Poets and Artists

Oxford Arts Alliance Juried Exhibition

April, 2011

Opening Reception: Friday, April 1, 5-8 p.m

Poetry Readings: Tuesday, April 19, 7 p.m.

Oxford Arts Alliance 38 S. Third Street Oxford PA

610-467-0301

Tu, Thurs, Sat 11-4; Fr 12 N-5 pm

I am spinning: my painting Dwellers of the Blue World accompanied by my poet pal David L. Harrison’s poem Fish were juried into the show Poets and Artists at the Oxford Arts Alliance Gallery. I delivered the art last Friday. The opening reception is Friday April 1, 5-7.

In March I received via email the following Casting Call for Creatives:

Homage to Horace:  Ut Pictura Poesis

(as is painting so is poetry)

Curators: Mary Louise Meyers, Richard Beards

Our aim is to explore the enduring relationship between poetry and the visual arts, “ the two equitable neighbors” according to  Horace,  1^st century B.C. roman poet.   We are seeking artwork in all media and poetry which responds to the same subject matter (as in William Carlos Williams’ poem “The Great Figure” and Charles Demuth’s painting “Figure Five in Gold”) or poems which react to a work of art.

Hmm. I was awakened one night with the inspiration to connect with David. I zipped off an email the following morning, asking him if he just happened to have a fish poem in one of his 80+ books for young readers. The deadline for submitting proposals sat close on the calendar.

David did have fish poems, in magazines like Highlights for Children and in a few of his 80+ books for young readers.  He wasn’t certain if he could use a previously published poem for such an exhibit. And it might take precious time to secure rights, etc. Besides, he said, his poems didn’t go with the spirit of my painting. “I’ll try to squeeze one out for you,” he said. I contacted the curators of the exhibit and received an extension.

Backstory: David is a featured author in my book Speaking of Journals. (Boyds Mills Press, 1999) Since our interview we have met in person and stayed connected via email.

Not to worry. Here is David’s delightful poem and my painting. Yes, I borrowed the name from a line in David’s poem.

by David L. Harrison                                     

Lean down,

touch

the satin line

that separates us from

them, dwellers of the blue world,

slender darts suspended

between

earth and sky

where I, were I able,

might choose now and then

to plunge in and exchange

friendly bubbles

of fishy gossip.