Poetry Challenge: Vincent could have told you

 

Just Click the Van Gogh image to take you to the video

Everyone has heard ‘Starry Starry Night‘ By Don Mclean,  the beautiful song about Vincent Van Gogh.  There is a line in it which says:_

But I could have told you, Vincent,
This world was never meant for one
As beautiful as you…….

(here’s the song I mean – also called ‘Vincent’)

The challenge is to watch the very short video that features all Van Gogh’s self-portrait and imagine what the artist might be trying to convey through these portraits – in other words if he could speak – what do you think he would he want to say to us?  Alternatively you could just write a poem about Van Gogh the man or his work.  The poem can be as profound as you want, or as daft as you like:)  it can be long, short or even a haiku. Put it on your site and link to mine and  I’ll make a page putting all the poems dedicated to this on my blog with a link to yours.   (You can copy and paste the image if you want).  The title of the poem is ‘Vincent could have told you’ That’s the challenge!  Are you up for it?

Please post your poems either under comments – or if you prefer sent me an email and I’ll put them on.

Here’s the first of the poems!  this one is by Kserverny aka Artswebshow.  please check out his blog it’s fantastic!

.

Oh why did the ladies never love me.

.

As i sit here in my velvet chair.

Chains of smoke swirl around me.

My dinner left lingering by the door.

Painting for the purpose of inner peace.

My thoughts, they say.

Oh why did the ladies never love me?

Life looks back in fall.

.

Relying for my income on dear little brother.

Oh the shame, it makes me insane.

I burn and cut for you people.

Yet none will look my way.

Stewing in my little bed.

Oh why did the ladies never love me?

Life looks back in fall.

.

The tormented candle flickers softly now.

Obsessive working grips me tight.

No interest gained off local peers.

I fear my end is in sight.

I softly said.

Oh why did the ladies never love me?

Life looks down in winter.

.

People tread upon the floor.

Above the sunflowers fill them with awe.

Such a valuable epiphany,

Of a time travelled long before.

The painting remains silent.

Ladies flock around him.

Standing proudly on the wall.

 

POEM NO: 2 is by bended spoon who has a very upbeat and positive website – guaranteed to raise a smile (this is the second time he’s made my day!  Please check him out:)

ugh

Van Gogh

are you aware

what you have put me through?

well, echostains

invited me to a poetry challenge

though i am not a poet.

but for the fun of it

here it is.

i see that you are obsessed

with your myriad faces.

don’t tell me you’re not

why paint a lot?

kidding aside,

i admire you man

we both lack self-confidence

but still we want to give happiness.

so i guess what you are trying to say

in your self-portraits is,

‘no sense in taking thy own life

for thy own life has sense’.

Poem No:3 is by Linda Kruschke who has a lovely homely and welcoming blog!  please check it out:)

Vincent Could Have Told You

Faces change
My face changes
With the seasons
With my mood
I paint a changing me

But I remain
Beneath the face
What I call God
That which is love
It does not change

Poem No:4 is by Debbie Feller whose blog has ‘simple poems  and simple faith’ please check it out!

I paint from the mirror
turning away to hide
my bad side
the eyes remain
unchanged.

Poem No:5 is by opoetoo who has a great blog full of poetry and musings – please give it a visit and you won’t be disappointed!

Ground /between stones

I feel the world turn

In your face

Of  clay on canvas

…………………………Rotating

………Pushing

up through the hard ground

Corn for crows to pluck and pillage

……………………… Corn enough

to feed the wonder of this planet

 

Poem No: 6 is by Adam Dustus who is a novelist, poet and graphic artist.  He has a very well established blog and there’s lots to interest poets, writers and artists alike!  Well worth a visit!

Light stricken, anxious eyes
Painting beautiful expressions sublime
Puddling tears that Starry Night
Too late, my work now recognized

Could not foresee what happened to me
Now millions on sales tags
Downloads to computer screens
Broadcasts of honors in stellar HD
Even documentaries all about me
Scandals, art thieves,
Dedicated museum wings
Sunflower posters
Mass produced grief… 

 

Yet curation now kind
Since I razed my prime
They think priceless being
A tortured mind

Only my faces and work survive
Absinthesizing swirls refined
Depression claimed another life
Still art without end
Beyond my time

 

Poem No: 7  is from Steve whose blog ‘Heednotsteve’  has a bit about everything (but mostly fiction and poetry).  its a good one so please give it a visit!

I know you

or at least
I know
your face

pale forehead
and faint brow,
high cheeks

your somber face

the contours
and creases
of it

backwards to me, convenient

set mouth
and the eyes,
I know the eyes

unflinching – I’ve never seen them closed

I know
your face

your sad
serious
face

hopeful and doubtful

as if
I might tell you
something

about you

as if you might
by patient
scrutiny

know me

PoemNo:8 is by Fireblossom.  Her blog Shay’s word garden is full of original poetry.  Check it out!

