This is the latest painting (I think) I've finished.
Entitled Limen it is painted in acrylics on box canvas (maybe a little graphite and shellac ink in there too) and measures 40 x 40 cm. A lot of glazing en route.
As with poems, I find I need to live with / attempt to ignore paintings for a while before deciding if they're actually finished. The temptation to re-visit is always there - to keep working it - sometimes into overworking - and I've slaughtered a fair share of paintings in that way. At least with words you can retain the early drafts. More difficult with paint. But a period of 'living time' generally sorts out whether equilibrium has finally been reached or not.
This one has been lurking in my sitting room for a couple of months - just at the edge of peripheral vision. It's there. Done. Hope you like it. Some more recent paintings here.
This week's Poetry Bus driver is Chiccoreal with a prompt to write about the first thing that pops into the head on waking up - so here it is;
Again
Light bleeds along the edge of drawn blinds
Monday and the working week is drizzling to focus
beyond the window raindrops spatter sycamores
like silent neighbours popping corn
Summer shrinks away, this week our second child
is starting secondary school
soon the morning schedule won't accommodate
five minute blinks at sullen numerals
I close my eyes again - a temporary flatline - listen
to the rain shower slide away, down over Sallynoggin to the sea
rinsing early morning swimmers towelling down at Sandycove
freshwater back to salt - an opposite of tears.
© P Nolan 2010
(edited 24.8.10)
This week's poetry bus prompt issued from NanU The Sciencegirl. Her prompt involved taking note of those nuggets of nonsense, blogger's own verification words - a linguistic mystic in its own right, which brought some great responses. So with a tip of the hat to Lear, Carroll, Milligan et al - here's my bus pass;
Odditty
In the still of morning
a-frabing I will go
along the banks of Sumet
down to the frozen shore
to search amidst the gravel
for gleaming diagoo
with rake and sieve and mopokip
my fortune I will gather
my freedom I will purchase
and return to Icitemo
to sip on silk and beermemp
and never more stir.
© P Nolan 2010
Speaking of Edward Lear, I wasn't aware until recently (University of Wikipedia) that he was also quite the accomplished artist and illustrator. His work as 'ornithological draughtsman' was favourably compared with Audubon, and he even briefly gave drawing lessons to Queen Victoria. Which allows me to segue sinuously to the image above, entitled 'Demon', my own 'demonological' contribution to a group exhibition by IGI members, launching this Thursday at the United Arts Club. I'm not sure if any of the illustrators on show have ever given lessons to royalty, but several (or rather, their art) have definitely appeared on stamps.
Your invitation to attend is hereby decreed.
