Day 297 of Year 2 (Actually Day 302)
It seemed to me this piece wanted more symbols but I hit a snag in the studio. The shadowy images are made by removing ink with cut pieces of paper. My hands were too tired today to cut and I have come to the end of my stock pile. But I made it work anyway and fortunately, tomorrow is Mother's Day and my son has agreed to to cut for me. 🙂 I spent the day drawing shapes out for him. The real trick right now, at least for me, is keeping going. Normally, my studio assistant would cut for me but everyone's normals are broken. I don't want to get stuck because I'm attached to my old way of doing things. So I am embracing this print for what it is, an essential part of my process on this day. I look forward to seeing what tomorrow will bring. My studio is a place of wonder and adventure for me.
The Painter
Robert Arthur Lewis
I put color on walls, then leave
and let light tell its own story. Strange
how our vague ambitions lead
to such particular situations, like these white overalls
with the brass clips, this collection of brushes
and buckets. It was never my intention
to join the order of caps and rags,
but here I am.
One summer evening I knelt in a shed
cleaning brushes. Light streamed through the splintered boards
and I was there to see how it landed, how it made
the shovel and the rake and the dirt floor
all count. I stopped and listened. Wind
swept dry grass against the dryer siding.
The sound was as close as my own breath
and my kneeling went deeper into thankfulness
for this strange and lonely craft
which makes me love so many things. "The Painter" by Robert Arthur Lewis. Published by The Atlanta Review, Spring/Summer 2005.
Found on http://www.ayearofbeinghere.com/2014/04/robert-arthur-lewis-painter.html