Elizabeth Bishop: Painter & Poet

“If after I read a poem the world looks like that poem
for 24 hours or so I'm sure it's a good one —
and the same goes for paintings. ”
~ Elizabeth Bishop ~

Elizabeth Bishop was "aware of the
smallness and dignity of human observation."
[i.e., the quotidian!]
~ David Kalstone ~

Daisies in Paintbucket
Watercolor and gouache, 10½ x 9½ inches.
William Benton, editor of Exchanging Hats: Elizabeth Bishop Paintings observes that "The general rule of a Bishop picture is: If a table exists, put flowers on it. In this case, with the dramatic focus on the extension cord crossing the planes of the white room (to bring a lamp to the narrow working space), she simply opened the door to the garden instead."

Interior With Extension Cord
Watercolor, gouache, and ink, 6 x 6 inches.
both paintings by Elizabeth Bishop
from the Collection of Loren MacIver
concluding stanza from "A Summer's Dream"
We were awakened in the dark by
the somnambulist brook
nearing the sea,
still dreaming audibly.

concluding stanza from "Cirque D'Hiver" ("Winter Circus")
Facing each other rather desperately—
his eye is like a star—
we stare and say, "Well, we have come this far."

More about Elizabeth Bishop: Painter & Poet on my
CURRENT FORTNIGHTLY BLOG POST:
~ The Inner World
of the Dream Character ~

Thanks for reading
The Fortnightly Kitti Carriker:
A Fortnightly [every 14th & 28th] Literary Blog of
Connection & Coincidence; Custom & Ceremony