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Sunday 22 July 2012

The garden that thought itself a spinney


I watch him soak the paper,
take in hand the brown and sticky tape
and run it round the paper's sides
to seal them to the board.
We wait. The paper as it dries
pulls taut. The day
is gloomy yet
with just a trace of sun about to break
beyond the foliage.

He sits. Allows the board to rest
so lightly on his knees.
Shapes. Areas of interest.
Rich and dark and difficult to recognise.

He sprays the paper - lightly now -
and on the wet
floods in his reds and greens,
lighter for the foliage.
Dull shadows of a violet hue.

A wisp of blotting paper. Rolled,
he uses it to draw in detail, bring
the image roughly into shape.
Light on dark. It's like a negative
emerging in a photographic tray.
He sprays again (The paper
has begum to dry.)

The water droplets granulate the paint.
He floods in powerful cadmiums -
reds and yellows. Sprays again -
the shadows now - then rubs them
with his finger tips and thumb.
(A risky business
that could turn the painting
to a sea of mud.
This time it works O.K..)
A spot or two of opaque paint
and all is done - a woodland scene
from one small garden grown.
...........................................................
Written for Claudia's Poetics : in Schillers footsteps 

38 comments:

Claudia said...

nice..been already waiting for you to come through the pub doors...want a cup of coffee.? smiles
first..thanks for a new word..spinney.. have not heard this before but perfect word for what it means..really like how you capture him in the process of creating..taking risks...it's all about taking risks..in art and life as well..isn't it..

lucychili said...

yes water colour work is so particular. great description.

A Cuban In London said...

Ahhh... the process. It's all about the process. What a marvellous descriptive poem. Many thanks.

Hey, Claudia, I'll take that cup of cofee, too! :-)

Greetings from London.

Ygraine said...

What a fabulous discription of the birth of a watercolour. You have given the art of painting a mythic dimension here, Dave.
Love it :)

Daydreamertoo said...

What a lovely description of an artist at work. I can only imagine how devastating it must feel to spend all that time on a piece and then to ruin it with a smudge or smear in the wrong places.
Really enjoyed this artfully crafted word painting of yours Dave.

Wolfsrosebud said...

interesting write... I enjoyed the process

The Weaver of Grass said...

I once went on a course for teachers on creating exciting paintings with children (I am no good at painting at all) and I came home so inspired after messing about with rollers and powder paint. Your poem reminded me of the experience, so thanks for that Dave.

Leovi said...

Delicious execution of works of art. The garden is within me.

Scarlet said...

I like process of creation here Dave...the details and colors come to life ~

Carl said...

Love this one. Great description of a painting coming to life.

Mary said...

One can tell from this read that you know all the steps an artist takes to bring a canvas to life. Fine work once again.

(Typo in stanza 4...begun)

Brian Miller said...

absolutley lovely capture of the process of creation...all the preparation that goes into just getting to putting pain on the page...you def bring that moment to life dave...

Anonymous said...

Hi Dave, wonderfully explained; subtle but clear, and evocative. Well done. You are very versatile! k.

Susan said...

How Wonderful!--"a woodland scene from one small garden grown." A very Beautiful rendering, David.

I have watched watercolor artists working with less concern for the layers and less patience for the wetting and blotting and texturing, so I feel I have been introduced to a master. And what a magnificent implication in the title that this painting willed itself into being, which makes this artist a spiritual channel as well. Bravo! Are you the artist?

Tommaso Gervasutti said...

Alluring for the sense of touch with colours physically vibrant

chazinator said...

I've seen a wonderful watercolorist work in just such a way. They often talk about the chi of the object that they wish to capture before the colors hold fast and become unmanageable. The process is so spontaneously creative. You've captured superbly the love of the color, the water and its creative/destructive qualities so crisply. They say the artist becomes one with their object, if so your poem of the artist here does that superbly.

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haricot said...

I can see vividly how the painter worked on his( her) paper step by step causiously and bravely. I enjoyed this lines very much. Thank you!

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Dave King said...

All
Apologies, but this is another of those occasions when I cannot get round to you all individually - which is a great shame as you have treated me to an exceptional bunch of comments which I was very thrilled to receive. So thank you all, it's great to have you calling.

