I found an old printout of a sketch I did at college with a computer analysis of the colours used in it, using a programme I do not have unfortunately.
This seemed to tune in with a recent tiny painting.
Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s book of poems How to Paint Sunlight has this:
“I asked a hundred painters and a hundred poets
how to paint sunlight
on the face of life
Their answers were ambiguous and ingenuous
as if they were all guarding trade secrets
Whereas it seems to me
all you have to do
is conceive of the whole world
and all humanity
as a kind of art work
a site-specific art work
an art project of the god of light
the whole earth and all that’s in it
to be painted with light”
from Instructions to Painters & Poets
Advertisements
Love Ferlinghetti; did a brief posting to celebrate his 95th BD today, please stop by and visit some time. Thanks!
Hi. I love the trees on the horizon. To paint light, it seems to me the focus is on the absence of light, shadow. Jane
Beautiful poem and post, and I loved your last one too – uplifting!
Not aware of that particular Ferlinghetti poem but a lovely pairing of text and painting.
I found the book called How to Paint Sunlight last year, although the poem itself is not called that. He took the line from it for the title of the collection, more recent than his better known work I guess.
It’s interesting to see how a poem that goes from ‘painting’ to ‘conceive’ was published at the point when conceptualism took over institutional art and displaced painting to an ‘is painting dead?’ public discourse. Not a criticism of the poem, which is succinct and fun.
He is a (fairly figurative) painter as well as a poet so I don’t think was advocating replacing painting. I hadn’t considered the time it was published so thanks for the association.
I’ve just seen ‘Hockney Printmaker’ at Dulwich Picture Gallery which includes a favourite of mine, the Weather series, in which Hockney works out how to depict sunlight (as well as rain, fog, snow and wind), and makes some shrewd comments about drawing. Thanks for the Ferlinghetti, it was new to me.
Rain is my favourite of those! Hockney’s I Pad series a few years ago followed the arrival of Spring particularly too.
A lovely poem Diane. I have to own up to never having heard of Lawrence Ferlinghetti before but your post made me seek out more of his work. Thanks for the introduction
I think he is better known as a publisher and founder of the City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco in the 50’s. Glad you liked the poem!
Wonderful painting, intriguing text – thank you!
Very kind, Sigrun.