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These eye sketches are from a page in the Andy Warhol Idea Book journal Inge gave me a couple years ago for my birthday. It's Inge's birthday today. Happy Birthday, my dear friend. In this journal there are blank pages for me to write or sketch on, and every so often there are translucent vellum pages of Warhol sketches and quotes. I truly love them. No one saw the way Andy Warhol saw. He's the one who said everyone will be famous for 15 minutes. Everyone -- really?
The words below are sort of mine, if anyone's words "belong" to anyone (and then I made them into a text-rebus image at picnik.com). I think I am recycling these words from someone else, like G.I. Gurdjieff, Osho, Rumi, Rob Brezsny or Eckhart Tolle. Here, I give them to you, free of charge. If you believe them, use them wisely, and pass them on.
Here is a sketch I drew in that Warhol journal last October in response to reading a Rumi poem called "This Dove Here" (October 4 in A YEAR WITH RUMI, the book I post daily readings from on RUMI DAYS), when Inge and I had our writing retreat at the lake cottage. You would draw a dove in another way. You see differently than I do.
This Dove Here
Someone who does not run
toward the allure of love
walks a road where nothing lives.
But this dove here
senses the love-hawk floating above,
and waits, and will not be driven
or scared to safety.
If love is annihilation, loving the unlovable as if you are in love with them is about as annihilating as it gets. There is no YOU left, no ego, but there is YOU-essence that appreciates THEIR-essence. See. Only you see as you see. Fortunate are the ones you are in love with, and the ones you see through loving eyes.
Everyone --- really? I have lists, just like you, of the ones everyone shouldn't include. Let's get annihilated. It'll be fun.
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No one sees as well as you do, Ruth, or as beautifully. And I sure as heck can't draw. You always give me a different angle with which to view things; not certain that i see them, but at least I'm looking. Now. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Inge!
Beautiful! You have a very unique way about you, too. Andy has nothing on Ruth.
ReplyDeleteI do like your dove and the poem This Dove Here.
ReplyDelete"only you see, as you see" So true, perhaps we need to learn to see as others do as well?
Ah, nihilism was never so sweet. A wonderful quote about seeing everyone through the eyes you see your loved one with. I will give it further recyclings of my own ...
ReplyDeleteSigned: a cross-eyed nihilist with many loves ;)
Tender and deep...(didn't know you could draw).
ReplyDeleteSeeing things through the eyes of love does make most things so much more beautiful.
ReplyDeleteAlso like the suggestion in your second poem to refuse to be scared into seeking shelter/safety. In love and in life we do need to stand our ground and not always take the easy way out.
I'm so glad you like Andy's work. I was telling a friend recently about how much I admired his work and was sad to discover that she thougt his work was 'worthless and shallow' as she put it.
ReplyDeleteStill, you have a very good eye too and there is a uniqueness and real character in the way you deliver a message, appreciate a nuance.
I love coming over here 'Chez Ruth'. It's always so inspiring :O)
Ruth I think you see more than most of us. The beauty is that you can actually take the 'see' and transform into meaningful yet poetic words.
ReplyDeleteBTW I love your header!
Anna :)
May I borrow your Muse for a little while? Because she seems to be working overtime for you with all these brilliant posts you've been putting up lately.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure (because you're usually over my head), but I think I looked through those eyes of love at someone who I never really understood before and came to appreciate her as a person with whom I want to be friends. See, your advice was working before I even had a chance to read it!
Your sketch book sounds cool. I love Warhol. Such a talent.The dove is sooo cutie. I have my "eyes" on when I work with my special needs kids.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind thoughts Ruth. You are a sweetheart. peace...
This conversation has been visiting me lately. Guess we are all mirrors for one another: and in this sense we are loving ourselves in the other. An important practice today.
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking about so much of the same myself..of late. To see thru the eyes of love..to see as YOU see. Such wonderful words of inspiration!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm bummed. Posted a comment last night, but it didn't load right.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, glad you're still enjoying the notebbook. Love your line drawing of the dove. Recently saw this Anais Nin quote: "We don't see things as they are. We see them as we are."
I needed this today , Ruth.
ReplyDeleteThank you .
and that Anais Nin quote is brilliant.
What a wonderful, inspiring gift! I do love the quote you came up with -- what a good way to live!
ReplyDeleteDS, well hopefully there is enough overlap that we have an understanding with each other. :)
ReplyDeleteNancy, that's very good of you to say. We each have amazing godlike creativity and sight. Sometimes it just takes a little space and inspiration.
