Haikus and Art

Currently entered in the Exeter Townhall Gallery for the next three weeks. It's a combination of poetry and art. A poem written for each piece of art or a painting made for a poem.

I write Haikus (Americanized version, three lines of 5, 7 and 5 syllables) for some of my paintings. Haikus are short and unpretentious (like me). Occasionally I write the Haiku and then paint a subject evoked by my Haiku.

This painting was done a number of years ago when I was in a darker place.

"Adrift"

"Adrift on a dark,

Dark sea I dream of what never

Was and never will be."

This painting has won four awards in Juried shows ranging from Honorable Mentions, to a first place in Pastels. I've shown this for many years now but have never been able to sell it.

Another autobiographical Haiku and painting: "Into the Sunset", as an old (really old) retired Air Force Pilot, I feel this is quite appropriate.

"Into the Sunset"

"The sunset beckons.

I fly the valley of clouds

Tracking the beacon home."

This one also won awards but one judge criticized the repetitious cloud shapes in the lower half of the painting. I guess she couldn't see the hand of God reaching out to receive me. This painting sold the first time I put it up for sale. The patrons are the judges who really count.

No Notice Art Fair

Last weekend, I was in a (almost) no notice art fair. The art fair was in the Lafayette Shopping Mall in Portsmouth, NH. I had applied for the fair last May but never received a response. Two days before the fair, I received an email reminding me of the show with a printout of the artists and I was on the list. A few emails later I started getting ready for the show.

Something went awry and I and a couple of friends didn't receive notice of acceptance. One friend only found out when someone had seen a poster announcing the show and told him his name was on it.

Anyway it was a good show, the hosts were quite helpful and nice. It was their first show and I hope they'll have it again next year.

I sold my last Mustang giclee print, I will have to get more made. This print has been a best seller for me on Zazzle.com and Cafepress.com. So far everyone who has purchased the image has had it put on black tee shirts, black caps, and black jackets and black sweats.