8 Layers of Words

This is the final web copy of the 20 inch square I contributed to the ARTS collaborative project. Soon all 9 pieces will be placed next to each other for the first time. All artists work independently toward one goal: a finished work of art within one construct.

Mediterranean Image

I have been working hours and hours on our ARTS group collaborative, our third. Nine of us, each armed with a clean 20x20 inch canvas, a black and white image of a bank logo printed on paper, and an individual 2" square piece of that logo.  In sharp contrast to the Bear image, our new project contained distinctive lines of Mediterranean architecture and spaces of arches. 

This is the image we were given. A tower typical of those found on Kansas City's Country Club Plaza. We divided the paper copy into 9 squares and selected who had what out of a hat. The piece to the right of the tower image is my draw of the whole. I scanned it into my computer and it measures 2x2 inches and doesn't look like much to build upon, which could be a good thing. I began this project with nothing and carried that around with me for at least a week. Playing with nothing keeps a creatively turned mind, busy. Fear and hope--moving toward a 20 inch square canvas.

8 directions

His surefootedness convincing -- all stocky
And slow, all fur and big pawed
Plump from the fullness of summer.
The earth is brown with green forest floor walked
Upon not only by big bears -- also rabbits and
Deer, squirrels and elk, hikers and horses.
The scene scans full with thought, imagination,
Description. Look here through artistic eyes -- 8 directions,
Observations and creative strokes.

The Image of Bear

I have finished the visual art of Bear. Every word of poetry weaves through image in color and design to round off a thought. During this project, my heart has been in the heart of Bear. I fell in love with the Bear that began as an image on the computer, a bank logo, in fact. And, tomorrow, I slide on icy roads to the printer to pick him up. He will be released from computer and digital drive to the open world of canvas where he can walk out and about. My part of the whole, for, eight of us have collaborated on pieces of Bear and now each 20" by 20" square will be hung as one, to be set free — Bear will then be experienced in the eyes and minds of those who see him and he will stay with some, for a moment, and remembered by some, later. And, we will speak of him, immediately full of joy and exuberant conversation and then he will walk the path of unending creative thought.

Bear

My section is now, of course, covered by words of a poem I wrote focusing on the two front legs of Bear.

I am Bear. I lead in the direction of instinct, safety, nourishment. Eyes, ears, nose and a sense of ground urge responsibility. I move powerfully on steady paws. My legs trustworthy as the trunks of oaks. Not a random pattern, my movements come into the new year. I step on old stone to move forward as determination persuades a new place to hunt, to feed, to stand. In tranquil moments of dirt and clover seeping through perception of lessons learned, a sensual knowledge of delicious sweet berries and painful thorns of caution become the background of my experience. Dawn opens through cloud layers dripping words. A fine mist of letters fall onto a map into the direction I travel. New phrases shadow and filter journey and form the companions that step with me deeper into the hills.