It has rained steadily for several days. A relief for farmers in KwaZulu Natal! We are on the verge of being declared a drought stricken region and farmers are pleading for the increase of emergency relief to save their crops and livestock. We're not out of the woods yet but the sound of rain on the roof is comforting.
"The figure has a loose and porous structure and relates to dry land, which absorbs water. In this work I play with scale, making a raindrop large enough to compare a man with an insect, considering that man is a part of nature. Moreover, this work concerns the question of interaction and difficulties in coexistence of man with environment,"
"Almost each sculpture is autobiographical. Senses and questions which fascinate me become fundamental in the creation of 'Rain'. In almost all cases, the sculpture provokes the viewer to look up in anticipation of the same raindrop." - Nazar Bilyk
RAIN by Raymond Carver
Woke up this morning with
a terrific urge to lie in bed all day
and read. Fought against it for a minute.
Then looked out the window at the rain.
And gave over. Put myself entirely
in the keep of this rainy morning.
Would I live my life over again?
Make the same mistakes?
Yes, given half a chance. Yes.
Sculptures by Nazar Bilyk and Anne Gillespie bring to mind our friends in Australia who, not so long ago, were praying for rain to douse the bush fires. I can only imagine the relief they feel when it rains during the dry season.
"Petrichor, the name for the smell of rain on dry ground, is from oils given off by vegetation, absorbed onto neighboring surfaces, and released into the air after a first rain." - Matthew Bettelheim
I love the way David Tress creates atmosphere in his paintings. He scrubs and scrapes, scores, patches and reworks until he is satisfied with the effect.
" .... there are several recent paintings that explicitly deal with flash storms by apparently tearing a fundamentally tranquil landscape apart with downward flashes or slashes of white or blue slanting dramatically across the composition. Sometimes, again, Tress loves to create a turbulent effect by folding or collaging the heavy handmade papers on which most of his works are painted to create an almost sculptural surface." - John Russell Taylor, The Times
"Last night
the rain
spoke to me
slowly, saying,
what joy
to come falling
out of the brisk cloud,
to be happy again
in a new way
on earth!"
- Mary Oliver
A beautiful and well thought-out post.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I find the sculptures so moving.
ReplyDeletemagnifique les expressions des sculptures... et les feuilles mortes sont un plus!!!!
ReplyDeleteMagnifique indeed!
DeleteFabulous work!
ReplyDeleteyes!
DeleteIt's been raining for a few days where I am too - so this post really speaks to me -- from fighting the urge to stay in bed and read all day to standing outside in it - face to the sky!
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful words and images you have given me to enjoy this rain even more.
Thanks!
Thanks Judy, the sun came out late yesterday and I can see it's going to be a sunny day today. Everything looks scrubbed and clean.
DeleteSuch a relief when the rain comes - wishing you enough to nourish everything. Wonderful work... !
ReplyDeleteThe garden is saturated and the sun is out this morning. Everything sparkles.
DeleteWe've had misty, foggy and drizzly rain here and I am thankful for it all, Having gone through a drought in California years ago I am always cognizant of being frugal with water a finite natural resource and lacking in so many areas.
ReplyDeletethe glass on the face like a big raindrop and the sculpture in the mist with the open mouth as if waiting for a mouthful of life giving water
love them both
We had chronic drought conditions here several years ago with water restrictions. Like you I have never forgotten it and feel guilty when watering the garden.
DeleteO don't know how you do it Robyn. Every picture, every poem, all is totally inspired. Your blog always gives me such pleasure.
ReplyDeleteThat makes me very happy, Weaver. I always enjoy reading your poems on your blog.
DeleteBeautiful post. Love the sculpture and the Dale Lindman abstract is amazing. Hard for she who lives in a soggy part of the world, where winter = rain to imagine anyone longing for rain. So interesting to watch my own mind as I read of those living in arid places. I identify with the Raymond Carver piece. It is delicious on a really rainy winter day to stay in bed a while longer with coffee and a good book!
ReplyDeleteDon't you love the rusty strip through Dale's painting?
DeleteI don't think our drought conditions ever get as bad as those experienced in Australia. KwaZulu Natal is known as the green province so we are luckier than the rest of the country.
Thank you for the reminder of the importance of water, our most precious resource. My second daughter was born at home ( by accident) during a little rain storm her middle name is quiahuitl ( little rain in Nahuatl). As alway the art is spectacular thank you.
ReplyDeletequiahuitl .... such a pretty name, filled with meaning.
DeleteGood to hear you are finally getting some rain. I hope it helps the situation. I love the open mouth sculpture. I can remember as a child doing this often when it rained during summer. Rain tastes best during summer.
ReplyDeleteLisa, I still look up at the rain and open my mouth, especially after an extremely hot day :-)
DeleteYou always find the most incredible images . . . hoping the rain subsides. x
ReplyDeleteThe sun is out, the birds are rejoycing ..... I think it's going to be a hot day.
DeleteI just read about the elephant whisperer in KwaZulu, it was an amazing story -
ReplyDeleteyour pin ,of course...
The amazing thing was the elephants were really wild and hadn't been near the house in almost 2 years. I burst into tears when I heard the story.
