?At first it seemed a little speck,
And then it seemed a mist;
It moved and moved, and took at last
A certain shape, I wist.?From The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Isn?t this how a painting happens: the first brushmark, so important at the time but ultimately a mere speck.
A mist of possible ways to approach an idea, finding clarity by moving with and through them. Colours shifting on the surface, possibilities changing and solidifying.
I was painting painting
Painting
But no glimmer of hope,
Nothing good came out of my brush.
All of a sudden by clumsiness
My palette full of hues fell to the carpet;
By miracle from the disgusting stain,
A multi-coloured butterfly was born
And flitted around me
That angel
Quite naturally
Spoke my language and said:
– Alain, poor wretch
Let yourself go! As a man and as an artist.”
And then he landed on my canvas…
Little by little,
He turned into a wonderful tangle of colours…
“My” painting became an amazing work.
Love it Alain!
Did you know Turner used to write poems to accompany his paintings? Photo example
No, Marion, I didn’t. It would be very hard to me to write poems about my own paintings, because I do not find any magic in them: the reason is that I know only too well how I have made them technically. But about paintings of other painters, I sure should like it!
I think there’s a strong tie between poetry and painting, connected by seeing and thinking.
Another artist you might enjoy: Tom Phillips’ Humument where he took an obscure book and made visual poems from it.
Another thought: perhaps on a technically perfect painting you should add words to make it less perfect and a modernist visual poem? Cutout from a newspaper and collaged on?
Thanks Marion for the answer. But when I speak of technique, it is not about perfection, but only about the process. I note that when I paint, I paint like a robot or a “hubot” as in the TV series “The real humans”! Or as a surgeon. What provokes into me feelings and thoughts, this is the reality, the real that persuades me to paint: still life, face, landscape… As tourists taking photos in front of a wonderful view. This is the real that creates in me emotions and “acting out”. So I can write in front of the real I see . Or as I said before, I can write about the paintings of others, because I do not know physically their process in real time (as with your works for instance).
Thank you Marion for your tips and motivators. I must agree about the link between poetry and art – I make personal cards for family members birthdays, anniversaries etc., even get well cards. I write a poem or rhyme about the individual / occasion and draw or paint in whatever comes to mind that fits with the situation / matches my poem.
They may not be technically great (especially my painting) but they are always much appreciated by the recipients – who assure me” they are not just being kind.”
I have always put my thoughts down by writing poetry or in diary form. and added my own drawings/paintings or photos to them. Memories are definitely made of this…