Vince, hi.

Um…

What? Oh, I’m fine. You’re sweet to ask.

So…

What up?

“Dawg”. Ha ha.

Are you, like, still doing drawings and stuff?

Yeah? You’re pretty good. Seriously, dude.

You should, like, maybe take a class or something.

Have you ever signed up for an art class? No?

I think the community college offers them.

I took, I don’t know, some computer thing there once…it was okay, I guess.

I met Rick there.

Yeah, Rick, this guy I’m seeing, or like, we’re hanging out and that.

Look, Vince, I need to tell you,

You’re a nice guy and all. Some girl is out there for you.

No kidding, a lot of girls really like beards. For real!

My friend, she’s totally all about dudes who look like these mountain men or something.

Hey, I didn’t mean…

It looks good. No lie.

But, Vince,

I’m not really into art or that, and Rick, he’s kind of into the whole surfer, keg party thing.

Well, what I mean is,

Um…

Here’s your ear.

I wrapped it in, I don’t know, this napkin from Chicken Shack.

I didn’t, like, use it at all, it’s clean.

Maybe they can re-attach it?

But dude, seriously,

Don’t, like, send me the other one or anything, you know?

It’s gross, I have to be honest with you.

Really thoughtful,

But,

Gross. As hell.

What were you thinking?

Oh, c’mon,

Don’t go all crumpled looking,

My dog does that and I can’t deal.

He’s at my mom’s now…

Well, I know, like you care, right? I just ramble, whatever.

Sorry.

So, check out those art classes.

Maybe you could even sell one of your paintings?

Use the money to buy a new jacket or something.

Good luck, Vince.

I gotta run, Rick hates it if I keep him waiting.

Peace, out.

And no more ears!

Later, dude!

(walk

walk

walk

keys

car door slamming

engine starting

lipstick adjustment in rearview mirror)

*sigh*

What a fucking nut case!

Poem No: 9 is our first Haiku and its contributed by the wonderful Eva from the equally wonderfully artistic and poetical blog  47whitebuffalo. There’s lots of goodies there – please call in:)

eyes catching light play

all ways fleeting here to there

oranges splashing blues

Reflected in Lifes Mirror

Which artist hasn’t tried to do a self-portrait? I know I have – many times and I never could get it right!  Mind, you though, neither could anyone else.  I have an odd face – with no really distinguishing features: nothing that stands out.   The master of the self-portrait was Rembrandt van Rijn, he painted his every year.  But Vincent Van Gogh also painted a lot of self portraits in his life time too.  His portraits are mirror images of how his face appeared reflected in his mirror. This video is a wonderful chronicle of his self portraits, and there are also lots of them here.  I don’t have a particular favorite – but I do like the ones where he is wearing the straw hat and the ones where you can see lots of brushstrokes (in other words – most of them:))  Which ones do you like the most and why?

Self Portraits”

by Philip Scott Johnson

video by eggman913 Thanks!

Behind the paint – ‘The Kiss’ by Gustav Klimt

 

Gustav Klimt

‘The Kiss’ by Gustave Klimt (b.1862 -1918 Vienna) was painted 1907  – 1908, it is probably the Viennese artist’s most famous work.  Klimt trained at the school of Applied Arts in Vienna, but eventually broke away from the State’s patronage to form the Secession group with friends.  The group believed the promotion of the  art of unconventional Austrian painters. 

The Kiss

 

Klimt explorations of  human relationships  in his work was considered very ‘modern’ at the time.  He believed that no institution or person had the right of censorship over his work  His work is a synthesis of both the decorative and sumptuous Art Nouveau and Symbolism

“Enough of censorship……I want to break free”

This work was part of Klimt’s ‘Golden period’. The Kiss shows the man and woman sharing joy –  symbolically dissolving in an embrace. They stand against a background of  beautiful decoration, which is flecked with gold leaf.  The gold background is not incidental, Klimt’s father was a gold engraver by trade.  He had also learned mosaic techniques, fresco and oil painting.  This influence is seen in the carpet of flowers.  The gold is very like the mosaic found in Byzantine churches: Klimt was very much influenced by Italian mosaics he saw in Ravenna.

close up

 The couple each wear individual highly decorated gowns.   The difference in the gowns is important.  The man’s is of a more geometric patters consisting of black and white ‘masculine’ shapes.  By contrast, the woman’s is flowery – tieing her visually to the carpet of flowers she kneels on and linking her to ‘mother naure’.  Her gown does contain a little of the geometric pattern which unites her and symbolises her unity to the male.  A golden envelope envelops them, symbolically uniting the sexes.   Klimt’s work explores the themes of birth, life death.  The woman is especially depicted by turn as emotional joy bringer, temptress and child bearer.  The bodies fused together as one emphasis their unity.

