NEW POEMS

PIGMENTS

Renaissance sky
of grey,
pale blue and yellow—
scattered clouds
of fair delight
and sun shyly
warms up the day.

Reminiscing eras
only witnessed
through recorded art—
a painter looked up
and saw
what I present see—
a stroke of paint,
pigments pale
that cover
time and space.


Claudia Lowery
December 14, 2008






TWO OBSERVING

Soars the bird
above a gray walk
and cold earth—
bound not and free
it looks down
at me—
a fixed object
of question and wonder
as I look up
and ponder
how rising upward feels.


Claudia Lowery
December 16, 2008

INCONSTANT MOON

I've tried and tried...and failed and failed....at taking a good photograph of a full moon. I need a class, an expert, a mentor to tell me where I'm going wrong. In the meantime I capture a moment of something otherwise interesting...the intensity of its brightness over I-20, the streaks of car lights, the warm glow of an approaching headlight on the road. Maybe there are better things than a perfect photo of a perfectly round moon...maybe there's a moment in time when it's just God and me looking at His creation, enjoying the beauty and wonder of it all. Maybe He doesn't want me to capture it like some wild creature that needs to struggle free. Maybe He wants to keep it fresh each and every time.
I have friends who are also taken by the captivating beauty of the moon. It fascinates me to know that even in my private moment with God, others around the world are also looking up and then inward as we are all pulled by unseen forces toward a beckoning Creator.
Shakespeare's play "Romeo and Juliet" has a famous scene...Act Two, Scene Two, where the two star-crossed lovers are declaring their love from a balcony. As Juliet asks Romeo for a promise of his eternal love, he says....

ROMEO
Lady, by yonder blessed moon I swear
That tips with silver all these fruit-tree tops--

JULIET
O, swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon,
That monthly changes in her circled orb,
Lest that thy love prove likewise variable.

ROMEO
What shall I swear by?

JULIET
Do not swear at all;
Or, if thou wilt, swear by thy gracious self,
Which is the god of my idolatry,
And I'll believe thee.

O, how exciting is new love as these two covenant with one another to love forever. Even Juliet knew that the moon waxes and wanes in its monthly orbit. She wanted Romeo's love to never wax or wane....and isn't that what we all want?

DECEMBER SKY

Small white crescent moon upper left corner.


Jet with contrails enters the scene.

Moon more visible now with jet contrails.

God's bounty...too much to behold...breathtaking!

Photos by Claudia Lowery December 2008

Recently I worked late and this was what greeted me as I came outside. Difficult to see, the crescent moon is in the upper left, but even more amazing is the fact that I could also see Venus and Jupiter just to the right of the moon. Unfortunately, my little camara just couldn't do the job. Then, a jet with contrails flew by and I just snapped and snapped photos as fast as possible....well, you just had to be there.

FLASHBACK

Well, I opened the mail today and happily found a photo I'd never seen before. My friend, Stefan Wanstrom who lives in Austin sent it to me. This is me in 1974 standing next to my first car, a Karmann Ghia, and man does is look way more pitiful than I remember it. I paid $400 for it and drove it without adequate brakes most of the time. By the look of it I don't think the tires or windows were much better. I sure did have some good ol' times in that little car, though. The child is Micah Vaughn, son of Gayle and Bobby Vaughn. I was at Gayle's duplex for a visit (her VW is on the left) and someone posed us and snapped the shutter. I was a happy hippie girl back then in March 1974. It really takes me back to a good time in my life. I drove the Ghia for a year, sold it to Donnie Wesson for $400, and within 6 months he was in a serious wreck and it was totaled. He was alright, but the KG went to a junkyard somewhere. Sad...

PAPER FANS

Gathered late,

the gingkos fell

all gold.

Paper fans

lie soft and quiet

amid approaching

winter grass.

I sigh and bend

to retrieve a first bouquet

from this young tree-

an autumn offering

held and pressed

to my curved lips,

to feel with all my senses

the cool

of a changing season-

a silent kiss

to God.

Claudia Lowery

November 28, 2008

Two years ago I first became aware of the gingko leaf shape, form, and color during a season of intense personal creativity. After planting a slender gingko tree and holding my breath through the first winter, I rejoiced at the first spring buds knowing it had rooted well. Now I watched its first autumn and the turning of the lime green leaves into a deep gold. About 40 leaves graced my young tree and when they finally let go of their security and fell to the earth I gathered them in the quiet and cool afternoon. The gingko is a powerful symbol of creativity for me. This poem is the result of that moment.

BORN LONELY

Wrapped in grayish melancholy,
blanketed with matted gloom,
you consciously hook and drag down
the sunniest days.

