Friday, June 27, 2014

Narragansett Art Festival

I haven't enjoyed watching a weather forecast quite as much as I did this morning.  High 70's, mild breezes with 0% chance of rain for today and the weekend.  Having set up my booth in high winds and sitting sheltered during cold rain, my fellow artists and I REALLY appreciate this kind of weather.  I hope all the art lovers do, too.  The location is perfect for this weather as I'm across the street from the beach.  Come early to beat the sunbathers, swimmers and surfers.

"Breast Stroke"  18x24
I"m working on some smaller painting of surfers, just in case a waves are small and a few of the surfers come to check out the art festival.

Follow up:  This painting was my submission to the Wickford Art Association's Poetry and Art exhibit.  Below is the poem that was written inspired by my painting.  So honored!

First Swim
The shock of a bald scalp
under a swim cap, a soundless
shriek, mouth agape.

Anticipation. No, trepidation,

Stretching without discomfort
doing the breast stroke, thrusting
forward, pushing away
past months. Water laps

a lopsided swimsuit where
scraped tissue has been; a
weird sensation of asymmetry
bathes the incision like liquid

balm. Mimicking the curves
of the water’s bubbles
and ripples is the soft
geometry of the cap, the goggles.
In baptism, the swimmer renewed.

- Helen D'Ordine