Monday, April 8, 2013

A SPRING POEM + THE CHRISTOPHER LEEPER WORKSHOP

The 3-day workshop with Christopher Leeper is over.  Three intense days of trying landscapes and learning about getting a glow in our paintings by painting those colors first and then putting darker and more intense (but less bold) colors on top of that "underpainting".  If you get a chance and are interested in landscapes, then do take a workshop with Chris.  He is a wonderfully giving and fun teacher.

After three days, my brain is tired, my body is tired.  Sweetie asked me what I was going to do today and I replied, "Absolutely nothing."  I lied.  I'm uploading photos to the computer and sorting and resizing and naming them to send to the other workshop participants later this week.  And I'm putting this on the blog.  But other than that, absolutely nothing! ha ha

So here is a spring poem for you all.  We had 2 days of warm, sunny, gorgeous weather (while we were in the workshop) and the trees are blooming out, the hyacinths and daffodils are out, the forsythia is budding up yellow and fresh.  Spring has arrived to my part of the world!


The Daffodils
by William Wordsworth

I wandered lonely as a cloud
   That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
   A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
   And twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretched in never-ending line
   Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced, but they
   Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A Poet could not but be gay,
   In such a jocund company:
I gazed--and gazed--but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
   In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
   Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

10 comments:

Sadami said...

Hi, Rhonda,
Thank you for sharing wonderful info and the poem. Please take care and take it easy.
Best wishes, Sadami

Carol Blackburn said...

:) Enjoy your day of rest.

Mrs A said...

I remember learning this beautiful poem about sixty years ago and really enjoyed being reminded of it. I think without your words I would have only been able to recall the first few lines though! After your cold winters fields of daffodils, even a bunch in the supermarket would feed your soul! We are heading into Autumn with the colour appearing in the leaves, late roses blooming and the weather is lovely, milder days and cool nights...bliss!
I so enjoy your blogs , very inspiring to an again beginner! I'm having a renewed interes in painting so learn heaps from people like you who share their work online. Thankyou for your lovely posts, Mrs A

Helen K. Beacham Fine Art said...

I, like Mrs A, had memories brought back when I read the poem today. Thank you ever so much for posting. Will have daffodils in MY head as I head up to the studio!

Lisa Le Quelenec said...

So glad you enjoyed the workshop and that Spring has arrived for you. Best wishes.

Autumn Leaves said...

Still no signs of spring here, though we did hit 71 yesterday. The buds and blooms should be making an appearance any second!

RH Carpenter said...

Thank you so much and glad you enjoyed the poem, Sadami, Carol, Lisa, and Sherry.

Mrs. A., I love your pomegranates on your blog - hope you finish them. Thanks for stopping by and for taking the time to comment. I, too, remembered reading this poem years and years ago but only remembered the first few lines.

Helen, thanks for taking the time to stop by and comment. Enjoy the virtual daffodils for now - until the read ones come.

Diana said...

thank you for reminding me of that beautiful poem. We read it I believe in 7th grade. It's so perfect for today. thank you and can't wait to see the photos from your class I enjoyed the last one so much. Love,Diana

Sue Marrazzo Fine Art said...

What a nice POST!
Thanks for sharing this today!

RH Carpenter said...

Glad you enjoyed it, Diana :)

Sue, thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment. I enjoyed seeing your students' collage work!