Saturday, August 16, 2008

Detachment

Even today, in certain parts of the world, it is still possible to come across true wandering mendicants, detached from home and comforts. My above portrait is Rupa Goswami, a 16th century renunciate, devotional poet, and philosopher who lived in the land of Vrndavana, India. This is a 4 by 6 inch linocut. Thanks for stopping by!

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Flower Haiku

Although there is no poem here, a simple block print, printed with a barren, feels the closest thing to haiku. Carved and printed today. :)

Monday, August 11, 2008

"In a beautiful pea-green boat..."

Edward Lear's famous nonsense poem is one of the first poems I can remember. Words like "Bong-Tree" and "runcible spoons" left indelible marks in my memory!
This is an 8 by 10 inch oil, painted happily today! Thanks for stopping by. :)

Monday, August 4, 2008

Poof! And again become a mouse!

There are a few "again become a mouse" stories. Here is this one from the Panchatantra: one day a sage was meditating in a holy river. Suddenly a mouse fell into his praying hands; a hawk above accidentally dropped the little thing. Now the sage's wife had always wanted a daughter, and the sage decided to change the mouse into a baby girl. His wife was delighted, and they all spent many joyous years together. When it came time to find their daughter a husband, the sage and his wife wanted only the best. First they approached the sun, yet their daughter refused to marry the sun for he was too hot. They then approached the wind, but she refused to marry him too. Finally, they approached the mountain, but she complained he was too dull. At this point the sage was desperate; so he asked the mountain what to do. The mountain considered the matter deeply, and, after some thought, recommended the lively mouse as a good match. The sage called for the king of mice, and the sage's daughter was delighted! Convinced this was her husband-to-be, she begged her father to change her into a mouse, which he did. The moral? Let a mouse be a mouse!
This is a 6 by 8 inch linocut, with color splashed on from Photoshop. Have a great week!