INTO THE DARK WOOD

Acrylic, paper, gouache, water soluble crayon on canvas, 2022, 61 x 61 cm

thinking of a writing course I’ll be doing at the Poetry School this autumn term, looking at Dante’s writing. En el bosqué scratched into it and then mostly covered over. A squelchy thick paint palette knife job, but I was frustrated by not being able to find one of my palette knives. Lots of drawing through the paint, lots of gold paint and iridescent orange. More of this – “I’ve torn my scarf into shreds; I’m all wrapped up in a blanket.
I took off my finery of pearls and coral, and strung a garland of wildwood flowers.
With my tears, I watered the creeper of love that I planted;
Now the creeper has grown spread all over, and borne the fruit of bliss.” (Meera Bai)