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Now, here's something I've been meaning to post for a long time. For a long long time. Since I had my first solo exhibition over a year ago, in fact. After the exhibition I was commissioned to create two of these 'small blue thing' drawings. This one was for Sally, a surprise gift for her husband (it's a scarab, by the way, Sally), and the other was for the Hughes family. When I delivered the Hughes' drawing I was given this poem, below. Karey had been inspired to write it after visiting my exhibition. I read it often, and have been meaning to come up with the perfect drawing to post with it. But, as yet, that drawing has not happened and as this one has remained un-posted it seemed fitting. Plus, if I continue to wait for the perfect drawing I'll never share the poem with you. And, that would not be right. It's one of the most lovely, and humbling, gifts I've received.
Thanks, Karey.
strictly ballpoint?
No, there’s pencil, ink, gel pen, crayon, marker
even tippex, in your riotous attention to detail.Thousands of careful lines;
such small changes of pressure, shade, direction.
How much of your time
to draw all those buttons, coins, badges, tickets,
hair grips? Even tiny cat claws.
Obsessive? Compulsive?I can’t look away.
I’m a voyeur reading your notebooks,
a kindred detective with too many clues:
mass-produced, man-made, plastic, metal
or something natural, unique?
Any object is subject.
Nothing escapes a curious eye.
You rummage in the attic of my memory
to conjour your magic; a delicate, crazy art
full of surprises
like your quirky picture-title puns
from songs in your head,
now in mine, old favourites -
Joni Mitchell, Suzanne Vega.
A kind of give and take
where nothing is too ordinary
or too personal
so you offer up your socks,
like fat birds on a wire,
even a black bra draped over a line,
and in “drawers” - knickers,
blowing in a breeze!
half-submerged in soapy water -
you call it, “slooshy sloshy, slooshy sloshy”
Washed pots draining
and lots of shoes from all angles
and pages of doodles and travel memorabilia,
with whimsical thoughts in curly calligraphy:
“will it ever stop raining?”
“trying to keep out of the rain”.
You must be local. You make me laugh.
It takes time and close attention
to notice everything –
Like peering through a doll’s house window
and seeing my own life,
in every shiny detail:
I want to empty out my pockets!
Above is a photo that I took at my show. For some really great photos check out THIS POST by Pippa, which was another lovely gift I received after the exhibition. I really am a very lucky, ahem, 'girl'.
8 Comments on you are perfectly reflected, last added: 2/9/2013
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Oh my, Andrea. How amazingly flattering that poem is. To hear how another experiences your artwork would be something so special. That certainly is a poem, a gift to treasure.
That IS a lovely poem! Very talented writer! Maybe you two should team up for a joint show some day.
That IS a lovely poem! Very talented writer! Maybe you two should team up for a joint show some day.
what a lovely poem! and what a precious gift that was for you, a true treasure. thank you for sharing it with us.
what a lovely poem! and what a precious gift that was for you, a true treasure. thank you for sharing it with us.
ps: love the drawing of "little things" as well .. so charming ;)
That's so beautiful and awesome!
Thanks, folks.
Yes, I was very touched. I love it. Cheers.