I found this visionary poem this morning and quickly did a painting in watercolour on hand made paper, shown below in its actual size….
In light of the disturbances that are occurring all around the world, and not only in the weather, I felt that it was indeed prophetic, and had to include it part of our painting journey…..part of The Tao…
The Portent
When the great wind in the sixth moon o’erwhelmed
The skies at Chengdu lifting houses whole,
Shaking the land with fearful din, black clouds
Of craggy shale were borne in the wind’s midst:
A ghostly dankness covered the wide air;
And lightnings shot red fire down on earth.
The Lord of Heaven bade lurking dragons rise,
Which trailed their half-furled standards from the east.
Great rain-drops clattered, large as axle-trees:
Mountains o’er-toppled: and the river floods.
All passage barred; and by their roots uprent
were pine-trees furlongs tall. None knows as yet
if plenteous year be augured.
Yet this sight stupendous cleansed the heart of vulgar cares.
Lu Yu 1125-1210
What do you think? Is there a pattern, an invisible aspect to nature beyond what we experience on the surface?.....
Let me know your thoughts….
Chinese Brush Painting How-To "The Portent"
Poem by Lu Yu 12th Century Chinese Poet
This poem ties in with the last chapter on Chinese painting, where I wrote of the visible and invisible aspects of nature….it was written many centuries ago and yet it could have been written last week…
Lao Tzu, the originator of Taosim, says that “Tao is great, Heaven is great, Earth is great, and Man is also great”....in Lu Yu’s poem all four Greats are personified…the second and the last lines are particularly telling….
AndyReeve, 3 months ago
This is a little worrying, Hmmmm
Janis Zroback in reply to AndyReeve’s comment, 3 months ago
Andy….do you have an answer to my question? I just posted it under the poem…
coppertrees, 3 months ago
I want to thank you so much for doing this series, It is fantastic so beautiful and healing.
Janis Zroback in reply to coppertrees’s comment, 3 months ago
Thank you Vickie….do you have any thoughts on the question above?
coppertrees, 3 months ago
Healing,we do not see the healing very often, art has a big part in healing that we seldom talk about. In each of us there is something that we long for and I believe it is healing. When we look at art or do art there is a silent calming inside. It touches us and we feel the excitement, we do not talk about it,but with each stroke each thought there is healing.
Sometimes the emotional side is too strong so we turn away and do not discuss it.
Janis Zroback, 3 months ago
I totally agree that there is a healing aspect to art, experienced by both artist and viewer…....
Do you think there is an invisible aspect to nature, a pattern beyond what we can see or experience as is expressed in The Tao? Is that what’s responsible for all that is occurring these days?
See the poem here and my comments….
coppertrees, 3 months ago
There is a touching of everything and everything touching a bond we do not see nor hear. All is one,one is all.
coppertrees, 3 months ago
Todays actions are from a few who pracitice “the seven sins” the masses of people who suffer for these people are innocent in the Tao they are rewarded.
Janis Zroback in reply to coppertrees’s comment, 3 months ago
I think you are quite right…I have been reading about a Sung philosopher, who says, if I am expressing it correctly, that we all possess Li, which is Tao that is beyond all physical appearance, and is the basis of everything that is alive…but we also possess Ch’i which is our physical appearance…these two connect us all together..
Janis Zroback in reply to coppertrees’s comment, 3 months ago
I don’t profess to know very much about Chinese philosophy, beyond what I have read that’s connected with painting, but maybe you have something there in your theory of the “seven sins”
Alison Pearce, 3 months ago
Absolutely chilling! You are so right when you say this could have been written last week. I also see a frightening aspect of Nature rearing up to reclaim what is hers. We have destroyed so much and there have to be consequences as our planet is more fragile and yet stronger than we realise.
The last line strikes me with hope however, that there will be a positive change come out of this. And in fact we have seen, as we have in many disaster sites, people of differing views come forth and work side by side to help and to save as many people as we can. Can that be what “cleansed the heart of vulgar cares” could mean?
coppertrees, 3 months ago
I used that term 7 sins because it is understandable to all , better then my worrds for it.lol. I am Pagan and believe that to do no harm, means to do no harm.The full circle of things has begun as it had in the past kind of a past hitting the present theory.
I do believe like Alison if we work side by side and stop the personal crap we could save many.
coppertrees, 3 months ago
I might add Hi Alison. Two of my favorite people wow how is that for side by side?
Janis Zroback in reply to Alison Pearce’s comment, 3 months ago
The second line is so significant as it’s Chengdu…
I read the book “Looking for Chengdu” last year and really enjoyed it, so I was even more horrified about the earthquake….
I have lived through many earthquakes myself, and at one time at age 5 was almost swallowed up by one…
The last lines are more hopeful when he mentions next years harvest, but he also says that the horrors of the storm has put all our little cares into perspective…so some good has indeed come out of it for those who are not directly involved maybe….
The people of the area are the ones living through the devastation, but it makes all the petty problems of the rest of the world look insignificant by comparison…
I just had to do the painting when I read the words, and made it very small, only 3×3, but I think I still was able to capture the sea, rain, and thunder…I might upload the larger image again for a few minutes….Thanks to both of you for your input…I really appreciate it…
Janis Zroback in reply to coppertrees’s comment, 3 months ago
Yes…it does look like we might be in for something big, if we don’t take action before it’s too late…
Note:I have now uploaded the painting in its actual size…
Janis Zroback in reply to Alison Pearce’s comment, 3 months ago
You can now see the actual size of the painting….
coppertrees, 3 months ago
Thank you for blowing it up I can see it much better now. Wonderful movement and color
Alison Pearce, 3 months ago
Yes, there is so much movement in the piece that was not as evident when it was smaller. Hi Vickie!! You and Janis are so inspiring!
Janis Zroback in reply to coppertrees’s comment, 3 months ago
Thanks Vickie…yes…there’s more impact now….
Janis Zroback in reply to Alison Pearce’s comment, 3 months ago
Thank you Alison….you are looking at the actual size of the painting…at some point I will be uploading more of these tiny paintings as I complete them…it’s fun to try and see what I can do with a 3 inch square….