Sunday, March 29, 2009

"spring is like a perhaps hand"

(11x15 bristol board)

(5x7 each)

(5x7 each)

The magnolia in my sideyard is blooming. It's such a pretty tree, so Eastern-looking.
But the flowers don't last for long, and every year I work on the magnolias till they're done.
These are the first. I tend to overpaint white flowers--these are a milky pink to yellow-white inside; plumy-pink on the outside; the goal is to do so less and less as I repaint the subject.



Spring is like a perhaps hand
by E. E. Cummings

          III

Spring is like a perhaps hand
(which comes carefully
out of Nowhere)arranging
a window,into which people look(while
people stare
arranging and changing placing
carefully there a strange
thing and a known thing here)and
changing everything carefully

spring is like a perhaps
Hand in a window
(carefully to
and fro moving New and
Old things,while
people stare carefully
moving a perhaps
fraction of flower here placing
an inch of air there)and

without breaking anything.


(from the website Poets.Org)

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14 comments:

dominique eichi said...

Your magnolia blooms here are so delicious and glorious. That flower always inspires me and your piece did the same.. Thank you for stopping by my place.

Mineke Reinders said...

Your magnolia blossoms are enviably loose, lovely and alive. My magnolia is still tightly budded, and I found it covered with snow this morning! A few years ago, a frost killed all the flowers, but I think they are Ok this time. I even did a sketch of one of the snow-covered buds, but it's not nearly as exuberant as yours. I know the blossoms are short-lived, but I hope we get to see some more.

Cathy Gatland said...

Gorgeous springy sketches Laura, and a beautiful poem. We have the same magnolia in our garden and every year, the minute it flowers, a flock of little mousebirds comes and rips them to shreds. Other birds (and my dog!) eat the seeds from the pods, so they must taste as good as they look.

Gwen Buchanan said...

I love these.. Laura you really have an ability to capture delicacy... these are so beautiful the lines and painting...

cathyswatercolors said...

Blooms are beautiful. I am really enjoying the the blue backround. The drawings are sooo good.I have been really challenged lately. So many failed paintings. I need to start in a new direction. Maybe this week?

Sandy Maudlin said...

LOVELY! So fresh and vinbrant. And so watery colory.

Deepa Gopal said...

They are so beautiful!!! & the poem tops it all!

A Brush with Color said...

Oh, I just love that poem, and your beautiful magnolia blossoms are so appropriate with that! I love the gentle treatment you gave them here. Your drawings are so soft and you really did such a good job of showing their various "postures" here.

sandy said...

these are gorgeous!!!

RH Carpenter said...

Takes my breath away, they are so beautiful...and I love seeing the "bones" of your paintings in the top photo of the drawings turning to paintings. Just lovely!

Teresa said...

Your magnolias are beautiful. I love the way you handle watercolor... you're so good at letting it flow and keeping a loose, lively look (slight tone of envy there! :-)

Sharon said...

No magnolias in my neighborhood. What a gorgeous flower, and your painted blossoms are lovely. White flowers just aren't that easy to paint. Poems and artwork are the perfect pairing, Laura.

Carol Blackburn said...

Don't know how I missed these...very lovely, Laura.

Karen said...

Lovely watercolors! Fresh and great color