areas go Guilford and Madison three years ago as a poet, he brought his open mic poetry events to many local venues.
He now teaches ekphrastic poetry at the Madison Library on the second Tuesday of each month from 3pm-4:30 pm and beginning January 2, 2025 will be hosting an Open Mic event there also. Poetry, Spoken Word, Creative Writing, Song, Acoustic and musical talents are welcome.
He began painting seriously about 2 years ago and has art studios in both towns of Madison and Guilford where he splits his time living seasonally.
Earlier this year, he created the Ekphrastic Poetry Trust of Connecticut and has a reach of about 100 poets which he calls upon to read or write poetry for events. It is a philanthropic cause, there is no fee for membership and although geared to Connecticut poets, any poet in the U.S. is welcome to join.
Art and poetry go hand in hand for this accomplished artist and poet. He hosts many poetry workshops, readings and has most recently combined poetry readings specific to local Connecticut art shows. He often has solo art shows which are advertised here, in FB: Ezra Lovecroft and Instagram: @Poetry Trust_EzraLovecroft. if you like to be on a email blast list for direct contact for art and/or poetry events, please email ed directly at edwardlent@icloud.com
He specializes in ekphrastic poetry which is poetry specifically written about a work of art.
He is a member of the Academy of American poets, Poetry Foundation, Poetry Society of America, the Connecticut Poetry Society, The Haiku Society of America, The National Federation of State Poetry Societies and CEO of the Ekphrastic Poetry Trust of Connecticut.
He published “As Above, So Below “his first book of poetry in 2018 and a chapbook of poetry in 2020. Winner of CT Arts Hero Award 2018, winner of New England Ballet Theater’s 2021 contest through CPS, his poem THE MYSTERIOUS AND UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT AT THE GRAVE OF ELIZA BARROW was the selected poem to intro “The Myth and Madness of Edgar Allan Poe”, to their dance season in 2019.
He hosted Ezra Lovecroft presents, open mic poetry events throughout Ct. from 2015-2024, although he may often use the name, he has moved back to using Edward Alan Lent for publishing, and E. A. Lent for painting and creative arts.
He created, with his husband of 30 years and shares financial support, 2 art scholarships with his alma mater, Nazareth University in Rochester, one for art supplies for 10 students yearly and the other, an “art immersion” where 6 students and 2 teacher-chaperones are flown down to NYC to spend a 3-day weekend going to and seeing many of Manhattan’s famous art shows, galleries and art museums each October.
Together, through their unique trust geared specifically for art education support, award thousands of dollars each year to many local not for profits, art centers and schools, in name or anonymously.
In 2024 he received the Outstanding Alumni Award from Nazareth University where he holds his B.A. in Art Education. He taught Art for many years in Rochester, N.Y. , but as a native NYer, moved back to Manhattan in the mid 1980’s where he worked in creative fields of visual merchandising and product design and development for the Japanese dinnerware manufacturer, Noritake China Co., Inc. and several others.
He has lived in Connecticut for over 25 years, previously Norwalk and these last 3 in Guilford and Madison.
He was nominated for Poet Laureate of Connecticut in 2018 and 2022 and in Sept 2024 he was unanimously voted in as the first Poet Laureate for the town of Madison.
