Weekend Poetry Date - Week 2

Weekend Poetry Dates are a weekly series of posts reporting on this newbie's exploration of poetry during National Poetry Month (April 2012). See all the posts here.

~~~

 "Look for the poetry that grows under your feet."

~ Rainer Marie Rilke

I haven't written any poetry yet, but I've read more in the past two weeks than I have in the past 10 years. It's interesting to see which ones grab me and which ones don't.

I haven't given much time to any contemporary poets, most of my readings are from typical introductory books like The 100 Best Poems of All Time, or Poems Worth Knowing (that last one's from 1958!). Thanks to Tingle and her amazing list in last week's comments though, I think I'll make a point of branching out into more recent writings this coming week.

~~~

This past week brought a major insight: When it comes to poetry I have no patience.

I tend to get bored easily by super long poems (Longfellow's Evangeline excepted, but that's because I'm Acadian and the story is dear to my heart). Old or complex language loses me and so do complex metaphors.

I guess I like my poetry short and I like it obvious. I didn't know that about me.

Case in point, out of the 100 Best Poems of All Time - and granted I didn't read them all - the one that took my breath away was An Old Pond by Matsuo Bashō, written in the 1600s:

Old pond—

A frog leaps in—

Water's sound.

I see it. I hear it. Can you?

Two Very Good Things: Squam Art Workshops and Flying Lessons

Just in case you're considering last-minute registration for either of these two events, let me tell thee how wonderful they are.

They changed my life. Period. And I don't bandy around statements like that lightly.

Squam Art Workshops (S.A.W.) - September 2011 session, registration closes August 15th

My first S.A.W. was less than three years ago and OMG so much has changed! (I don't bandy around terms like "OMG" lightly either.)

S.A.W. is where I picked up a paint brush for the first time since kindergarten, it's where I discovered creative possibility, and it's where I connected with a group of creative kindreds that hold a big space in my heart today. And the food, goodness the food.

It's. All. Good.

Registration for the S.A.W. September session closes Monday, August 15th.

If you can make it happen, go.

Flying Lessons: The E-Course - Registrations are open, class starts Sunday, August 7th

Last year I resisted the Flying Lessons e-course in a BIG way, which of course meant I needed to register. And thank goodness I did.

If you're thinking of testing the waters with your creative business, this e-course will leave you motivated, inspired and loaded with practical information to get you going and connections to fellow kindreds on the same path.

I've witnessed Flying Lessons graduates soar to dizzying heights, while others, like me, are taking a little more time but lifting more and more each time we stretch ourselves as creative entrepreneurs.

Registrations are open; class starts Sunday, August 7th.

Note: I am not receiving any compensation for these plugs. Good product, good review. C'est tout!

Wonder, Polymer and Chillin'

an indoor oasis in Montreal's financial district, Getaway 2011

After last week's 5-Day Challenge I escaped to Montreal for a weekend of wonder, beauty, relaxation and a little bit of soul funk dancing to top it off.

Then I spent ten hours in the country with two other women, a 160lb (I think it was that big) Rottweiler named Porto and a hound (I think she was a hound) named Dixie playing with fabric, polymer and the female form.

I can't wait to tell you more about both, but I'm just too pooped!

So tonight I chill. But I will be back.

5-Day Challenge: Days 4 and 5

I did it! Five days, five visits to the art table. Just the gentle kick I needed to get going.

Every time I do this 5-day exercise I see my confidence grow towards the end. I show up, I try out new things and I LEARN.

I didn't have much time to paint on Days 4 and 5, but I still painted. I tried something different: inspired by Day 3 paint leftovers and a favourite pot of jumbly tumbly pansies, I tried to paint a stylized (or maybe impressionistic?) still life - a first for me.

Here's the photo on which it's based:

I began with a mat board (about 9x7) on which I'd slathered my leftover paint from Day 3's Frida:

I detected the shape and colour of my blue flower pot on the bottom and it inspired me to try the pansies.

The background, pots and greenery were the product of Day 4, the flowers were added on Day 5:

I think I'm intrigued enough to continue and see where it will go.

This style of painting is new to me and completely out of my comfort zone, but a 5-Day Challenge is a great time to experiment since there's no pressure to produce anything to completion. The goal is to show up; that is all.

I'm hoping to do this type of timed challenge more often, I'll let you know if I do. And thanks to those who joined in this time 'round - you helped keep me honest!

'Til the next challenge...

On Learning My Craft...

peony abstract, homage to Georgia O'Keeffe

(this is not a painting, original photo modified using GIMP)

For the past several months I’ve been functioning on a “next right step” basis. Having a general idea of where I want to go, I ask myself and the Universe “What is the next right action to take?” Often I get an answer and often I don’t know where it will lead me, but I do it anyway.

Today I ponder the question specifically about my painting.

I know I love to paint and I could eat, sleep and talk about art and creativity ad nauseam. Just ask my work colleagues, friends and family.

I know I want to learn more about the craft and its basics: composition, drawing, colour theory…

Though not exclusively, I also know that I’m drawn to abstract painting which is different (or at least I perceive it to be) than most types of work I see within my current creative community.

So where to from here? How do I grow my skills and knowledge as a painter?

Art classes, workshops and books are obvious ways to learn and no-brainers for me. So is practice (though committing to it is hard).

But what about finding an artistic mentor? Or registering for a creative arts program? Or creating my own self-directed artistic learning path?

All possibilities I’ve pondered – and still am pondering.

I suspect I already have the answers. The key is to be still enough to hear them.

And if in doubt? There's always putting brush to canvas. I can't go wrong with that.

~~~

Do you ponder your artistic growth? What could you learn to further your craft, and how could you go about learning it?