Last week I attended an artist roundup at the Acadiana Center for the Arts. It was a free event for any artist in the community. This roundup was centered around still life drawing. In the large gathering room, there were supplies and circles of chairs around a variety of still life models/set-ups. I chose to sit between two friends, so I could feel safe among so many different artists. I walked around the room to see what others had done, but the intent was an open space for creatives to meet and talk and practice, not to compare yourself to others.
I’ve been dabbling in watercolor. I was pleased with the vase of flowers, so I cut it out of the whole painting. I decided to use this experience to write a haiku sonnet with the Poetry Sisters.
Each artist sees
with different eye-angles,
not one best view.She paints in color
while another scratches
pastels or charcoal.No ring leaders here.
A circle of practicing,
finding our flow.I choose the vase
of dead flowers leaning,
colors faded depth.Judgement left outside the door
open easy to joy-play.Margaret Simon, draft
I encourage you to go to the Poetry Friday roundup to see how other poets wrote haiku sonnets. It’s a fun form to use.
Reflections on the Teche 
[…] Margaret Simon enchants us with a haiku sonnet inspired by the creative process and a recent artist round-up HERE. […]
Ah… the thought of joy-play! So wonderful, Margaret!
Hooray for “a circle of practicing”! I remember when one of my kids said that you don’t have to be good at your hobbies…my mind was blown! Permission granted to just have fun! I like how you mention in the beginning that there’s “not one best view.” ❤️
Margaret, the lines
“I choose the vase
of dead flowers leaning”
are so evocative. I feel like you have another whole poem there waiting to the born. Tell us more about the dead flowers … I love that.
One thing I love about this community is seeing how a poem lands with readers. The vase of flowers was just part of the scene that was set in front of me. I do think I was weirdly attracted to them. I’ve been doing a lot of flower pressing this summer. Certainly something to explore.
I love the word joy-play – that’s so open and light and easy, and the uncritical word leans into the idea of just being present. I also love the sharp contrast of the idea of choosing the vase of dead flowers, leaning. We’re observing the choices and just sitting with them – and as Karen observes, that tells us something to… I wonder what!
Tanita, Jeepers! I can never comment on your blog, so I decided to respond here and maybe you will get this. Thanks for being you, first of all! Your haiku sonnet says what I am absolutely boggled by, how is it August? Why does time fly so fast? “A life littered with changes.” Literally change is always up to something. Good luck with your writing and getting to that finish line!
Dear Margaret, I didn’t discern that your lovely watercolor is of dead foliage until you shared your evocative poem , Still Life.”
Brava! for sitting in a circle with other artists, who can walk around & look at your work.
joy-play! Yes, please. And, thank you. What a great phrase. I’ve come to learn, If Margaret, there will be flowers. It’s a wonderful, beautiful thing that I can count on about you. Also, that circle of practicing is so good! What a great image that comes to mind.
Margaret, I do like your watercolor and the haiku sonnet poem. They offer a wonderful take on creatives starting with “Each artist sees/with different eye-angles,/not one best view.” A community, “circle of practicing”, is where I like to be.
There’s nothing better than “joy-play!” I love that you captured an watercolor-art experience inside your poem-art!
Your dabbling has inspired me!
That sounds delightful, Margaret, as is your haiku-sonnet capturing the time, “A circle of practicing”. Your work is great, & I’m happy to read that you’re dabbling. Doing something that makes us concentrate is a gift for relaxing, away to another world. Happy Weekend!
Such creative joy, Margaret — to be circled by friends and art and words. I really love “I choose the vase of dead flowers leaning” — feel your eye drawn to this view, this bent and the desire inside to affirm its beauty.
Love learning about your creative adventures, Margaret. Thank youfor the flowers.
What a perfect gathering of creatives, Margaret. A safe place for “joy-play”–wonderful poem, painting, and such a joyful experience for all the artists.
Oh, this is lovely — that choosing “the dead flowers, leaning”??? Perfection