The Restless Seeker– Coming to West End Gallery in October
He in his madness prays for storms, and dreams that storms will bring him peace”
― The Sail,
These are the last lines of the poem The Sail from early 19th century Russian poet
As a bit of added info, the poet Lermontov lived his life as though he was the sailor seeking calm by heading into a storm. He packed a lot into his short life, including being acclaimed as the natural heir to Pushkin’s title as the greatest Russian poet, being exiled twice, serving in the Russian army where he led a troop of Cossacks described as a gang of dirty thugs whose duty was to charge headlong into their Chechen enemy forces, and dueling twice. The second duel left him dead after a direct shot to his heart at the age of 26.
He apparently adhered to the words of the old Faron Young song– I want to live fast, love hard, die young, and leave a beautiful memory.
The poem itself, below, seemed to fit well with the new painting shown at the top. Titled The Restless Seeker, it is 6″ by 18″ on canvas and included in my solo exhibit, Guiding Light, at the West End Gallery that opens on October 17.
There is a stormy and otherworldly quality that comes with its chaotic sky and blood red sun/moon. Oddly enough, though it is a painting that is filled with motion, there is also a calm determination in it along with a feeling of defiant courage in the boat and its sails that I find particularly appealing. Maybe it’s the focused calm mustered by those ultimately endure the storm.
It’s a quality that we need a bit more of in these troubled times. That might be part of its appeal for me.
For this week’s Sunday Morning Music, here’s a song that has been shared here a couple of times over the years. It is The Ship Song from the always interesting Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.
A lonely sail is flashing white
Amdist the blue mist of the sea!…
What does it seek in foreign lands?
What did it leave behind at home?..
Waves heave, wind whistles,
The mast, it bends and creaks…
Alas, it seeks not happiness
Nor happiness does it escape!
Below, a current azure bright,
Above, a golden ray of sun…
Rebellious, it seeks out a storm
As if in storms it could find peace!
–The Sail, Mikhail Lermontov
Redtree Times 