I challenged myself to try Spark, a creative exchange between artists and poets. Artist Betty Nichols sent me an image of her art.
A process I’ve been playing with lately is paper collage. To get my head around this abstract painting, I decided to recreate it in collage. The paper I selected informed words I collected to write from. Here is my response collage.
While searching for things to cut out, I found an article that included advice from Maria Shriver on how to make a difference. The first bullet point, “Sit with yourself” became the title. I cut out radicchio to get the red color. Doing research I found that radicchio is the “crunch VIP of salads.” The black flame came from a bee print paper. I let the list and collage sit for a few days. The process worked for me.
Sit with Yourself
The chicory radicchio is said
to be the ultimate crunch in your daily salad,
rich in vitamin K.This red dagger isn’t dangerous.
The flame that is the yellow body of a bee
harmlessly flying from tree to tree
pollinates, perpetuating life.This red dagger isn’t dangerous.
When you are faced with the sharp points
of a knife you use every day,
look closely. The stain of death
may be the blood of birth,
the path of its blade leading to light.This red dagger isn’t dangerous.
A snow-filled valley will green in spring.
Sit with yourself.
Margaret Simon, all rights reserved.
Give it time.
Posted at Spark here.
I sent Betty a blues poem, and she responded with tissue paper art. See our collaboration here.
At first I was completely intimidated by the idea of writing a poem to someone else’s art. By making it my own through my own art, I was able to find a way in to the original painting. The idea of sitting with yourself to make space for creativity comes up for me a lot these days. Creativity requires space as well as time for incubation. I hope you can find time and space to incubate and create. The process is its own reward.
Reflections on the Teche 
I love how you describe your process here: The way you found inspiration in the various papers, the way you leaned into the piece of art, the way you sat with this. As I read your poem I went back to the art piece over and over. I was struck by how it transformed, each piece shaping the other.
Thank you for sharing your process, Margaret. Your creativity never ceases to inspire and awe. Thanks for the encouragement to:
“Sit with yourself.
Give it time.”
Amazed by your creativity and the time you spent to recreate this painting in collage. I love how you lifted the title from the Maria Shriver article. I may have to hunt for it.
I think it was in an Oprah magazine. Thanks.
Wow, your spark poem and collage are ‘brilliant’, Margaret! I love the advice (and title of your poem) to ‘sit with yourself’. The wee pup tucked in your collage was a delightful find. 🙂
This is so good, and especially the ending. And your collage is gorgeous. Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
I guess I saw your collaboration on FB & loved it then, Margaret. Now reading about your own process deepens it even more. It’s a lovely thought to ‘sit with it’ as I am doing while reading your words. Sounds like fun, too!
oooooh! You know I love your poem and all the sensory invitations to see red and yellow and the bee and the blood. I LOVE the tissue paper art. How cool that it evokes the blues with that piano image at the bottom. What a great collaboration. You make me think I might give SPARK another try.
You should. This was a good match up, I think. It certainly pushed me to try something new.
What a rich collaboration and a fascinating process for you! I’m so impressed with your bold endeavors! I think those ending lines are a wonderful mantra. I’m going to write them in my notebook. Thanks!
I am trying to connect my art to my writing at the moment in various ways, so you have given me some inspiration. Thank you. I love the poem and your collage is lovely. Everyone’s art is unique which makes it precious!
I got burned when I tried Spark. I gave away one of my best poems and poured my heart into my response. All I got in return was slap-dash and last-minute. I may or may not try again.
Your collages inspire me! I bought myself a set of Exacto knives and a cutting mat last winter, and I’ve been saving catalogs and magazines. Soon, art. Soon.
I’m grateful my experience was a good one. I hope you will try collage art. It’s satisfying and inspiring. One of my students has picked up on it. Art is contagious. (I use good old-fashioned scissors, nothing as fancy as an Exacto knife.)
It’s so true that you need time to create, and you must carve it out of your day, commit to it. Your poem is so evocative full of opposites and sharp images. Thanks for sharing it. The collages you shared here are stunning.
Interesting and provocative collage response to Betty’s painting Margaret. Seems like there’s something lurking there in the image of women on the right. Both your pieces give us a sense of energy. I like your repetition of the “red dagger” line, and bringing us back to “Sit with yourself.”
and ending with, “Give it time,” thanks!
I love how your poem captures both Betty’s art and your creative process.