ReplyDeleteI love your rebus Ruth...to see thru the eyes that you see the one you love with...this made me stop and think in more ways than one...
ReplyDeleteOn a lighter note...the first thing that came to my mind when I saw your lovely dove was this pigeon...also known as a rock dove...I guess this just goes to show how much of a grandmother I am:)
Yes, Gwei Mui, we have to show what and how we see, so I can see what you see, and you can see what I see. The better to understand each other, my dear!
ReplyDeleteSo, Lorenzo, we are the point.
ReplyDeleteJoão, I may have some raw skills. As with too many things, I'm lazy. So I don't practice.
ReplyDeleteMy dove would be facing the other way :)
ReplyDeleteBonnie, Rumi's a good teacher. I wonder if he ever felt like I did this morning: grumpy and ticked at the person who zipped past me as if I was going to get his parking spot.
ReplyDeleteCusp, I guess certain artists connect with us. I really like the surprise of these sketches when I open a page with a new one. I was very moved by your creative ways of looking out of, and at yourself, in your disease, 6 ways.
ReplyDeleteAnna, no way, no how, does anyone see better than you. I will never forget your birthday post for your Matthew. I was so moved, it was like you opened new mother-eyes in me. In time for grandmotherhood at least.
ReplyDeleteSusie Q, your heart is as big as a house. I'd say what you describe is it exactly.
ReplyDeleteAs for being mused, I am be-mused, a-mused and con-fused, in cycles.
Cathy, thank you for those eyes. I couldn't do what you do. I tried once, and I was so worn out emotionally, I gave up. Thank you for being there with the kids.
ReplyDeleteAll my love and appreciation, my sweet friend.
Well yes, Swallowtail, I know a lot of my emotional responses to people are really about myself. I think it's important to look around at the ones who blend in and go unnoticed, and really see them. It's extraordinary how they begin to ease, and relax, and surprises come out.
ReplyDeleteMarcie, I'm talking to myself first of all. I am very quick to judge people. I have this big Nazi judge inside, and I keep trying to get rid of him. Man, is he ugly!
ReplyDeleteIng, drat, a lot of people have trouble with this comment box. Nice host I am! Sneaky way to get you to come back too. ;0
ReplyDeleteYes, we see things as we are. Leave it to a keeper of a journal to say that. Here's to journal-keeping!
You're welcome, Deb. I'll get it from you next time around.
ReplyDeleteJeanie, I say it to myself first of all.
ReplyDeleteOliag, the book cracks me up, just from the description at Amazon. Imagine, a pigeon driving a bus!
ReplyDeleteYou must have so much fun with your grandkids, in the pool, with books. Oh man, I'll get to go to bookstores in the children's section again!! Why did I stop doing that?
I didn't mean to reveal any secrets. There are not grandchildren in the works. That was a purely hypothetical window into my hopeful-future.
ReplyDeletesounds pretty Rumi to me Ruthi
ReplyDeleteBabs, just to show you what a dolt I am, when I read what you wrote, I felt dumb, like mine is facing the wrong way. You're an artist after all. See? It takes practice to let someone else see differently. Bleh.
ReplyDelete:D
dusti, this one was me, with strong rumi-nation. See? you just want to be contrary.
ReplyDelete:)
I love your words to live by. They are good.
ReplyDeletePlus your sentence ends with a preposition.I thought we only did that in the Midwest. It makes me smile.
Your dove is cute. :)
Pat, not breaking this rule sounds damn silly if you ask me:
ReplyDeleteSee everyone through the eyes through which you see the ones with whom you are in love.
Right?
Life Is Real Only Then, When I Am
ReplyDeleteG.I. Gurdjieff
What a pity when the quarter of an hour lasts so long for some people (I've a list too).
Love the drawing & poem. The idea of loving loving loving, despite anything, self or otherwise, only as each of us can. I like that.
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing how your can draw the eyes to express different emotions. I am not into art, but at school, often I have to draw with the kids.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed the post and your dove!
ReplyDeleteDaniel, it's us.
ReplyDeleteYes, you're right, loooong 15 minutes for some. :)
Thank you, Terresa.
ReplyDeleteAnn, it would be an interesting class to sit in on, in art school: how to draw eyes to show emotion. I have a hard time just getting the perspective right, let alone emotion!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sandy.
ReplyDeleteI love you, Ruthie! I especially love that you're my sister and I get to keep you forever. :) I'm very proud of you and how you see....
ReplyDeleteI love you, Boots.
ReplyDeletethanks darling. this just calmed me immensely. i felt so good seeing the photo you made (see everyone ...). i use it :) and pass it :)
ReplyDelete