A Year with Marie

[cheryl penn]

I OFTEN quote The Waste Land – its one of my favorite poems by T S Eliot – and yip, I’m doing it again in light of the FAB work I received from Marie.  It’s the new year you see, and when Marie is not sending out dragons, she sends out mail like this. And here I have an extra  reason to use FAB too - even SCIENTISTS use FAB! 

Burial of the Dead. 2011?

 “My cousin (s) he took me out on a sled

And I was frightened. He said, Marie,

Marie, hold on tight. And down we went.

In the mountains, there you feel free.

I read, much of the night, and go south in the winter.”

Before opening, the year is trapped in a plastic case, as Marie of the poem feels when she is not in the mountains. 

 

But the artist Marie? Her year can be taken out, spread open, enjoyed –

“I will show you something different”

Come on a tour of Marie’s year,   there may be regeneration of the barren waste land.  Eliot uses “hyacinths” – symbolic of resurrection.  Marie uses color, and beauty and paper and stitching.

I sort of got stuck here for a while. T S Elliot didn't fit anymore. So I had to free-wheel. Only until I took out the book I am making of Marie's work. I have been working  on it for about as long as I've known Marie, adding each of the artworks she sends. Its time to finish it - something like the old year.  

Re-reading was a contemplative exercise. The earthquake in Japan suddenly came to the fore again. The flight to Hiroshima, the toxicity of her situation. It all came flooding back. Last year was not such a good year.

So I took out March, and thought I’d have to Beware its Ides, especially with Marie’s reference to Mars – but no, she is thinking of spring now. I think this is better: - Emily Dickinson -

Dear March, come in!


How glad I am!


I looked for you before.
Put down your hat–


You must have walked–


How out of breath you are!


Dear March, how are you?


And the rest?


Did you leave Nature well?


Oh, March, come right upstairs with me,


I have so much to tell!

And by May, everything SEEMS normal again.

And the year continuously rolls itself out -  again.

So when i look back - or forwards I have to look again at the year, carefully stitched together. I was struck by contrasts - when I am hot, Marie is cold. While her December is Cold White, mine is Red Hot. "Its a strange strange world we live in Master Jack". 

But still she weaves her magic.

So you see why Marie sent me a collage made from an old Japanese  magazine cover - she's got the year covered  - in triplicate - AG! I mean in triptych.  Petit Pea - again - THANK YOU!!!   :-) X

P.S. I've asked permission - so if you see these images in one or another format, altered or not in you mail box - I made use of these X

[Nancy Bell Scott]

I love that you did this (and book), CP. Marie is mighty worthy of it (and she had a more "interesting" year than some of us realized). Her work wakes up all my senses, acutely. As someone said (Bifidus?), its beauty is almost indescribable, you just have to hold it in your hands. But your blog story certainly sheds great light on it. Wonderful blog!

[Katerina Nikoltsou (MomKat)]

"left over crackers..." wait until DK sees that! 

Well, Marie,  blue mouse is wondering why did MinXus die???

[Katerina Nikoltsou (MomKat)]

Ohhhh, this is FAB! Marie, you can really make "trash" into "treasures".

Look at all those beautiful bits and pieces, creating pure poetry!

Great blog, CP! 'Love T.S. Eliot....with the art of Marie!

And now I shall hijack it to add what came in today's mail from Marie, too.

It fits here so beautifully!...Visual poetry, really! ..."the cat appeared..."

Words and phrases cut out, eliminated...

and then "fallen"...I'm not explaining....Beautiful!

Thank you SP/CB xxx

[Marie Wintzer]

Oh yes, TRRH actually started as TGRH!! Good times :-))

I didn't even mention about the book, it looks great! I sort of gives me an idea about how to do your next one. Except for the binding :-(

[cheryl penn]

Hello Sweet Pea! Man! Running errands in the heat is NOT NICE!!! Blogging your work - well, that IS :-)! I know - TRRH also began with the comic - remember?? I did NOT finish the book :-( - BUT it IS in one piece, so its looking ALOT happier.  I know - FAB fragments - how funny is that :-)) XX

[Marie Wintzer]

Oh, and this is only the beginning for SSSAO, of course...

[Marie Wintzer]

Wow, it looks like the Pea is once again a VERY lucky one!! Fantastic blog, thank you HS! A real present, always....

I like your idea of integrating poetry, and the pieces you chose. Last year was... yes... a bit strange in many ways. But it was great exchanging with you, and I hope I can continue sending you Fab Fragments (glad it made you laugh, see what we do in the lab?) and minis fabs, and smallies, and fabs wannabies and boekies and everything in-between.