Klimt loves hands and uses them expressively in his paintings. Also his use of gold, entwined couples and the sumptuousness of his highly decorated work have a hint of opulent decadence about them proclaiming the end of the century (fin de siecle)  a mixture of degeneration and but also hope for the future.

2003 Austria 100 Euro coin front

The Kiss was commemorated on a special collectors Austrian coin 2003.   The front of this euro painting coin shows Klimt in his studio. The Kiss was popular in its own time and was purchased by the Austrian State.  The Secession group was a warded international recognition because of Klimt’s status as an artist unlike Van Gogh who did not know fame whilst he lived. He is featured in ‘Beneath the paint’ here.

  

2003 Austria 100 Euro coin back

an interesting article about Klimt here

Weird and Wacky designs – Total Airheads!

skychariot balloon

It’s Vincent Van Gogh’s birthday today (1853 -1890).  But I’ve already wished Van Gogh happy birthday – see last years post I could have told you Vincent it’s your birthday.  However, no birthday is ever complete without balloons and I couldn’t believe it when I saw these!  I think the one below looks quite like him, though I’m not sure about the idealogy behind choosing an artist’s head for an air balloon.

van gogh surreal

It must be surreal to see  a disembodied gigantic head floating in the sky.  Here’s the Dutch artist floating over Sydney Australia.

Vincent flies high

The balloons are made by Cameron Balloons.  Just have a look at some of the other designs here.  This one reminds me of the nursery rhyme ‘The Cat and the Fiddle’…the bit where the cow jumps over the moon.  This one’s certainly big enough!  And they talk about pigs flying…..

Where's the dish and spoon?

Castles in the air – what a lovely expression.  We all build these at some time or other.  Here’s one that has been built literally  – a fairytale castle to go with a fairytale celebration.  Balloons are a magical leisurely form of transport.  They belong to a more romantic age.  These novelty designs shall ensure that their popularity soars!

castles in the air

Cameron Balloons

Skychariot.com website

My post about Van Goghs’s bedroom Arles painting here 

My 483rd post is here

where my heads at

Looking back through my past posts, I realised that I haven’t done any summing up since my 427 post.  I like to do this so often as it gives me new ideas and alerts me to areas of the blog which I have either abandoned or neglected.  Some of the categories are outdated now, but I’m still going to keep them, maybe put them under a big generic umbrella – like all the holiday ones in ‘Places’.

gormenghast trilogy

Since my last summing up, there have been a few changes.  For example my other blog ‘Bookstains’ where I am putting my book  reviews (though I’ve not done much of that for quite a bit).  Reading challenges also go on Bookstains.  I have finished both ‘Titus Groan’ and Gormenghast now and am miles behind writing about Titus and my impressions.  I started that blog because of that, but I am enjoying myself writing poetry too much….

I'm no Byron

Having resurrected my interest in poetry, I have now written a few  in different styles and also a bit of Haiku – which I’ve never done before.  The poetry is also on Bookstains’. 

the ones which went before

Another category which I have started is about the preservation of the dead.  Strange, you may think but I am fascinated by all the different ways the body can be preserved and usually by nature.  I am very interested in geneology and have found out so much about myself from looking at my past.  I am the sum total of those who have gone before.  Art quote is another new category and does what it says on the tin.   I’m trying to pick artists who have made a lot of quotes and who I haven’t featured in ‘birthdays’ or ‘Art I LOVE’.

Behind the paint

A very recent category is called ‘Behind the paint’ and takes a famous painting and looks at the ‘clues’ to understanding it.  Teapots still interest me, but unusual ones are getting harder and harder to find.  The weird and Wacky design’ section is quite a popular one.  I like to put the objects into groups so there is at least a cohesive theme running through them.  This takes a bit of time…..

Branwell Brontes Barbers Tale by Chris Firth

Bronte Bites is a section that hasn’t seen much action recently.  I do have new photos which I took earlier this month and which I will get round to putting up on here soon.  I’m still having trouble with the formatting, but I can’t see me changing the theme as I think it suits my subject matter.  Oh well, onwards and upwards, as they say.

Happy Birthdays Dear Artists!

My section about celebrating artists birthdays is growing quite nicely.  There are lots of artists I want to write about but I don’t seem to have the time.  Those I do write about, I tend to make it brief.  I hate it when it’s an artist I really like and I’ve missed the birthday grrr!  You may  see ‘Happy Belated Birthday’ occasionally: I try to keep those to the next day.  Here are the one’s I have done so far;-

Rubens

Gauguin

Dali

Leonardo da Vinci

Hart Benton

Turner

Van Gogh

Morris

Pollock

Chagall

Kahlo

Modigliani

Degas

Hopper

Marcel Duchamp

Aubrey Beardsley

Pablo Picasso

Barabara  Hepworth

Man Ray