Cataracts or Cubist Vision

“Portrait of Eivind Eckbo” painted in 1914: Thorvald Hellesen

When I was very young seventy years ago, my grandmother was suffering from blurred vision from cataracts. She was not able to get surgery to get them replaced like I was and spent her final years unable to see clearly. It is amazing how far medical surgery has come.

Grandma’s eyes grew dim

Figures blend like cubist art

 Winter of her life

***

So much we take for granted

in our self-centered lives

Grandma with my oldest brother

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Today at d’Verse, Lillian asked us to choose one of five paintings by Norwegian painter, Thorvald Hellesen, and write a poem in any form that inspires us.

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Dabbling in Watercolors

I was invited to do a painting session with the after-school reading program sponsored by our Weddington Methodist Church Monroe campus. It is a bi-lingual church and the students who come are from local Latino families. I decided to do watercolors since they are less messy and easy to clean up.

I did a few sketches beforehand and had them printed on140# paper. We decided to try the turtle. About eight to ten children showed up and we painted for about a hour. I learned that we will need wider brushes for the next session. Even so, the children had a good time and stayed focused as they followed me painting the turtle. The picture above showed some of their results. We had a great time. They ranged from kindergarten to fifth grade. Below are some of the sketches I tried to see what might work.

Watercolors run

as blues blend with yellow hues

Dip and brush is key

***

After school kids create joy

Perfection is not the goal

Click on the painting to enlarge:

Watercolor paintings: Dwight L. Roth

Painting the Canadian Rockies

Painting memories

Family trips to the mountains

Parents gone / children grown

***

Camping together in tents

Watching trains wind through canyons

Maligne Lake – Alberta Canada

Painting and Photos: Dwight L. Roth

This painting is on a recycled canvas from the Habitat Restore where I volunteer. I cut the canvas off the frame and turned it over to get a smooth canvas to work on. I staple it back on and soak it to shrink it tight.

This will probably be the last very large canvas I will paint. It takes a lot of work and a lot of standing to get it done. It is hard on my muscles and joints.

Boldacious

She was Kaleidoscope woman

Passing by my window

Brazen and bold in every way

Those doughnut flowers in her hair

White pearls around her neck

Emboldened her confident spirit

Colors of the rainbow

reflected from her boldacious personality

Ready to dance …Ready for Carnival

***

Painting “Woman in Pearls” – Dwight L. Roth

Today at d’Verse, Dee Jackson asked us to write a Quadrille poem using some form of the word bold. She said we could even create our own bold word if we wished. I decided to go with boldacious. This is as bold as I can get at this point!

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Cherries and Berries

I decided to work on a new painting today. I thought I would do a watercolor painting, but it seems old habits die hard. My watercolor turned into an acrylic style painting. Guess I will have to keep on practicing!  The painting is of three big cherry trees in the field on my uncle’s farm. The fence along the lane had some great red raspberry bushes. I am afraid mine turned out looking more like roses. Oh well.

Bing cherry trees

 stand tall on the hillside

silhouetted against the mountain

Red raspberries cling to the old fence row

Ripening, ready for picking on the Fourth of July

Watercolor

turns into an acrylic

Painting: Dwight L. Roth

Light a Candle

 

This is my watercolor painting from this afternoon. The warm weather we have been having has been great for painting in my garage.

Winter days grow dark

Cursing the darkness won’t help

Just light a candle

Painting: Dwight L. Roth

Frozen Reflections (haiku)

Frost nips tall grasses

Reflections freeze on the Lake

Reality twists

Today at d’Verse Sarah asked us to revisit Faye Collins’ wonderful art. I chose Grasses at Ennerdale Water! I love the tall grasses and leaves along the pond. I don’t know exactly what season this is set in, so I chose to make it a frosty interpretation! It looks like it could be late Fall from the reflections.

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Plein Air

I enjoy trying different things with my painting. I have not painted since April due to the summer heat. Now that cooler weather is here, I thought I would  try a plein air painting. Plien air is a French term that simply means outdoors. I decided to paint the flowers blooming in the wooded area just beyond my back yard. By the time I finished the flowers had disappeared.

Plein air painting 

Yellow wild flowers blooming

My Shangri-la

Painting; Dwight L. Roth

What Did Vincent See?

My Verse

Some may ask the reason of existence

This short lived life…

Here today // gone tomorrow

Of what value is my being

Why do I write poetry

Paint pictures with words

Or with a brush

I write because

I am a member of the human race

I write because I am alive

Full of passion and urgency

Finding connection

Creating purpose

***

We are all part of the play of life

“…The powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse…

What will your verse be?”

Today at d’Verse, Mish asked us to choose a favorite line from a movie and write it into a poem. I chose a line Robin Williams tells his class in the movie, Dead Poets Society. “…The powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse…What will your verse be?”

Join us at: https://dversepoets.com

Painting: Dwight L. Roth