Thursday, November 12, 2015

Bits of Inspiration ~ Capturing Thoughts

Good morning dear poets. Recently I have become fascinated by the paintings of John Everett Millais (June 8 1829 – August 13, 1896). He was an English painter and one of the wealthiest painters of his day.


While looking through his portrait paintings, I began to wonder what his subjects were thinking as he captured their images in brush strokes. I can barely sit still for a photograph. Where does a mind go when someone has to sit for hours under the keen observation of an artist translating what he sees through paint onto a canvas?

Today's challenge is to choose one of the following paintings and give voice to the subject's thoughts. Is there joy, boredom, worry? Are there any hints in the painting itself? Once you've penned your poem add it to Mr. Linky and then visit your fellow poets and discover what they "heard" from the image they chose.


Portia (Kate Dolan)


The Violet's Message


The Bridesmaid 




14 comments:

Outlawyer said...

cool pics, Susie. I am very busy these days so don't know if I can participate but enjoyed seeing them .(And will try.) k.

Ella said...

Thank you, Susie! These images are beyond the moon gorgeous~ I am going to go look up more of his work-so, talented~
What a stunning challenge!

Margaret said...

Susie - are we able to chose from all his portraits? I see one that interests me that isn't included here.

Kerry O'Connor said...

What an excellent prompt, Susie.

Carol Campbell said...

All of these lend themselves to marvelous stories. May write one for each later! Thank you, Susie!

Susie Clevenger said...

@Karin, I understand. Write if you get a chance and you can always return to it at a later date for inspiration.

@Ella, thank you. He did amazing work.

@Margaret, by all means you can chose another portrait by Millais.

@Kerry, thank you!

@Carol, thank you so much!

hedgewitch said...

A bit late to the party, but I couldn't pass up a challenge that featured one of my favorite schools of painting, and such eloquent examples of it. Thanks, Susie.

Susie Clevenger said...

@hedgewitch...You are welcome.

Ella said...

I love this challenge, Susie. I might write another one~
Thank you!

Hannah said...

Thank you, Susie!

Jim said...

Finally I got to write! It was fun, nice prompt to work with, thoughts just oozed from the portrayal of the bridesmaid by Messir Millais. I think the picture works on ones mind, each in a different way giving each of us different messages. I tried to write his message for me.
Tidbits. I wrote this bedside watching pictures, thoughts, and updates from France. My iPad is course, I may smooth things in the morning. We'd been out, it was almost one when I started but I posts dated back to last night, Friday.
Thank you, I promise to read up on Millais Sunday.
..

Outlawyer said...

Susie--I got this done--I feel pretty stupid posting in wake of Paris tragedy, but here it is. k.

Susie Clevenger said...

@Ella, thank you. Mallais did so many portraits. There is a wealth of inspiration held in them.

@Hannah, You are welcome!

@Jim, You wrote some excellent advice. You looked into the mind of a woman who learned some hard lessons and wants to share them.

@Karin, Your piece is fantastic. For me I often turn to writing to cope with the world.

Fireblossom said...

Better late than never, though in my case, maybe it would have been better never! ;-)