poetry – Steve Fleming

Actually in the studio, two watercolors and a poem

Yesterday, I cleaned my studio, at least enough to be able to have a flat surface or two and decided to paint 2 watercolors. I wanted to try couple of new types of paper, Moldau, Czech mold made paper, in weights 140 and 180. I had no real expectation of success since the papers were unknown to me but the paper was highly regarded on WetCanvas. Long story, I had a great time listening to Rodney Crowell and the paintings were successful and I only practiced my golf swing 4 or 4 times. There is a silly little poem at the end.

Tags: in the studio | poetry

Posted: October 25, 2018 by Steve

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Watercolor painting and a poem

I painted this painting of my lake from an image of my lake at sunset after a thunderstorm passed through. The painting was a sequential wash piece with a primary was of Rose Madder Genuine and Transparent Yellow deep and then floating Cobalt Blue and Alizirin Crimson for the grayer sections.

Tags: poem | poetry | reflections

Posted: October 20, 2018 by Steve

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Poetry and Painting “What I know of Heaven”

This watercolor painting of warm light behind shadowed trees is basically a two value painting. Its’ contrast of strong value shapes and cool darks versus warm intense light gives the subject a powerful message. I tried to keep the details and highlights subdued in the dark foreground. Try to make your paintings about simple strong

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Tags: in the studio | poetry

Posted: July 24, 2018 by Steve

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Poetry and Painting “The Tempest”

This painting was from an image of a storm in Botswana and the poem was inspired by a story my father told me about a little family cemetery in Shawnee Mound, Missouri. He mentioned the little marker of a baby Fleming and the mystery surrounding this unknown child. I should write a poem about it.

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Tags: painting | poetry

Posted: May 11, 2018 by Steve

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Painting and Poetry

Here is a painting with a poem that I wrote a while ago and I struggled so much with it I quit writing poems. It was just too hard. Whine whine. I will try to get back on the horse and try to start writing again. Sorry for being away so long.

Tags: painting | poetry

Posted: May 10, 2018 by Steve

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“The Rock” a watercolor and poem

The focus of this painting was to capture the lovely greens in the trees and their reflection in the water. I invented most everything to make the painting happen, what a joy to paint when the subject matter evokes a feeling of intimacy.

Posted: September 10, 2017 by Steve

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Golden Field a watercolor and a poem

The house reflecting the summer light

Lies slightly buried in a field of tall swaying weeds,

Seeds pods pregnant ready to give birth.

the delicate fragrance of wild flowers

rises with the heat.

Ready with my paint, paper and brushes

I pull down my hat to screen the glare

I’m alive, awake, in the moment.

Tags: poetry

Posted: August 12, 2017 by Steve

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Watercolor and a Poem

This watercolor was a demonstration for one of my class. The lesson was pretty simple. I wanted to achieve rich darks, that were very translucent and then I wanted to get well times scrapes using a pen knife. It is hard to produce this level of dark colors if you rub them into the paper. Also stay away from the dark staining colors they don’t scrape or lift very well. I never expected it would lead me to this poem about how confusion and frustration can lead to so much lack of focus.

Tags: demonstration | image | poetry | rich

Posted: June 10, 2017 by Steve

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“Shore Birds”

This oil painting is about walking on the beach in St Augustine right after my father died a few years back. A storm had just past over and I was taken by the strong golden light coming through the clouds and the light reflected on the water. I wanted the painting to be simple and

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Tags: oil painting | poetry

Posted: May 24, 2017 by Steve

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First Day of Spring

This painting was a demonstration for one of my watercolor classes. I kept the background really cool and nondescript and used a large flat brush to apply the cerulean blue and cobalt violet background. I used a really small rigger brush to paint everything else. I used the rigger every way I could think of trying explain that the use of different tools creates more opportunities for unique solutions. This light is captured with the bright foreground and dark cast shadow. Try a different brush and make your paintings more expressive.

Tags: brushwork | landscape | light | poetry | shadows

Posted: April 18, 2017 by Steve

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“Light Dances Lively”

My friend Caroline gave me a wonderful photo of a river in Western Maryland and I painted several pieces from the one image. This painting is focused on using scraped and saved whites on the birch trees to direct the viewer into the darker places in the painting. I tried to use really loose brushwork to capture the jumpy movement of the water as it ran across the river rock. This painting is all about movement. The poem is sort of a hybrid of a Haibun, two Tanka poems with a piece of prose in the middle. Enjoy

Tags: haibun | light | poetry | tanka | water

Posted: April 13, 2017 by Steve

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River’s Edge

This painting is about trying to get a lot of focus on the sky, and to create the glowing evening color. I wanted to have a nice movement with the light lifted cloud pattern that floats up and around in the dark violet clouds. The foreground I used a rich dark of ultramarine blue, Permanent Rose and Burnt Sienna, with a hint of light green which is applied with a one in flat brush.

Tags: brush | clouds | light | poetry | sky

Posted: April 10, 2017 by Steve

5 Comments

Tag: poetry