Anonymous said...

Great response to the prompt, Dave. I was not familiar with the details of the process you describe, so I loved how you focused less on brushstrokes and color selection and instead devoted lines to the preparation details. Prep work is so important, yet we often forget to explore that as fully.

Anonymous said...

David deals in AK's , is what we have.
Marie - AK - " K is no longer silent."
This is Anna Marie?
With Monte?
Well, either is UN- Cheney - , Meese , for that
" matter".
Kerryr78 gives away the prize?
Which is Risa?
Thomasso Gervasutti has a TCCARE- TCAOF?
( Thomas Train 19)
Which can only mean Jones- Carter - Berriro- Rush-
Schar - (169.)
Texas is burning, boys and Crow - Jagger know it.
" Hepopadu to Aducca".

Anonymous said...

We got an " A Lert".
It's FOGTUX.
You know it as PHOGRE .
Which is Remy.
He's the one in AK'S with Cho.
AEBSEQU 54.
This is about MD 5 & MP 3.
We have their names if you want us to " share" them.
Yemen has been very helpful and so has Dassault - Turner.
Ditto- Irene.
"Rosengasse".
It's all about " Roots".
And COCUK.

Anonymous said...

It's FOCK EW all the way with MITT ROMNEY.
Ada gave away the " Koala bear"!
LA - OLAH!
Which means they got SUMAR SUMANDO.
Number " 13" can be a very unlucky number especially for LUKY LASS MINES in "mad sin".

Anonymous said...

This about AK'S?
" Hilary Melton Butcher"?
Then you should got to " That Blue Yak" .
He's a Zeta with Clinton.
They're talking about " Rick the Prick " again.
They say it's Vermont.
" Eric Lewis" is with this Aebseq 54.
And now Coulter's getting it up her ANESS.
Phyto to Phyco.
They 're all " Starz", you know.

Anonymous said...

It's DJ Geroni 12.
He's " key".
UNARYEND 22.

Anonymous said...

Rick is informing like crazy.
RSEDJT 5.
They got a billion DJ's out there.
All in MUSSEC with Harper.
Toronto is " CHUMATO".
Didn't you know?
Mia does.
" BYMAT ".

Anonymous said...

Syria .
Teslaress.
Chesslagun.
" Rafther 38".
" Sstan".
Navy - Gates.

Anonymous said...

It's REME 116.
He's that 3 F France Farmer, Maine.
He's with UK.
And Coles- Ball- Bunn- Ross- Tillmann.
It's about El Salvador .
Guns - ammo- pedophiles - French mob.

Anonymous said...

Check out MARKO METAL SKIRT HANGER!
It's military working with ZETAS!
Hey,
Let's ask DR. ZIBBS!
Is DR. ZIBBS a ZETA?
With " RICK the PRICK" and KARL ROVE?
LCLIPT 3?
MPT?
Texas .
Oh you got absolutely no fucking where to go.
OBCTE 13.
They're doing y'all, baby.
DJ MP singing " WINGU"!
" FLYPU"!
Lotsa shit hitting those " PANNS'"!
Let's PLAYDOTA!
Come on fuckers in Osiris.
Let's PLAYDOTA!

Anonymous said...

They got Jeb, man.
They got him .
Old Knudsen got Bitter Balls - Ira.
PEDOPHILES - ACE- ENTSSSUR.
It's Utah all the way.

Anonymous said...

CLINTON E = EFULKIL 14.

Anonymous said...

Oh oh..got a "Willy" for Dave.
NEYDIS 8.
You want to explain your associations - NEVADA?
And when you tell us can you relate it back to ERMICAFE 8?
Much appreciated.

Anonymous said...

Explain DYOURSES 1.
This is why the movie "Kansas Kings" demands the execution of top politicians.

Anonymous said...

Mrs. Die Win son has a " crow".
Apparently she and Irene knew too much about Kansas.
And Mitt.
With Obs.
Austria and mafia now quit DOT.CUM in BUNDESLAND.
Which leaves DANA-FREDST on DEDST.
(With " Bibbity Bobbity" & " boo".)