Point by Point

lillian

Easel, palette, brushes,
good light, steady arm
and patience.

Brush dabbed in paint,
he taps dots one by one
as blank canvas slowly disappears.

Dots of different hues.
Some just slightly darker
than the twenty-three before.

Some paler
than the two after those.
Dot after dot after dot.

Millions of dots.
Each insignificant by itself
until parasols start to appear.

And finally,
two years after that first tap
he taps the last.

Standing back, he wipes his brow,
sees years of work represented there
in just one Sunday afternoon.

Written for NAPOWRIMO, Day 12 where today we’re to write about something tiny.

I’ve always been enthralled by the Pointillism Movement in art. George Seurat began A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grand Jatte during the summer of 1884. “The tiny juxtaposed dots of multi-colored paint allow the viewer’s eye to blend colors optically, rather than having the colors physically blended on the canvas.” The 10 feet wide masterpiece is in the permanent collection of The Art Institute of Chicago. (quotation and image from rawpixel.com)

12 thoughts on “Point by Point”

  1. Romana Iorga April 12, 2022 / 9:50 am

    I love the dippin’ dots softness of pointillism. I can almost taste it.

    Like

    Reply
    • lillian April 12, 2022 / 3:43 pm

      It came to mind immediately! I love this style of painting.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  4. Ron. April 12, 2022 / 10:36 am

    One of my favorite paintings and now one of my favorite poems. Thanks.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  5. SelmaMartin April 12, 2022 / 10:53 am

    See what one dot and then another and another can accomplish? — this I tell myself. Wow! This is deep. And then see the end result? Gosh, he started with one dot. Tremendous. xoxo

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • lillian April 12, 2022 / 3:42 pm

      So glad you enjoyed. Pointillism has always enthralled me.

      Like

      Reply
  6. happyface313 April 12, 2022 / 1:53 pm

    đŸ™‚ George Seurat’s “…Grande Jatte” is one of my favorite paintings!
    His art was/is amazing!
    Happy Tuesday đŸ™‚

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • lillian April 12, 2022 / 3:42 pm

      Yes. This has always been one of my favorite paintings.

      Like

      Reply

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