How do you paint a breaking wave?
You've got to be quick as shit
with that brush! The next one coming
won't behave, identically or any such.
It won't hold pose to fix the light.
It won't take clothes off of itself.
I guess,
you just paint only waves
that intermittently fix, adjust
in mind, approximating the ideal
you want to catch, because - it caught
your eye, some days ago. And won't
be bought off, sold, or even caught.
You sit and watch the waves come in.
You paint each only one
that helps you drag your streaming nets
from this real sea, to cast upon
the shore, well-caught: one perfect wave
(for purposes of thought and art) lies
beached in canvas set in sand,
and gasps in air. It played
its part.
I watched Bob Ross do this last night. Crazy cat used a metal trowel instead of brush. I dug it.
ReplyDeleteWell, yeah but that guy pains ideals only.
ReplyDeleteHe does love a palette knife!
I leave him in the present tense, as I do all the immortals of art.