Life Drawing Class
We gather in the garden
At Guilhounet, friends, artists
Too long dispersed, happily met
We gather in the garden
At Guilhounet, friends, artists
Too long dispersed, happily met
Life drawing class
Focus this morning, the female form
Backdrop, nature, fig leaves
( But all will be revealed )
So, boards clipped, 2B, 4B pointed and poised
Hold at arm’s length, concentrate
Squint, see the shape, proportion
Find the line, deep breath
Right brain, engage, take the plunge
Bravely we strive, draw what we see
The long the lean the angular frame
Neck curved, fine, strong line
The arch of a clichéd swan
Hip bone sharp as an elbow
Matisse figures, economy of mark, scarcely there, suggestion
Filling the page
She is still, firm, spare
Four babies carried but no trace left
No softness no roundness no blur
All clarity of line
And afterwards
Reviewing gaily, pale rosé poured
Eight of us, so long past youth’s first flush
Women of a certain age
Few sharp angles remaining
The plump and the curved most surely embraced
Our own celebration, exhibition, display
Henry Moore, Rubens, in flesh and in blood
Proud to be round to be slack to have lived
Focus this morning, the female form
Focus this morning, the female form
Backdrop, nature, fig leaves
( But all will be revealed )
So, boards clipped, 2B, 4B pointed and poised
Hold at arm’s length, concentrate
Squint, see the shape, proportion
Find the line, deep breath
Right brain, engage, take the plunge
Bravely we strive, draw what we see
The long the lean the angular frame
Neck curved, fine, strong line
The arch of a clichéd swan
Hip bone sharp as an elbow
Matisse figures, economy of mark, scarcely there, suggestion
Filling the page
She is still, firm, spare
Four babies carried but no trace left
No softness no roundness no blur
All clarity of line
And afterwards
Reviewing gaily, pale rosé poured
Eight of us, so long past youth’s first flush
Women of a certain age
Few sharp angles remaining
The plump and the curved most surely embraced
Our own celebration, exhibition, display
Henry Moore, Rubens, in flesh and in blood
Proud to be round to be slack to have lived
Focus this morning, the female form
Life drawing class
August 29th 2009, Hounoux, for the class mates
Just so damn good Sally, so damn good, however, I am sure that you meant 7 of you so long past youths first flush or except for Gill who is flushing all the time - perhaps those words just didn't fit into the pattern - I forgive you! because the rest is exceptional.
ReplyDeleteLove Gill (always flushing)
From Jenny G
ReplyDeleteI almost feel I was there!
Yes yes of course Gill, I do forget how very youthful you are- comparitively of course! I think an ode to flushing ladies is called for.... I did also want to put in an apology to one or two who haven't embraced roundness quite so much as me!
ReplyDeleteFrom Susan and Carol - our teachers for this class:
ReplyDeleteJust spent a long time discussing female genitalia and its referances to Art with Carol....loved the poem.....loved the drawing and the fact that you expressed an emotion of the day.Love Carol and Susan xx
From Alyson - also in class.
ReplyDeleteI particularly liked 'hip bone sharp as an elbow' Is that a simile? If so I really like it when it is unique and works as this one does. I too had strong feelings about the life drawing class but could not have put them into words like this.