An old man, sitting on a shore, holds a sacred bowl,
around him stands a woman with an immaculate Heart,
flowers around her face and a beautiful young snake in her hand.
Above her head stands one huge flame.
She sows something into the bowl,
drops of holy oil, maybe chrisma, olea sancta.
The breathing of the old man crosses the falling drops.
Birds climb her dress.
This snake is a symbol of life and of healing.
At the feet of the old man, two cats mirror one another,
two warm, soft, furry, and fast creatures mirror one another.
One foot of the man rests already in the water.
When the bowl is full, will he step with it into this pond?
This is the first new image of the new year,
it came very slowly, very quietly, very gentle just like this new year feels to me.
It came line by line, shape by shape, in rest and meditation,
these light, hazy lines were drawing me somewhere.
And now I see where I am.
From the beginning this pencil drawing was meant to become an etching,
a bitten etching, no drypoint. Size of sketch and copper plate is 20/25 cm.
This will be continued ...
I am sure this is going to turn out beautifully. I just realized there are not often men in your artworks, so this one is a bit different.
ReplyDeleteAnd I know just what you mean about this year coming on slowly and gently! Perhaps that is the way the best ones start?
Hi Jodi, it's true there are not often men in my work, your words remind me of something else I see in this drawing : an unusual but lovely balance between man and woman where the man holds the bowl and the woman seeds. I'm happy with it :-)
ReplyDeleteYes, as Jodi says, nice to see a man, and I love what you write in response to her. The woman seeding the bowl. Maybe an omen of the coming times? Women stepping up to add our seeds to the mix?
ReplyDeleteIncredible gift you have. The ability to be patient and quiet while the images come. Allowing yourself to be filled bit by bit, drop by drop. You are an inspiration!
ReplyDeleteFirst comment: The face of the man is the same face I see in the blog before of the musician. The wife seems to me very active and like fire.
ReplyDeleteSecond comment: the man is holding the bowl of wisdom, knowledge and possibilities. Someone is ill and needs urgent help. The woman implores him with all her energy to realize the healing. Without the seed of her urgent activities and trials the bowl would be infertile. So the woman is a healer (snake-symbol).
Your new portrait:
ReplyDeleteSFUMATO like Mona Lisa of Leonardi da Vinci
I am so grateful for all your comments, I don't have more words now. I read your words and I return to read again :-)
ReplyDeleteSfumato, Dori, I love sfumato photographs. And when a photo of myself is not sfumato, I feel like a butterfly pinned dead in a museum box.
I knew, that you know, what "sfumato" is!
ReplyDelete