Deletehttp://delightmakers.com/news/wild-elephants-gather-inexplicably-mourn-death-of-elephant-whisperer/
Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous, every shot is wonderful and somehow very moving. I know everyone thinks it always rains in England, but it does depend which bit you are in! I worry when it doesn't rain, miss it as if my thirst depended on it, and I guess, at base level, it really does, for all of us. We have rain catchers on my veggie plot. I wish more people did.
ReplyDeleteSunshine today but I'm hoping the needy areas will get more rain.
DeleteRaymond Carver lived in the same rainy place I do, so he knew his rain! I believe a rainy day with a good book is heaven on earth. Thank you for this lovely post Robyn. ~Leslie Avon Miler
ReplyDeleteA rainy day is a wonderful excuse to curl up with a good book.
DeleteIt has just started raining here, we have had a wonderfully mild and damp Spring and now the start of summer.
ReplyDeleteI have no doubt it will eventually get hot but at the moment I am enjoying the cool and damp. I could just do without the cold I have.
Lovely images.
Like you I'm enjoying the cooler weather but I think we are in for a steamy summer. Hope your cold clears up soon.
DeleteI love the rain, all kinds, soft drops or windy with big wet drops, I love the sound of rain, all kinds. We are overdo for some rain. I refuse to wash my car because I'm waiting for the rain. Every photo and word on this post has made me really think and feel about rain ... thank you Robyn!
ReplyDeleteMary Ann, in my experience if you wash your car or water the garden the rain will come :-)
ReplyDeletethe rain is falling gently here, love the sound on the tin roof
ReplyDeleteOne of my favourite sounds.... rain on a tin roof
DeleteThere is such an intolerable restlessness when one is waiting for rain. And those glorious sculptures perfectly express the joy and relief one feels when it finally comes. Thank you so much for sharing these - they're simply breathtaking.
ReplyDeleteOur summers are hot and there's nothing quite like a storm at the end of the day to cool everything down.
DeleteI love this post about rain and how art can capture its power. I have the best memories of one very dry summer when I was a teenager. When it finally began to rain, the local radio DJ played XTC's "1000 Umbrellas/Ballet for a Rainy Day" and I went outside and danced in the rain. That song still evokes in me today the memories of that day and the wonderful joy of rain - musical art, but art nonetheless. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThe smell of rain on dry ground brings so many memories too. No wonder I love that smell.
DeleteWe also have problems with long drought here. Sometimes we do a little dance, and that helps. We have had one day of rain and everything is green again ;-)
ReplyDeleteIt seems to be raining everywhere!
DeleteThis is a beautiful post Robyn; the artists you've chosen all have such unique and evocative ways of expressing the feelings related to rain. I had no idea the smell of rain on dry ground had a name, but it is certainly a wondrous smell!
ReplyDeleteThanks Sharmon. I also love the smell of the chilled air after hail.
Deletei live [well, when i am home] in the driest state on the driest continent. rain is our most precious gift.
ReplyDeleteHope it rains soon!
Deletewhere i live rain is generous, sometimes too much so. but that doesn't make me love it any less. that first piece is startling and beautiful. our rain now is white and cold.
ReplyDeleteThe rain in Karine Leger's painting look's cold.
DeleteAnother beautiful post...and appropriate as it's raining here today.
ReplyDeleteWe had a little sunshine for half a day but the rain is back.
DeleteRobyn, So glad you have rain! We have snow, which I love. May it keep raining for you.xoxo
ReplyDeleteIt's still raining! Enjoy the snow.
DeleteI love it when it rains and gently chide those few who complain about it.
ReplyDeleteI would rather not endure the heat of summer so even though it's been raining for two weeks I'm happy with the situation.
DeleteI love that sculpture, Taste the Rain. Thanks for all of this :)
ReplyDeleteI have a vivid memory of the last school bell ringing and everyone racing outside to taste the rain. It had been a scorcher of a day and the cloud burst was greeted with absolute relief.
ReplyDeleteHi R - as much as we tend to curse the mud, mould and inconvenience of rain it does not take too much dryness to send us scuttling for rain wishes. The rain in Austrailia was a welcome saviour. Hope you get more to save the crops and give relief to the stress and heartache of drought. Go well. B
ReplyDeleteI'm scuttling for rain wishes again :-)
Deletewater is so precious and each artist captures it so beautifully.
ReplyDeleteIndeed. The imagination of the artist never ceases to amaze me.
DeleteProbably one of the great sensual pleasures in life, to lift the face to a soft rain and smell the earth release its mulched in secrets. We experienced a drought, heat-wave years back and that kind of dry gets into the consciousness. Hope the rain finds its balance again.
ReplyDeleteSo many beautiful images--love the way the top sculpture arches its neck and throat, and the "grip" of its feet on the little orb. Also that little ol'red bike on your Tumblr--associative rich!
Thanks Robyn
It's been a rainy December but 2 hot days over Christmas made me wish for more rain.
DeleteAll your blog posts are wonderful but this one on 'rain' especially resonates... I think because we all have experienced all types of rain... the gentle drizzle to the pulsating heavy downpour. I love all the images but I went to David Tress' website and wow his paintings are so dynamic and striking.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you explored David's site. His paintings certainly make me feel the storm, the driving rain...
DeleteA beautifull post and text, sweet.
ReplyDeleteThanks Louisette
ReplyDelete