Sunday, December 29, 2013

Simple Pleasures

Welcome to the sixth edition
 of Poetry and Paintings

Mary Ann Anderson, an artist* friend of mine sent me the following words by esteemed artist and teacher, Robert Henri, who wrote the Art Spirit published in 1923.

"The object of painting a picture is not to make a picture -- however unreasonable this may sound. The picture, if a picture results, is a by-product and may be useful, valuable, interesting as a sign of what has past. The object, which is back of every true work of art, is the attainment of a state of being, a state of high functioning, a more than ordinary moment of existence....
There are moments in our lives, there are moments in a day, when we seem to see beyond the usual. Such are the moments of our greatest happiness. Such are the moments of our greatest wisdom. If one could but recall his vision by some sort of sign. It was in this hope that the arts were invented. Sign-posts on the way to what may be. Sign-posts toward greater knowledge."

An example of this is when I recently painted a still life....just three ordinary onions. But my true enjoyment wasn't because of the actual subject matter, rather it was the joy of relating to the color and light effects. After the busy and "stuff"-laden moments of the holidays, it's nice to get back to the "Simple Pleasures" of the day.


For information about the above painting and my art in general, please visit ...


I welcome you to sign up, below, for this twice-a-month blog and share it with your friends who might be interested. AND I invite you to (continue) to send  favorite photos you have taken and writings (inspiring, thought provoking, or humorous)  to me at kmeredithart@gmail.com.  

In the following section, I hope that you will add personal comments and links to your own images related to this posting. I would like to make this creatively interactive!

* Take a look at Mary Ann's website...her work is beautiful!


Monday, December 2, 2013

Twilight Serenade

Welcome to the Fifth Edition of
 Poetry and Paintings!


For this blog I have selected a photograph of a Canadian sunset submitted to me by my good neighbor, Joan Bullard. You will see the painting that was inspired by that beautiful image and some quotes that remind me of the specific scene. 


 
        “Watch the sunset without speaking, just like a bird watching the sunset in complete silence!” 


“This unlikely story begins on a sea that was a blue dream, as colorful as blue-silk stockings, and beneath a sky as blue as the irises of children's eyes. From the western half of the sky the sun was shying little golden disks at the sea--if you gazed intently enough you could see them skip from wave tip to wave tip until they joined a broad collar of golden coin that was collecting half a mile out and would eventually be a dazzling sunset.” 
            
                 


For information about the above painting and my art in general, please visit ...



I encourage you to sign up, below, for this twice-a-month blog and share it with your friends who might be interested. AND I invite you to (continue) to send favorite photos you have taken and writings (inspiring, thought provoking, or humorous)  to me at kmeredithart@gmail.com.  


In the following section, I hope that you will add personal comments and links to your own images related to this posting. I would like to make this creatively interactive!