Tag Archives: painting

War through a painter’s eye

Sometimes I write material other than poetry. Here is an extract from a recent article I wrote about a young man who served during World War I. He had worked as a graphic designer and was fond of reciting poetry. “Even his father was surprised when Julian Gould enlisted in 1915. Gould had gone toContinue reading “War through a painter’s eye”

Pictures in the sky

“An Artist Works” was inspired by Constable’s cloud study dated ‘evening, 31 August 1822’. The English painter produced these close observations of the skies during 1821 and 1822 in Hampstead, North London where he spent his summers in the early 1820s.

Exalted thus, we left

An old favourite revisited, because artists are allowed to have their obsessions. “Exalted thus, we left” is a reworking of a poem from 2011: I love the Dorothea Tanning painting that spurred the original “Jacob’s Dream for crinolined girls”. When I’m in Tate Modern, I’ll usually try to pop into the Surrealism gallery to gazeContinue reading “Exalted thus, we left”

Rooftop Thoughts

From this time last year: an essay about a painting of Covent Garden rooftops. The image triggered a series of personal memories about school art history lessons and my ‘London Granny’.

The Poet Reads an Essay on the Artist

With their vibrant colours and pop culture subject matter, the paintings of contemporary Swedish artist Per-Inge Isheden appeal to an international fan-base. This video provides a brief introduction to his work in relation to art historical resonances. For information about Isheden’s work, visit his website. In addition to these blog posts, you can follow BeadedQuill’s musingsContinue reading “The Poet Reads an Essay on the Artist”

Puckish Paintings

Last year I had one of those “I’ve made it!” writer’s moments. I was offered a paid writing gig on one of my favourite topics: art. I had the privilege of exploring the work of contemporary Swedish artist, Per-Inge Isheden, whose “puckish paintings” loosened my essay muscles. Read the full written article here, or sit back and listenContinue reading “Puckish Paintings”

Degas’s Business Card

The truth-teller draws from a pocket the laminated slide of mm 85 x 55. You read – it turns pellucid. Through the foramen you see the blade that cuts a lover’s sup and dulled lime drunk alone in place of absinthe’s sleight of bliss. Here life ferments and the contact details for the artist sitContinue reading “Degas’s Business Card”

A Bequest of Wonder

Within the confines of a silken sheet, the observers attend upon the temple. Before it returns to ash and dust, they light a votive offering. It is   in a portrait the thumbnail of the painter’s right hand   the sparse arm-hairs of a samurai beset by ghosts   the frog at the woman’s feet,Continue reading “A Bequest of Wonder”