the art of ee cummings

Ed, as usual I don't have a lot of words, but am glad I was here. Thanks

[size=7]ee cummings[/size] has written some of my favorite poems. Now I like him for his art.

edgar, I am amazed at how many folks we know for one talent turn out to have more. Lovely abstract by e.e.

This poem by him is strange, but I like it. I also like the way he patterns it.

e.e. cummings


in just-

in Just-
spring when the world is mud-
luscious the little
lame baloonman

whistles far and wee

and eddieandbill come
running from marbles and
piracies and it's
spring

when the world is puddle-wonderful

the queer
old baloonman whistles
far and wee
and bettyandisbel come dancing

from hop-scotch and jump-rope and

it's
spring
and

the

goat-footed

baloonMan whistles
far
and
wee

I liked them too. Interesting transition from abstract painting to figurative..
some people take the route in the oppositie direction.

Letty, who's your dancing partner Isbel?

Of the paintings I prefer ee's Matisse-ish "still life" view from an apartment window.

I like them too but I don't know why?

His paintings for me are just alright.

That's the way I feel about his hard edge works--just alright. From HIM I expected something more emotional. Probably just my stereotype of the poet. Or maybe it's just MY inability to read his work.

Speaking as usual off the top of my head, he seems to have had facility in whichever mode he ventured, and the modes changed. I remember noticing one I think of as fauvish, of Thayer, right after an abstract, but not noted as to the year.

Going to look at them again...





Well, on the figuratives, I think he painted fast or with not much attention to anatomy, though of course he could have meant his choices, and in return for painting fast he has a freshness. I liked the oil painting of Morehouse, and the ballerina. I guess I see him as a learner practicing on styles once he left full bore abstraction. I can say this since I somewhat see myself that way, and only mean that he was exploring. Or, using different styles for different subjects/areas of interest. Playing.

(Which JLN and I have talked about before, painting as a kind of play.)

Dancing partner? Don't understand, JL.

Another by e.e. that is my cup of tea.



You don't want to know who that "goat-footed" mand is.

Bets, re-read his poem.

Aha, Bettyandisbel. Love it, JL. Incidentally that "goat-footed" man preyed on children. I think e.e. might be referring to a satyr

For years I called him e.e., then I read that he actually preferred E.E.
Confusing, hey?

Msolga, I had always thought that it was the other way around.



One of my favorites.

maggie and millie and molly and may
e e cummings

maggie and millie and molly and may
went down to the beach (to play one day )

and maggie discovered a shell that sang
so sweetly she couldn't remember her troubles,and

millie befriended a stranded star
whose rays five languid fingers were;

and molly was chased by a horrible thing
which raced sideways while blowing bubbles:and

may came home with a smooth round stone
as small as a world and as large as alone.

For whatever we lose(like a you or a me)
It's always ourselves we find in the sea.

I have always enjoyed the e.e. cummings, the poet--almost every poem!

If, after 1600-plus paintings, this is where Cummings the artist has arrived (and I assume that the person who assembled the slide show chose a variety of best-of's), then I'd say that he was possibly not deeply committed to visual arts. Maybe, he simply liked the idea and constantly turned out quick-and-dirties. A lot of talented writers are also really good artists--John Updike put together a wonderful book on this topic.

Of the works in the slide show, I join JLN in liking the window scene best. But I don't find it particularly engaging, although I've looked at it several times. I plan simply to be very grateful for the artist's excellent poems!

I, too, am not particularly impressed with ee's visual art, and I am going by the rule "Do not reject a painting for its defects, do so for its lack of virtues".

Well said, JL.

I know that edgar will not mind me bringing this to the attention of the artists and poets among us. Today is Urs' birthday. Although she is asleep, I would like for her to awaken to nice wishes.

http://www.able2know.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=3130366#3130366

A picture of a painting rarely captures all its qualities, for good or bad. But, it's obvious he did not stand the art world on its head.

So did I, Letty!

Adjusting was hard! :wink:

My treasured copy of Poems 1923 - 1954 insists on E.E., too.
Who am I to argue?

O sweet spontaneous
earth how often have
the
doting

fingers of
purient philosphers pinched
and poked

thee
, has the naughty thumb
of science prodded
thy

beauty .how
often have religions taken
thee upon their scraggy knees
squeezing and

buffeting thee that thou mightest conceive
gods
(but
true

to the incomparable
couch of death thy
rhythmic
lover

though answerest


them only with

spring)


~