Some years ago I was wondering around the art museum there in Chadds Ford and I realized many of the pictures there had been part of my life. There were N.C. Wyeth’s paintings and they reminded me of the Brandywine Room at the Hotel DuPont. There were on display Howard Pyle’s illustrations created for those books filled with romantic and chivalrous ideals I read as of kid. Looking at these beautiful pieces of graphic art was just wonderful. But serendipity stepped in and made the day even better.
Turning a corner and walking down a hall I spied one painting by itself. It was by Maxfield Parrish. You know the one I am talking about, naked girl on rock looking up. Posters of it were on the walls of every self respecting hippy dippy dorm room of the seventies. But this was not a poster, it was the original painting. It was wonderful and nobody was stopping to look at it.
The use of colors by Parrish conveys such a romantic view of the world. It is almost like every one of his paintings is trying to say it is late in the day or late in the season, time is full and everything is ripe, the air is warm and it is moment to savor and enjoy. And here right in front of me was that painting that brought Parrish into my world. Sometimes art just overwhelms you and that is a good thing.
One night recently I went walking. Amidst the suburban landscape the light was growing dim. The sky on the edge of the coming night was a Maxfield Parrish sky. It is why I took the shot. Sometimes art makes you think of the sky in a different way or maybe its give you a language with which to define what you enjoy about the sky. Either way it is a good thing.
4 comments:
Ya see why this Blog-thing was a good idea? Because you get to practice/display your fantastic ability to write prose. The adjectives you can just "come up with" (or your word-finding ability) is one that has me just a little bit envious, but at the same time, looking at your blog for more. Excellent piece, JTT.
What Suz said.
I am opposite, the sky makes me think of art...or even, the sky IS art.
What's left to say, other than your talents are wasted on the State. Tho I supposed it does give you the time and luxury to write REAL stuff.
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