Thursday, March 14, 1996

Autumn in Japan



48" x 30"

soundlessly
leaves falling
... November
falling... falling... falling
Nature's last show of abundance
the Karma

Vision of Summer Vines



36" x 24"

Kitahara Hakushu, a Japanese poet of the early 20th century, was known for his sensual and prosodic poems. Later in his life, he lost his sight, but kept on producing powerful work reflecting his own adversity. The following Tanka is one example:
“Like a flame of fire
summer trumpet vines climb high
in the back of my comatose eyes.”
“Vision of Summer Vines” is dedicated to Hakushu with my prayer that should I become similarly impaired, I might still paint what I “see.”
corneas impaired--
trumpet vines
flames of fire
Courtesy of Mr. and Mrs. William Yee.

Sunset in Rosslyn



35" x 28"

The afterglow of sunset moves our heart regardless of the season. But the most gorgeous sunset display may be that of summer, when at last the heat burns out and the sun sinks into the horizon. Sharp against the red western sky, the outline of the sun-burnt buildings and the copious summer woods make a unique collage. In this moment is the promise that tomorrow will be another hot day.
a moment’s lull--
heat of the day
gone down in the Potomac
“Sunset in Rosslyn” was painted with a vision of a hot summer day along the Potomac River. Several years have passed since I moved from the area around the city of Washington, and in my memory the place has taken on a quality something like a fairy-tale. When I painted this canvas, I often closed my eyes to capture this quality.