Painting a Poem

A few years ago, I met a lovely lady named Cindy Craine at an event hosted by another lovely lady Kim Caldwell.  Cindy bought several of my art dolls and has since been an avid collector and customer of my work.  Several months ago she asked if I had any paintings for sale, which I did.  But we instead discussed a commission.  She could customize the piece to her liking in both subject matter and color.  To go with a certain decor or whatever her heart desired.   So, back in April, Cindy emailed me with an idea....She had written a poem and wondered if I thought it crazy to create a painting off of it!  Just my kind of Crazy!

I was thrilled.  Ironically, as a kid I spent hours in my own little make believe dream world, writing poems, reading, creating stories, drawing, painting, listening to music, sewing and making things out of whatever I had.  My first love is language and the written word.  Many times in my life, I have turned back to writing words for outing feelings, ideas, learning, comfort, solitude and entertainment. She too turns to writing for comfort.

Not knowing anything personal of her life, the poem revealed to me a bit of her struggle.  It referenced a health problem, so I asked and she told me of her Parkinson's disease.  This made creating a work for her even more special to me.  Her words moved me and made me cry on several occasions.  Creating a visual piece to communicate her Poem has been a truly amazing experience.  Here is her poem.

Down the Rabbit’s Hole

Shake rattle and roll

I fell down the rabbit’s hole

the rabbit was late

to open the gate

but alas he still may alter my state.

He said “follow me to the magical tea,

I have it here under this tree”.

I sat down in haste, 

oh how would it taste

this magical tea

made just for me

Would it cure my ill

without a pill

could this really be my day

to keep the shakes at bay

I took a sip then felt very odd

like walking into a cloud or even a bog

Then the shakes stood still 

like an oak on a hill

How long, I asked can I remain this way

the rabbit spoke with no delay

You have to stay here for the duration of life

this is your home now free of strife 

“But I have to return to show what you’ve done”

the rabbit smiled or was it the cat, 

looking for a bit if fun.

“You choose your fate” said the cat with a wink,

“I’ll give it in writing using invisable ink.”

Knowing my happiness was really not there

but not really here

should I return and do my little best

I’m too tired to think I need a rest.

I woke to trembles up and down 

like the shaking of the leaves as they fell on the ground

I was sorry to find the rabbit and cat

had long since gone

will they come back, I hope it’s not long...............

I wanted to find a way to not just visually interpret her words, but worked to incorporate some of the poem into the painting itself where I felt it fit. Not wanting to look at the piece and have the words dominate it, but to have them be a bit more subtle.

I love her relationship with the Rabbit.  With his wild cooky eyes

and laughing face, sloppily spilling a drop of tea like he is teasing her.

The oak leaves falling from the tree as referenced in her poem.  A background that is dreamlike.

Enter the Cat.

Cindy LOVES cats.

He too tempts her with his dangling timepiece.

This is a large painting, 48 x48.

This is by far, my favorite commission to date.

It has really made me realize how much I missed the aspect of mural painting in which the client and I collaborated on an idea which was then brought to fruition via my imagination and brush. 

But working from a poem has also inspired me.

Thank you Cindy for the honor of bringing your poem to life in a picture.

May it bring you a bit of peace and joy to look upon it

as it has done me while creating it. 

XO