Simplicity

I love the simplicity of a summer supper - fresh garden tomatoes with a smattering of salt, paired with a side of scrambled eggs and cheese. For dessert, a bowl of newly picked summer peaches, sprinkled with a little sugar. Seriously one of the best and most simple of meals in a long time.

Simplicity can be of our own choosing, or be forced upon us. It can be cultivated and welcome, or rushed and feared. Whichever way, it opens up a whole new way of thinking along the lines of Thoreau, one who grasped the concept and value immediately, which ultimately led him to the woods.

I love the beauty and contentment that I see in these photos of various homes, there is peace, not clutter ... yet each is decorated simply but carefully, and sparingly.  Beauty seems to follow peace around like a little sister.

These really are the most beautiful of spaces, and there is no clouding of thoughts possible here. I am a firm believer that a cluttered house reflects what is going on inside your own head while homes like these free your thoughts and let them run wild with fervor and intensity. Sort of like going to the woods does for me.

I know what I want, for thoughts have come together in sense and sensibility.

From Heaven's Walk

From Good Bones, Great Pieces

From Poppies and Posies

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.  ~Confucius

All goes back to the earth,
and so I do not desire
pride of excess or power,
but the contentments made
by men who have had little:
the fisherman's silence
receiving the river's grace,
the gardener's musing on rows....
~Wendell Berry, "The Want of Peace"

 

You have succeeded in life when all you really want is only what you really need.  

~Vernon Howard

Pretty Little Clouds

Rest. less. ness. Look it up in the dictionary and you'll see me there.

As I watched the late August sky tonight, I swear there were little heart clouds everywhere I looked, ...as if Heaven needed to tell me something. Then as the night progressed, a bright moon appeared over the clouds, ...but to me there were only love beams, not moonbeams. The Light brightened up the murky sky as a love note to me. 

Pretty little clouds just for me

Saying you are loved more than you know

Whispered love notes to see

Spread across the sky 

Tenderly aglow

Photo Source - Patrizi's Place (she has a cute post about heart things there, too)

EDIT: I just read Patrizi's post all the way through, AFTER writing my post, ...and I am amazed again. Love overflowing. Go read her post which was written in May 2011. 

My Art Room

Recently the UK's Guardian posted the top ten art works for Great Britain. You can see their choices here. In response, these would be my own choices of favorite art work.

#1 JOHN WILLIAM WATERHOUSE
My absolute favorite painting is Waterhouse's Ophelia. She will always be my favorite (as is pretty much anything by Waterhouse did), ...so he gets number one all to himself as a general nod to his work. Shown here: Ophelia, La Belle Dame Sans Merci, Lady Claire, The Flower Picker, and The Lady of Shalott.

#2 ARTHUR RACKHAM
I also love Arthur Rackham dearly (who was a children's book illustrator). Here are three of my Rackham favorites because I cannot just choose one: Undine in the Wind, Undancy, and Blowing Leaves.

#3 CLAUDE MONET
The "Poet of Nature" artist, Claude Monet had to be on my list somewhere. I used to have a print copy of "Woman With A Parasol" hanging in my room for a long time. I love his haystacks, love his water lilies, love his trees. You could stare at his art forever and not get bored for a second.

 #4 LADY OF SHALOTT, IRIS COMPIET
This is Iris Compiet's version of Shalott, which I love. It has been on my sidebar for forever, standing the test of time. I love Shalott the poem so much, and am so inspired by the many artistic renditions that have been created and based on Tennyson's gorgeous poem.

#5 THE STORY OF A MOTHER, KAY NIELSEN
I first saw this on the Silver Swan blog and was instantly smitten with it. Here is the story behind this art work that I find fascinating on many levels. It is sure to mean different things to different people, which is the mark of good art, I think.

#6 THE BEGUILING OF MERLIN, EDWARD BURNE JONES
This is my favorite Burne Jones. Another Pre-Raphaelite Artist. Really, I could have all of the Pre-Raphaelites fill my favorite ten because there are so many of them I love.

