Ippy and I are making drawings of our world, friend by friend. We drew Lynne on Thursday and our drawings couldn't be more different. Ippy's was full face and done in graceful, loose, Matissean, Ippyean lines. It was beautiful and it captured Lynne's strength and her sensuality. Mine is a 3/4 profile and shows, I think, the spiritual and idealistic Lynne. I didn't set out to do that, but it happened. I'll see if Ippy will let me share hers and if she does, I'll add it to this post on Monday.
Temperatures here are falling into the mid 20's this weekend. Last night, I harvested a purple-freckled iris blossom from my garden before the cold could blight it. A parrot tulip from the farmers' market this morning has stunning red-striped petals. These flowers make me think of the 1877 poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins called 'Pied Beauty.' You don't have to be a religious person (I am and am not) to be moved by its power and loveliness.
Pied Beauty
Glory be to God for dappled things--
For skies of couple-colour as a brinded cow;
For rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim;
Fresh-firecoal chestnut-falls; finches' wings;
Landscape plotted and pieced--fold, fallow, and plough;
And áll trádes, their gear and tackle and trim.
All things counter, original, spare, strange;
Whatever is fickle, freckled (who knows how?)
With swift, slow; sweet, sour; adazzle, dim;
He fathers-forth whose beauty is past change: Praise Him.
Gerard Manley Hopkins (1877)
You have definitely praised him. Glorious!
Posted by: Robin N | April 12, 2007 at 11:40 AM
what a beautiful portrait. really well done.
Posted by: Jane LaFazio | April 11, 2007 at 12:20 PM
My gosh, that flower painting is just amazing!
Posted by: laserone | April 11, 2007 at 01:13 AM
I love these pictures - the tulip and iris are beautiful. Am in need of some flower beauty these days, as my garden lies still and frozen beneath a covering of snow.
Posted by: kate | April 11, 2007 at 12:02 AM
Many thanks to you, my friends. Gosh, I can't help but be cheered, having all of your support! Yes, sweet Kate, life is dappled, for sure. I'm going to get Ippy's drawing tomorrow---I hope. Thanks again to everyone.
Posted by: Laura | April 10, 2007 at 08:09 PM
What a beautiful portrait. She's innocent and yet sensuous at the same time. Love the colors on the iris.
Posted by: Marilyn | April 10, 2007 at 08:12 AM