A painter with words
Self-Portrait – Frank Marshall-Davis
Creating sharp portraits
On the wide canvas of your mind
Images of those things
Shaped through my eyes
That interest me;
Since I bounce my creative tendencies from photos to poems and poems to photos, there must be a middle point and so I’ve made it here:
- Poet ~ As a child I learned and loved to recite poetry. Only in these advanced years have I started to write my own lines. The inspiration does not come readily so I sometimes use another poet as prompt or more often, take my cue from the online poetry communities with their themes and styles.
- Photographer ~ In 2011 my husband Martin bought me my first digital camera and I have not looked back since. The camera has taught me to look more at the world around me, to focus down as well as in. I’ve a long way to go though both technically and pictorially.
My background is in mental health and therapy, with a leaning towards Freud and the philosophically existential. The backdrop to all this had been, for many years, Central London. In 2019 I moved Northwards, seeking a more rural lifestyle and by necessity a more solitary one, as in October 2018, Martin died suddenly. (and hence this blog is dedicated to him).
I’m fortunate to have a loving family and some very supportive friends. I also own an imaginary dog called ‘walkies’ which gets me out and about to exercise mind and body, in most weathers. Sometimes I have my camera with me, and sometimes the beginnings of a poem begins with these few steps.
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PoetryPix 
My belated condolences; I just read about the passing of your husband.
thank you, Mary
I’m very sorry to hear about your husband. It hasn’t been long at all, but you are up and about and creating, and that’s a very good thing.
On another note, your comments about the image/words and which came first, and how they relate, etc. are interesting. I’m more of an images person, obviously, but I do love words. I feel like it may be something bigger than both words and images that leads me in one direction or another sometimes, and then perhaps that feeling or inspiration or quality shows up in both arenas. Maybe.
This comment shows what a wonderful way with words you have – your photos speak for themselves. Many thanks for the condolence – writing helps me get through these days
So sorry to read about this Laura. My deepest condolences to you and your family.
Thank you Grace – I appreciate your words
Only just read this (I came to see if I could discover where you came from) and so sorry to hear about the loss of your husband. The same day as my mother died in 1995 – hard to believe that was so long ago – but she is still in my heart as I am sure your Martin will always be. I appreciate your visits to my blog(s) and I wish you well.
and thank you for your visits and condolence Jude. I come from wherever I make my home – my roots were uprooted from an early age.Cornwall is so photogenic (in your hands) but I hope to find subjects in more Northerly climes soon – and Martin will certainly be with me in spirit though he was a born and bred Londoner and true Cockney
ouch sorry for your loss, so recent!
I have a similar professional background 🙂
thank you Kate – yes some days fresh as yesterday
I’m sure when it was so sudden … glad you have great support but it’s never the same 😦
I am just reading you moved…..I have been away since Dec due to a host of health issues and blog issues but I hope to catch up in the future. And I wish you well in your new surroundings.
Welcome back and really was only thinking of you yesterday – lot has happened since you were last here
https://poetrypix.com/dedication/
I will try and catch up. I hope you are liking your move. They can be stressful.
You have a wonderful way with words!!
I very much appreciate your comment Roth as words have been a guiding source/resource
You are welcome! … and you can call me Dwight! :>)
Very sorry for the loss of your husband…the flip side or silver lining, or whatever trite description, is that grief and loss and solitude can all be turned into phenomenal creative art. It’s worked for me, anyway.
I appreciate your comment – not a trite word in it – many thanks
You’re very welcome.
I came today to thank you for your words of encouragement at Soul’s Music. What I found was another soul/mate. I didn’t start writing poetry until I went to college (age 37), and my family gifted me with a camera several years after I graduated. I think they hoped it would replace my dance with words, but instead fueled it, lol. Added to both was my need to create other types of images. During this past April, I simply used images from my media files at my site. That got me to start exploring my other picture files on my computer. Am thinking April, this year, may have tossed me back into that beginner’s mindset when I was a child seeking a means to express what I alone could see. I truly do believe that Creativity is the beginning of healing. And I am far from done yet.
Elizabeth
Thank you for stopping by here Elizabeth and finding a soul/mate – evidently you have given your creativity an airing and the space and time for flow to arrive unassisted – glad you are finding treasures you already had at your fingertips. I look forward to more posts from you
Poetry and photos are Siamese Twins for me! Your setting sounds wonderful for inspiration. Sorry for your loss of your husband!.
Dwight
many thanks Dwight and for stopping by my Bio
Sorry for your loss. My husband also died unexpectedly in June 2018. It is so hard losing a partner you figured you’d be for so many more years. On top of that my son was killed in a motorcycle accident last year. I have wanted to move but the first time my house was on the market it didn’t sell and now with the global economy shaky, home sales are not priority. Even if I could sell I would be afraid of not finding somewhere to go. Good luck with your writing and photography.
oh dear – a double tragedy must be even harder. Moving helps shift some of the associations but the memories travel with us – home sales have started to roll here in the UK – hope it does for you soon. Thank you for stopping by with your condolences and appreciation
Wonderful and full of wonder.
xo
thank you for finding my blog
Not sure how i got here;
but, i did.
thank you for your blog.
keep on keeping on.
xo
Thanks for visiting my blog so I’d know to come over here and have a look. I love your About–I’m so sorry about your husbands’ passing, and am very moved that your blog is dedicated to him, such a lovely and lasting gesture of tribute. Blessings to you ❤
thank you for your visit and your words – this blog represents much of what Martin appreciated about me – though I’m sure there was more 😉
That is so lovely ❤
What part here isn’t garden? All, all of it is. I’m only first blush here, seeing, reading, and like a literal garden, I’ve hardly begun to see. It will take time, take attention. The labor is an act of love. Thank you for having made this available. Neil
thank you Neil for taking a stroll through here – a literary garden where I plant words, poems, imagery, images, photos, fauxtoart and plaques to poets. And favouring the grounding effect of earth, I also have a literal garden which I’m converting to something of the Japanesque