You were born lonely,
not an acquired condition created
by some circumstance-
ongoing, pushing forward
into my time, my climate.

Filling endless potholes of neediness
is labor intensive-
Brighter days abound and bless us,
but withstanding your glum exterior
I fight the urge to melt into it.

So just be lonely then,
but leave me out of it.
Rising phoenix from daily ash
I soar alone, never lonely.
You stay behind, earthbound.


Claudia Lowery
November 23, 2008

LORD OF THE DANCE

"Where the Spirit of the Lord Is"
from my sketchbook journal
Claudia Lowery 2007

This song by Steven Curtis Chapman is one of my favorites. The message is clear...God fills us, moves us, and gives our lives purpose. The part that really gets me is that we are just going through the motions...until He fills us. Fill me, God....for in in You alone do I live and move and have my being.

'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.' ACTS 17:28 NIV

LORD OF THE DANCE

On the bank of the Tennessee River
In a small Kentucky town
I drew my first breath one cold November morning
And before my feet even touched the ground
With the doctors and the nurses gathered 'round
I started to dance
I started to dance

A little boy full of wide-eyed wonder
Footloose and fancy free
But it would happen, as it does for every dancer
That I'd stumble on a truth I couldn't see
And find a longing deep inside of me, it said . . .

I am the heart, I need the heartbeat
I am the eyes, I need the sight
I realize that I am just a body
I need the life
I move my feet, I go through the motions
But who'll give purpose to chance
I am the dancer
I need the Lord of the dance

The world beneath us spins in circles
And this life makes us twist and turn and sway
But we were made for more than rhythm with no reason
By the one who moves with passion and with grace
As He dances over all that He has made

I am the heart, He is the heartbeat
I am the eyes, He is the sight
And I see clearly, I am just a body
He is the life
I move my feet, I go through the motions
But He gives purpose to chance
I am the dancer
He is the Lord of the dance
Lord of the dance
Lord of the dance

And while the music of His love and mercy plays
I will fall down on my knees and I will pray

I am the heart, You are the heartbeat
I am the eyes, You are the sight
And I see clearly, I am just a body
You are the life
I move my feet, I go through the motions
But You give purpose to chance
I am the dancer
You are the Lord of the dance
I am the dancer
You are the Lord of the dance

IMMORTAL

We request immortal remembrance
to withstand being forgotten
and lost to time.
Something in us calls out
for legacy,
connectedness
and forward thought.
What could we do
to cinch the deal and cause someone
to say with fondness
“I remember when she..”
“He once was..”
“They were very…” ?
The fact of history
and wishing to last
will drive us on with unfulfilled,
unsettled dreams
and still we dance to a faint
unheard tune that lures us on
into some fog that no one can see
quite through.


Claudia Lowery
November 18, 2008

SOME LIKE IT HOT

I am removing my large vase from the kiln.



Working the reduction fire in cedar sawdust.

Extreme heat.

Vase ignites into flames when it touches the sawdust.

Duality.


Dennis O'Bryant's head piece "Messenger" cooling off in
sawdust.



Dennis in a double exposure surrounded by flames.
Notice the faint image in front of his face...smiling.
Probably one of my favorite photos of him because it was
so unpredictable...like the raku process.

Charlotte's beautiful red hair. This is an interesting photo.
This is how it looked when I took it. The background is
dark because we were outdoors at night. However.....

...when I equalized the photo digitally Dennis mysteriously
appears in the background...working the fire.

Charlotte in green.


Charlotte and fiance' Abel warm their hands by the kiln.

Yes....it is a fire breathing dragon!
This sculpture was a joint project of Ben and Richard.
Ben is Erin's husband and Richard is a neighbor's child.
Richard is also in my 5th grade art class. He was out of town
but wow...will he be surprised at the results!

Dennis, Susan, and Kay relaxing between firings.

Great results for a full moon night.

We sampled a little horsehair raku.

Last raku of 2008. Chilly, windy, fun, and always leaving
us wanting more. It's always an exciting, dangerous, fulfilling
experience with friends alongside to witness it all.

EARLY ONE MORNING

Rainbow South ~ photo equalized ~ C.Lowery 2008

Rainbow North ~ photo equalized ~ C.Lowery 2008


God sent me a full rainbow early one morning this week...too wide to fit into one photo.

TAMMY'S RAKU PHOTOS

Me on the left watching my clay pieces
smoldering in the cedar ashes.


One hot chick!

Peeking from the windowsill

Really cool....

Clay classmate, Tammy Pruitt, took a lot of incredible photos the night of our raku party. These are some of a very small piece I made from a leftover lump of almost hardened clay. It was mostly an experiment, but we liked the results. Tammy caught her smoldering in the ashes, then when she cooled off we set her up on the windowsill. I love these shots of her from different angles. Thanks Tammy!!!

