Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Monet Refuses The Operation by Lisel Mueller

Doctor, you say there are no haloes
around the streetlights in Paris
and what I see is an aberration
caused by old age, an affliction.
I tell you it has taken me all my life
to arrive at the vision of gas lamps as angels,
to soften and blur and finally banish
the edges you regret I don't see,
to learn that the line I called the horizon
does not exist and sky and water,
so long apart, are the same state of being . . .

Excerpted from 'Lastingness: The Art of Old Age' by Nicholas Delbanco
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2 comments:

  1. KassJanuary 26, 2011 at 5:45 PM

    I love this poem. Putting our perspective and point of view into question can be an illuminating thing.

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  2. MAJanuary 28, 2011 at 8:36 AM

    Hi Kass, You are SO right. (Maybe you know this, but just in case...) Monet had one cataract removed and his perception of color was changed. Therefore, he refused to have the other removed. Can't imagine anything more tragic occurring to any artist, let alone him.

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About Me

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The quote "Art is the only way to run away without leaving home" by Twyla Tharp, best describes the attraction to every part of the painting process for me. Having painted for nearly 25 years intermittently while raising 3 valuable citizens, I took up the endeavor nearly fulltime in 1990. Soaking up art history and technique books, taking workshops with Coleman Cohen, Gifford Nicolaides, Susan Gallagher, Michelle Chrisman, J. K. Drummond, Leo Neufeld, Joe Lorusso. My inspiration is whatever touches my heart. I admire the work of The Boston Women's Artists Guild, the California Impressionists and such contemporary artists as Greg Kreutz, Susan Lyon, Thomas Buechner, Clyde Aspevig. I keep my drawing board occupied with plans for still lifes, floral portraits, and scenes from travels; keeping my enthusiasm vital and fresh.