Water Quotes & Canvas

It has no colour, yet it forms the bluest sea, the greenest pond, the blackest loch, the whitest surf….

And in a single droplet there is every colour of the rainbow… to be seen in one moment & then gone in an instant.

Lately some of the words on this piece have been floating around my mind....

I think it's time to re-work the idea, or maybe use some of the verses individually. It's about 5 years since I was asked to produce this piece. The brief was "water quotes, but this colour with a bit of texture"... Are you sure about the colour? No blues or greens? "No, it's got to be this... maybe a hint of green, but just a hint" Any particular words? "No whatever you want... we know we'll like it" It is lovely when someone is prepared to put their trust in me like this.

This was done on MDF board (which I was using a lot at the time... I hadn't made the jump to canvas), with plaster used to build up some texture before I painted it. The lettering was just a metallic gold pen, using either skeleton or built-up letterforms.

I sat & stared at the board for a long time before I began to write... I had read through various 'water quotations' but was unsure what to actually use.... nothing was 'grabbing me' for this one. So I sat... & stared... & sat some more trying to 'feel' the piece... to connect with the water element & with the couple it was for. Eventually the colour became irrelevant & words began to flow... the flow of water, the elements were working with me.... Once I had a phrase I would select the area to work on, writing directly on the board, trusting that the right words would come to fit the spaces.

It is a very deep meditative process, working like this... it's something I just found myself doing at some point... this wasn't the first time, but it was certainly the most complex at that time.

I did eventually re-work it a couple of years ago- on canvas with silver lettering...

I quite liked this one.... I think doing this led on to the "waterfall canvas" here if you want to see...

Well, they say pride goes before a fall..... it fell.....

.... shades of "wreck that canvas" don't you think.....

I've kept it & started adding collagey bits to it last week.... not entirely impressed with my efforts yet, but will share the process at some point!

Here are the words....

WATER

Cascading dreams…. Eternally

Flow with the river… the river of life.

You will never step in the same pool twice. The waters are constantly changing, replenishing, renewing. The source never empties, the pool never fills.

Ocean pounding…. Never ending, feel the waves against my feet.

Water is life, as vital as breath.

Dream of a river- it signifies life. From the spring to the ocean it carries a hope that keeps moving forward relentlessly. It twists & tumbles on its way to the sea. Does the river itself know the purpose of its journey?

Seen in the mirror of a tranquil pool,

Clarity lies in the reflected sky,

Thoughts dance like ripples chased by the breeze….

Feelings run with currents unseen,

an image of everything that’s ever been,

the power to nourish & nurture & heal.

Water is softness, fluidity, yet it wears away the hardest of stones.

It has no colour, yet it forms the bluest sea, the greenest pond, the blackest loch, the whitest surf…. And in a single droplet there is every colour of the rainbow… to be seen in one moment & gone the in an instant.

Dreamy water calm & deep, here I lay my soul to keep. Let me drift on the tides of my dreams, immerse my emotions in layers of peace & soothe my mind in your tranquillity.

A babbling brook or lazy river, a tranquil pool or a gushing torrent, a tinkling rivulet or a thundering fall… an un-definable everything that is vitality.

Purity & power, calmness & strength.