#7 HIDE AND SEEK, BEV DOOLITTLE
Bev Doolittle paints these beautiful hidden art gems, many that focus on horses, ... painted horses to be exact. Painted horses have always been beautiful to me so I especially love her Hide and Seek. She has another one of horses and rider hidden in the aspen trees that I love as well.

#8 CAROL GRIGG
Carol Grigg is another modern artist whose general works I admire. Shown here are "Learning the Song" and "Great Plains Warrior." So unique and original. There is something about the rider on the horse and his complete freedom that is compelling. And the bird one is probably obvious, if you've read my blog before, you know I love nature and the freedom that the birds have in flying. So these are beautiful to me.

#9 CARL LARSSON
The name of this piece is one I could not find online, but it is by Carl Larsson. It has hidden pictures inside the painting as the "Red Riding Hood figure" makes her way to Grandma's house. Look closely and you'll see more than meets the eye. I think I love it because the girl is walking in the woods. I've written about these (Red Riding Hood) themes before, so I guess this one just stays with me, speaks to me as the girl who loves to walk in the trees.

#10 EMERALD DREAMS BY MORGAN WEISTLING
Another modern artist, I believe, but in the old-fashioned style that I love. Captures my love of fall and it just reflects a perfect moment of reverie. Kind of like Ophelia, in her own way, (see number one), so... I really begin and end at the same place which makes me think I've gotten it right, full circle.

 This in no way is set in stone, but for this moment these are some of my very favorite pieces of art work, for a variety of reasons. I am sure I've left some out, but I am pretty happy with my choices here. I hope you enjoy them.

(I'd like to thank the rain and thunderstorm that rolled through this afternoon as I finished editing and finalizing my list here. I am not sure I could have finished this without it).

Top Ten

Top 10 favourite artworks: (of the UK)

Here is a recent top ten favorite art work from the UK's "The Independent." I am not surprised at numbers one and two at all, but most of the rest I'd never heard of.  I tend to like Pre-Raphaelite art the most, which explains knowing the first two. Thought it was interesting to see them all together. These would not be my top ten at all. I'll be back with my own top ten art works in the next post.

1. John William Waterhouse, The Lady Of Shalott, 1888.

2. Sir John Everett Millais, Ophelia, 1851-2.

3. Francis Bacon, Head V1, 1949.
(couldn't find this online, after a short attempt to find it)

4. John Singer Sargent, Gassed, 1919.

5. Lucian Freud, Man's Head (Self Portrait I), 1963.

6. JMW Turner, The Fighting Temeraire, 1839.

7. Alfred Wallis, Five Ships, Mount's Bay, 1928.

8. LS Lowry, Going To The Match, 1953.

9. James Abbott McNeill Whistler, Nocturne: Blue And Gold - Old Battersea Bridge, 1872-5.

10. Cornelia Parker, Cold Dark Matter: An Exploded View, 1991.

Source of Top Ten UK Art

I Think Jane Would Agree

God wants us to do more, not less.

As Emma Woodhouse learns lately, after not so gentle nudging from Mr Knightley, as we learn first from the thought then the action. There are many virtues out there to be gained, many things we can do for others, many ways to reach out and help, ...and they are found in doing more and not less. I think Jane Austen would agree.
I also believe that things such as this make life more meaningful and break it down into simplicity, so that more becomes less. Living simply and in a good manner, matters. I think Thoreau would agree, as well.

Eight Years Ago

About eight years ago, I saw a print of this painting by Alan Maley called, "The Promise," hanging in someone's home as a large framed muriel.

Since then, I have been searching to remember the artist's name and to see the artwork again, as it was an instant favorite when I first saw it, and the name remained forgotten 
to me for so long. This week, I was finally reminded of his name and found the print online. 

It is gorgeous and even more amazing as larger framed art. I am hanging it on my "wall" here so the name won't be forgotten again. I hope you enjoy this beautiful piece of art.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Painting is silent poetry."
~Plutarch, Moralia: How to Study Poetry