Tuesday, June 5, 2012

My Mighty Perch - inspired by the art of Ella Richards


 Artwork by Ella Richards
Photographed by Rita Bourland

The weekend of June 2nd I attended the Columbus Arts Festival.  Over two days I visited many of the 200+ artists’ booths.  I conversed, took pictures and got permission to use some of my favorites for my blog. 
Over the next couple of weeks, I will share a piece of art and write a poem or story inspired by the artist’s creation.  The picture above was done by Ella Richards of Greenwich Village, NY.  She meticulously cuts her drawings out of black paper then glues them onto white paper using a special Japanese glue pen.  The results are monochromatic and powerful.  The picture above is behind glass.  For more information about her process or to purchase her art, please go to her website.  She is a gifted artist.  Here is my poem inspired by her art:

My Mighty Perch

I’ve come too far to fail,
Scaling the mountain was the goal,
No one told me the descent would
Be so treacherous,

Victorious I viewed my elevated
Status with glee,

On bended knee I vowed to never
Again be lowered,
Unequal in a world where tallness
Means power,

So much to see and learn
From my mighty perch,
A feeling I want to know,
To own,

But I need to get down
and there’s no one around,
I guess I’ll just give
A loud holler,

I’ll wait to scale mountains
‘til I’m a bit older,
By then I’ll know
More about power.

2 comments:

  1. Wonderful art and technique. Your words are applicable to the spectrum of ages. So complementary with the art and vice versa. It's as if it were planned that way. xo J

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  2. I love this kind of writing where I'm inspired by art or something in nature. This particular artist is quite a treasure. The patience and talent necessary for her art is difficult to fully imagine. I'm so glad you enjoyed the collaborative spirit of what I wrote.

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