AUTISM

The photo is my oldest grandson, Dean, playing in the water during an unseasonably warm day November 2. He was lost in a moment of city-boy bliss as he was able to drink from the waterhose and spray himself without fear of getting in trouble while visiting us in the great piney woods of east Texas. For my autistic grandson...it's a really big deal. I am learning a lot about autism as the years go by, but mostly I am learning about myself...and how impatient I can become when extra effort is required. It's not a side of me that I am proud of, yet, God saw fit to send me a double dose with two autistic grandsons. I guess He thought I needed a double dose of work on my character.
I am really proud of my family...my husband, son, and daughter...they all rise to the occasion and help with chasing, discipline, and entertainment. My daughter has the greatest burden of all, being the sole support of her family and the one who provides the lion's share of nurturing and tenderness for both boys. I cannot take any credit for her being the way she is, even though I raised her from "a piece of lint", as we jokingly say in our family. She has always had that gift of caring for others less fortunate. She is a beautiful mommie.
After they left I wrote this poem that expresses what I feel when they visit. It's a huge mix of emotions and confused feelings, but I suppose I'm not the only grandparent who's experienced this with special needs kids.

"AT TIMES"

I cannot say I am happy
about autism,
a word that is labeled
to my two oldest grandsons.
I cannot say that I am joyfully
accepting their quirks,
special needs, and chaos
that seems to push them
faster and farther
than I can run.
I cannot say that I am not frustrated,
tired, and angry
when trying to reason with
tantrums, outbursts, and screaming fits.
I just want to turn and hide.

But,
I can say that small improvements are huge
and cause us to rejoice.
I can see that there are timely moments
when one comes up and kisses me
when I least deserve it.
I can say that I love
my two little autistic boys
even when they’re not lovable,
for after all,
I’ve not been too lovable either,
at times.


Claudia Lowery
November 2, 2008

COMMENTS:

Fielding J. Hurst said...
"Beautiful poem, can I post it on my blog if I credit you and link to you, pretty please? I am an autism parent in awe of autism grandparents who rise to the occasion..."

"Absolutely yes! Thanks for your Comment and compliment. Hopefully others will see and share in this, too. Just add the credit and link. Again, thanks!" Claudia Lowery

"wow, Claudia. I did not know that you had grandchildren with autism. My younger sister has autism so I can completly empathize with those feelings. You may have heard this before, but I love this little poem called "Welcome to Holland."I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this......When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland.""Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland."

Emily Perl Kingsley

NEW ART

"Foundation"
"Walls can divide us. Foundations can lift us up." Claudia Lowery

Painting of brick foundation. Acrylic 11X14 Claudia Lowery


Clay cross with twine lashing and beads
Claudia Lowery

Clay plate, mixed media
Claudia Lowery

Imperfections help us grow. My cross broke, I made something new. The plate was ugly, I added something more. The brick foundations were left alone and standing as a memory of another time when a house rose above. I saw how strong the brick foundation had been. I want a stong foundation that stands the test of time...not walls that divide.

Three of my raku pottery pieces.

Inside the best piece...my signature gingko leaves.


Unpredictable and satisfying results.


Amazing color this time.






And this is me turning the piece in sawdust after the raku firing.

FRIENDS from CLAY CLASS

Kathy

Margot and Susan


Kay


Beautiful Myrna


Dennis checking out one of his sculptures.

Margot's mask fresh out of the ashes, before washing.

Spitting fire from the kiln! WOW!

Erin, my teacher, watches Dennis at work.

Dennis' sculpture, the burning man, with fire coming from
his nose and ears.

Richard and Ben sit on the sidelines during all the action.

Ben is helping Richard scuplt a dragon from clay.

Another exciting raku party at Erin's. For almost 2 years now I've been learning the processes of clay and pottery, but nothing matches raku firing outdoors. It is wild, dangerous, and unpredictable with amazing results. However, I had one piece break, several small cracks, and one come out so-so that wasn't too impressive. That, too, is part of the process...handling disappointment and frustration...a good lesson for life. Sometimes, despite our greatest hopes and efforts, things just don't go according to our feeble plans. That's when you learn to trust God, wait for the results, and hopefully there will be something beautiful emerge from the ashes. And even if the thing you hold in your hand misses the mark of beauty, you can always find that other "lesson" that was intended for that moment. So very much to be learned in the fire. Thanks Erin for letting us fire it up last Friday.

Also, for a lot more photos of this awesome process visit http://denoart.blogspot.com/ for Dennis O'Bryant's take on the night.


COMMENTS:
Deno said...
Your pieces came out Great!