My dreams last night were beautiful, though I remember them so poorly. There was a beautiful forest of oceanic greens and blues, waving in slender, gentle hues and towering towards the heavens. I remember there were people, great and illustrious people, illuminated from within like angels, shedding auras of gold and drinking from crystal clear waters, singing in songs that moved the waters and the wind in an organic dance.
You always wake up, of course, without knowing where the people are going into the woods and for what, or whom, they sing. But I knew they were singing for me, and it was a procession of sorts, not unlike a wedding or funeral, except with a natural festivity - a religious festival.
Today, my drawing assignment was an apple, with light shadow effects. I can tell you that after less than a week's worth of practice, I'm still quite miserable at drawing, but I can already see a little difference in my outlook on things. Really, this is a practice in visual comprehension more than mechanical aptitude. Normally, I see a door and think: "functional; means of passing from indoors into nature or vice versa; opens in or opens out" and so on.
Already, I've noticed a fractional improvement towards, "door: crimson red with small, indentations like a subliminal window underneath a low-sloped triangular threshold. Immediately over the door is a thin, rectangular window that allows little light through due to the overhanging threshold; brass, rotund knob, and no lock; door is constructed of a light, polished wood though paint is peeling; swivels outward onto a small block patio of cement surrounded by rhododendrons, with ivy crawlers sneaking up the walls on either side of the door" and so on. But mostly, shapes and shadows, moods and tones. What can I reproduce in simple pen or pencil sketches using my current knowledge of such things?
Even though this will be a long process, I'm excited for where the journey will lead me, and already I'm enjoying my little sketchbook and flipping through the pages, noting the small improvements and mistakes as I've learned tiny new tricks.
Virgo Rosas
A small hill before the larger climb
beneath the clear-blue sky, punctuated
by a low line of clouds
crowding in purple-white against the horizon
like the shadows of mountains, erupting
in the setting of the sun -
a purple, thorny coronet
around the heavens.
I summit the wide, eagle peak
spreading its craggy, ridged wings,
bald-capped, save a fairy ring of trees -
it pauses before flight, locked in ice
and an angel in a tee and casual jeans
prays, kneeling, desperate for some way.
daisies braided in her hair, and roses, but
she's crazed and
a little fae from the nightmare of her days
she begs for love, and faith, and light
to guide her on the path that fades.
the sun descends and the owls, too,
ask unanswered questions, who
am I, passes through my mind,
as the beautiful girl and the flowers
in her hair, become but ghosts in the mists -
who am I, Antheia, to love thee
