Lizjonesbooks

Illustration Friday-- Save

Illustration Friday-- Save

[info]lizjonesbooks
4/4/08 04:27 pm
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Our family has had a difficult week. It included having to put down our last three sheep, all of whom were much more like pets than livestock, and we're still feeling pretty low about things.
After I posted, it occurred to me that drawing the eclipse image for last week's "Homage" made perfect sense. I'm chasing that ring of light around the edge that tells me if I hang in there, the darkness will move on.
When I saw this week's theme, I thought-- but we *couldn't* save them. And there really are some things worse than dying. I had a hard time finding an acceptable angle on this topic, as a result.
Then I came across this, while looking for something for National Poetry Month, and suddenly I knew what I needed to draw. It's probably 15 years old, but I can relate to its theme better today than when I wrote it.

The sun sits low on the edge of the hill

Golden furry overheated bees
that swarmed, fierce and distracted,
settle at last in a rock crevice
and leave us to wander freely.

Jack's run, busily sifting pollen and silt,
loses depth with the light's ebb
shrinks to the soft talk of water over rocks
where small feet step out a dry crossing.

Berries melt so that fireflies
climbing green among the thorns
ignite the children's purple hands
until
blackness in the brambles spreading above
claims them for its own distant hive
and marks them as stars, irretrievable.


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  • Current Mood: moving on.
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  • [info]newport2newport
    4/4/08 08:54 pm (UTC)
    Moving on is difficult, but I'm hoping the fireflies, stars, and sun will help light your path.

    xoxo

    Edited at 2008-04-04 08:58 pm (UTC)

  • lovely

    (Anonymous)
    4/4/08 09:11 pm (UTC)
    Love the enchanting feel to it!

    Alina
    http://alinanimation.blogspot.com/

  • [info]robinellen
    4/4/08 09:16 pm (UTC)
    This is a lovely, lovely picture and poem. I'm touched -- especially knowing about the trials behind it. I so hope that the next weeks and months bring peace to you and yours. It's time for some rest -- even though you're able to move on through the pain. God bless, dear friend!!

  • [info]sometimegoddess
    4/4/08 09:24 pm (UTC)
    Very sorry to hear about the sheep. Letting them go is always a hard decision. Moving on is even more difficult.

  • [info]tamra_wight
    4/4/08 09:52 pm (UTC)
    Sooooo lovely.

    I'm sorry to hear about your sheep. Hugs to you and your family.

  • (Anonymous)
    4/4/08 10:44 pm (UTC)
    Loosing the ones, even furry ones, we love is never easy. Glad to see you're able to see the light beyond.

    Your picture and poem are both lovely.

    Roberta

    • [info]lizjonesbooks
      4/8/08 01:06 pm (UTC)
      Thanks, Roberta-- we're living for the light beyond right now. But the sun is coming out again, a little at a time.

  • Sorry

    (Anonymous)
    4/4/08 11:18 pm (UTC)
    Sorry to hear about the difficult week. Hope things are better soon.

    http://myillustrationblog.blogspot.com/2008/04/illustration-friday-save.html

  • [info]lkmadigan
    4/5/08 01:44 am (UTC)
    The poem is beautiful, Liz, but the illustration is gorgeous. I love those blues.

    I'm sorry for your loss.

    :-(

    • [info]lizjonesbooks
      4/8/08 01:08 pm (UTC)
      Thanks, Mo! It really helped me to be able to paint this one. I'd have probably painted a few more if I hadn't caught the stomach bug from the armpit of the universe over the weekend. Painting is very soothing for me. But things are looking a little brighter this morning.

  • [info]meredith_wood
    4/5/08 02:30 am (UTC)
    I'm so sorry. And that picture is just breathtaking. Thank you for sharing it. I can stare at your pictures for so long and then you had such a beautiful poem below...

    • [info]lizjonesbooks
      4/8/08 01:09 pm (UTC)
      Thanks, Meredith-- I'm glad you like the painting and etc. It really helps me to be able to paint when I feel bad!

  • [info]jmprince
    4/6/08 01:55 am (UTC)
    *hugs*

  • [info]ychickensxroads
    4/7/08 02:13 am (UTC)
    So sorry for your loss. Your painting and poetry are beautiful. So much talent...

  • [info]kathys_shadow
    4/7/08 04:25 am (UTC)
    Thanks for sharing the poem--it's very powerful.

    I'm sorry you lost your sheep.

    • [info]lizjonesbooks
      4/8/08 01:11 pm (UTC)
      Thanks. It helped a lot to be able to paint when I was feeling this low. but things are looking a little better now, and hopefully that will continue.

  • [info]saputnam
    4/7/08 01:14 pm (UTC)
    (((Hugs))) It's never easy to let your furry babies go, even when they are livestock. I know moving on seems difficult at the moment but with spring right around the corner and a new world blossoming forth, things will get better for you and your family.

    Interesting picture on so many levels. I love the colors you used for the butterflies. The various shades of blue make them seem to glow out of the darkness.

    • [info]lizjonesbooks
      4/8/08 01:14 pm (UTC)
      Thanks, Sharon! Spring always seems like the hardest season to me, because you pull those layers of protection off, leaning into the warmth, and then sometimes you find yourself frozen and hurting. Late winter and early spring always make me a bit fretful... but now the violets are up, and the songbirds have returned in earnest, and I might just live. Hope you're mending well, too! This has been a tough season for so many of us.
      (((hugs)))

  • Save

    (Anonymous)
    4/7/08 02:18 pm (UTC)
    Really beautiful piece, Liz. I think it's my favorite so far.

  • (Anonymous)
    4/7/08 02:19 pm (UTC)
    why can I never remember to leave my name?!!?
    A very fustrated, Eric Orchard.
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