October 8, 2025
Thriller
High Voltage
can you hear the fizz?
like high-voltage power
lines overhead, with
their corona discharge
and magneto-
striction,
the artist buzzes
with the thrum
of her own sparking electricity,
of having run full tilt
into what used to be a tiny bedroom
until it became a makeshift
creative space some years ago,
hand in hand with a muse
who’s grabbed her
and insisted on collaborating
in painting the enticingly
elusive pale hint of color
of a mallow blossom
in the fullness of flower
along with the deepened color of
a past-its-sell-by-date
companion blossom, wilted
and curled back into itself,
a muse who’s brooked no refusal:
it’s time to play!
let’s DO this!
oh,
the adventure!
the intention!
the risk!
the tension!
the absorption and magic,
the vibration
of communication,
the partner dance
of hand and eye, eye and hand,
follow and lead and follow,
eye to flower, hand to brush,
brush to paint, eye to flower,
again,
brush to paper,
hand and eye
mixing mixing
falling short,
fixing,
coming close,
missing,
thrilling to the failure and repair,
to the rising tension of
timid,
fussy,
reckless,
finicky,
intuitive,
tension,
tension,
tension,
expression—
done!
—dotty seiter
=====
3 x 3″; watercolor and watercolor pencil on paper
card #21 in a series of color swatches
2025
=====
Notes about poem and painting:
• Together, I think “High Voltage” and Enticingly tell the story!
=====
15 responses to “Thriller”
Roseanne, success! Your comments mirror exquisitely my own experience of (a) the high-voltage painting experience itself, (b) the writing of the poem, (c) and the way I read it with accelerating speed each and every time. And I, like you, love the color combination; I also loved working to each the subtlety of color required. Thank you so much for your thoughtful comments!
Sheila, so happy my poem struck a chord with you, as well it might, since you are an artist, too! And your appreciation of my watercolor is especially sweet since you are a watercolorist : )
Thanks for enjoying my posts and supporting and celebrating me with comments. Such a gift for us to have met ten years and been exchanging love all the years since!
Liked by 1 person
Wrote a comment and it didn’t go through Ugh! I am signed in, my avatar shows.
Love you description of when the muse comes, excitement, can’t wait till get into your creative space vs the doing, the muse, the expectations, intentions… the doing!
You captured the light neutrals spot on! Not familiar with this flower, but she is beautiful! What a color library you are making for yourself.
Carol, I’m sorry for your experiencing the vagaries of computer communication; I thank you for persisting in commenting here.
Yes to your observations of the creative process! My internal appreciation for process has grown and grown over the years to a place of “thrilling to the failure and repair” and to the “rising tension … tension tension.” It’s what keeps me coming back!
The mallow in our garden was a gift from a friend from camp. I have long loved its subtle muted color and I love it as a symbol of a long-time friendship.
No comments:
Post a Comment