Author: Barry Comer

Sleep poem by Wendell Berry

Deep into Sleep, Sketchbook Skool, Sleep, Wendell Berry

sleep

The body in the invisible
Familiar room accepts the gift
Of sleep, and for a while is still;
Instead of will, it lives by drift

In the great night that gathers up
The earth and sky. Slackened, unbent,
Unwanting, without fear or hope,
The body rests beyond intent.

Sleep is the prayer the body prays,
Breathing in unthought faith the Breath
That through our worry-wearied days
Preserves our rest, and is our truth.

 

From the 1990 selection of Sabbath poems.

Inspiration with surrealism and German expressionism

Desire, German Expressionism, http://www.speedmuseum.org/exhibitions/picasso-to-pollock-modern-masterworks-from-the-eskenazi-museum-of-art/, Inspiration, Speed Art Museum, Surrealism

Who doesn’t have their mind bent with surrealism? Dream a little dream and draw autonomically.

I visited the Speed Art Museum (http://www.speedmuseum.org) in Louisville with my friend Kathy yesterday and saw works by German Expressionists, Surrealists and a few Jackson Pollocks. All on loan from the Eskenazi Museum of Art at Indiana University.

It was intellectually inspiring, being able to trace revolutions from the late 1800’s to 1950. (http://www.speedmuseum.org/exhibitions/picasso-to-pollock-modern-masterworks-from-the-eskenazi-museum-of-art/)

I walked away with desire and feeling lucky.

Breast cancer awareness month

Barets and Scarves, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Healthy in Pink, Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness

A family and friends celebrating in pink, the recovery of a mother and friend after a breast cancer diagnosis and cure.

(The month is almost over, but awareness never stops.

Both my mom in 1972 and wife 3 years ago had breast cancer. I would say both are very lucky for different reasons.

Mom’s was diagnosed long before chemotherapy, etc. My wife had to endure radiation because of advanced detection. 

Different eras and different available treatments. Both lucky.)

 

 

Kathy’s dog show

Agility Dog Show, AKC, Dog Show

I met my friend Kathy at her agility show for something fun to sketch and to give support. Her dog is an Australian Shepherd who is very young and learning the ropes. (https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/australian-shepherd/).

North is an amazing ball of energy and fur, who jumps and leaps from genes that were  developed to herd.

In fact, this is a way for North to channel the energy and receive praise for doing well.

You can imagine the bad, if left to invent for herself.

The couple I sketched were from rural Kentucky. Nice people who probably didn’t realize I was sketching away. From a military background, he now supports his wife’s passion for training dogs. Nice!

Sometimes a quick sketch captures the honest moments.

 

Depth of despair

American Illustrator, Barry Comer Artist, Depth, Schoolbooks

 

I can’t find anything on my shelves because they grab, prod and remind. They are constantly reminding me of Leonard Cohen biographies, poetry, PMS charts and a few schoolbooks.

I am reminded how heartbroken I can be and feel loss more acutely. When something means more and more, then discover it is lost; it hurts.

There is a fear in the depth of despair.