Imperfection (plein air Tuscany)© Susan Morrison Sims
acrylic on paper (approx 6.5″ x 9″) click on image to enlarge
~~
Imperfection is beauty,
madness is genius,
and
it’s better to be
absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.
~Marilyn Monroe
~~
Hello darlings..so sorry I have been absent. Your comments and emails to me were most appreciated, and your little nudges of
come back!
paint- paint- paint!
why aren’t you talking?
where the hell are you?
etc..
made me laugh (and you know I love a good laugh)!
Well, among lots of other things..I have been painting, and I will post a series of four soon. This piece Imperfection was quickly painted en plein air on a previous Tuscany trip. It was in the spring, so I thought this piece fitting for April.
It may surprise some of you that Marilyn Monroe made such a statement. I’ve learned that guru’s come in all shapes and sizes. Actually, Marilyn was a very intelligent young woman, and who better to speak about beauty..eh?
What does it have to do with this painting though? Well, where I stayed in Tuscany (the Contessa’s) seemed pure perfection…especially the vineyards and olive groves. Of course I wondered off alone and I found this little olive grove full of random trees and it looked..hmmm…how shall I say it…well, it looked somewhat a mess. Yet, I thought it looked as if the little random trees were traveling to the soft light in the distance.
Now I probably should not say this for all to see, but
~I instantly felt a connection to the messy randomness~
so I had to paint it. I found the imperfections metaphorically reassuring..does that make sense? I also find this quote reassuring. Why?
because:
#1- I often think I am going a little mad (only randomly so…no need to worry)
#2- more often than not I dwell in the ridiculous (must be why I am never ever bored)
#3- last but not least I am forever an imperfect perfectionist. (which very well may be the reason for #1 and #2!)
Hell, all is not lost though because according to Marilyn…
I may be an interesting beautiful genius! hee, hee
thank god!
There is so much more I could and would say..alas time does not permit my lingering with you tonight. So I leave you now with this thought….
What if imperfection is perfection?
My, my wouldn’t that be
simply divine…
Love, light, and laughter to all you
Interesting beautiful genius souls out there!
~gypsy-he♥rt
Ps Some of my realist friends may find the piece below, imperfect. :) I do not deny it is different. It is another one of my symbolic self portraits (my past self)..a collage (mixed media). Surprisingly, it was awarded first place in a St Augustine show. Here is a little event notice “Out of Bounds” Before my dear perfectionist friends start emailing me..I know this is a terrible photo of the piece. I will have a better photo and tell you about it, after the show comes down on the 26 (I believe). As I often do I did a painting from this piece, and I’ll post both of them next time I post.
Here is the gallery site which is always behind on posting about the shows: St Augustine Art Association (be forewarned of obnoxious music when you open their site). Both links have phone numbers, directions, and gallery hours, just in case you are in the area and wish to see the show. :) I haven’t seen it myself, but I plan to. If any of you are going let me know when and I’ll try to go at the same time. Maybe we can have a cup of coffee or lunch. St Augustine is one of my most favorite places in Florida.
Escape Series, III (symbolic self portrait) © Susan Morrison Sims
collage (mixed media) on paper
~♥~
gypsy-heart, I am
Perfection as imperfection…well of course….a flowerbud…a rainbow…all creations of nature are indeed imperfectly perfect.
Glad to see you back. Love your Tuscany scenes.
That Marilyn, she sure was somethin’ else huh? *giggles*
Great quote.
Good Evening Dear Gypsy-Heart!
OMG…there’s so much I want to share about this FAAAAABULOUS post, I don’t know where to start!!?
First of all the piece itself is beautiful. God…I bet it was incredible sitting there looking down at the view!!
(were you sipping wine? – tee, hee)
And the quote you shared is so perfect! I had no idea that Marilyn Monroe said that. And I agree…I think she WAS a guru. Such a sweet soul she had, didn’t she?
aaaahh…and there is so much within this quote that I TOO can identify with.
I’m mad, ridiculous and a total imperfect perfectionist!
And your question…”What if imperfection IS perfection?
That’s exactly it.
Everything IS perfect.
Which is something I continually have to remind myself.
I also love the collage!!! I really like all the texture. And congrats on winning first place…WOO! WOO!
Once again, I thank you for sharing such inspiration with us here. I always go away with something that has touched me. So, thank you dear friend!
And you are most definitely an interesting beautiful genius!
Love ya!
X
It’s great to hear from you again!!! Imperfection SHOULD be perfection… I don’t like things to be perfect.
I hope you have a good day!
[...] which time Sargent would chat with his clients while painting directly onto the canvas; he rarely Perfect Imperfection – island11.wordpress.com 04/15/2009 Imperfection (plein air Tuscany)© Susan Morrison Sims acrylic [...]
Marilyn Monroe lived a very, very full, even if tragically shorten life. The places and people she saw in just a few decades would fill the head with all manner of thoughts and ideas.
Your painting shows how nature order things and that order is perfect. It is the imposed ordering that man’s work on top of nature that isn’t always so perfect.
When you paint naturally without pressuring the results, and doing that I imagine is incredibly difficult, your art is perfect.
And congrats on your first prize for “Escape Series II” from an St Augustine show. You are too modest. Having seen your paintings up “close and personal”, I’m not at all surprised you won. :)
Once again… extraordinary art and voice. Thank you for your words and your talent. My husband was walking by the screen, saw your painting and exclaimed… “That is fantastic!”. I absolutely revel in the glory of ridiculous imperfection.
“where I stayed in Tuscany (the Contessa’s) seemed pure perfection…especially the vineyards and olive groves. Of course I wondered off alone and I found this little olive grove full of random trees and it looked..hmmm…how shall I say it…well, it looked somewhat a mess. Yet, I thought it looked as if the little random trees were traveling to the soft light in the distance.”
Is there inherent order in what we perceive to be randomness? Or is there inherent randomness where we perceive there to be order? Does this even matter?
http://www.world-mysteries.com/sci_17.htm
The fibonacci sequence and the golden ratio are natural occurrences. Are the patterns formed truly the result of a mathematical operation intuitive to many living systems or does the human mind extrapolate the sequence from what it perceives in nature?
Sometimes when we zoom out, we can see apparent structure or perfection (as you did) that is obviously random on a microscopic level. Sometimes what is perfect in detail is chaotic macroscopically. …
… but I tend to agree with Marilyn in any case: the ridiculousness that pervades is certainly “better.” ;)
You always have a simple yet profound message in your posts and your art. I think it’s important that we recognize when we are striving for perfection. For me, anyway, such a goal can be detrimental to my writing and art.
I say, hail to imperfection!
SO good to see you back. Hope your time off was delightful.
Hello, dear friend!
I absolutely agree, with two of the things that you have said: that I also feel like I am going mad at times, but always walking the line of “sanity” to function; and that imperfection is most surely, perfection! The beauty that we each possess is in those parts of us, or wholes of us, that have the flaws and qualities that make us human and REAL. The painting of Tuscany again takes my breath. I know I need to visit Italy in the future for it always calls to me in your work; olive groves and grapevines, I must see it for real!!!!
Your self portrait is intriguing to me, which seems to fit you as well!!! I am glad that you are doing fine, and good luck with the newest showing in St. Augustine! I trust that our paths will most certainly cross in person one day!!!
Peace! Vanessa
Both pieces are wonderful! I love imperfection, fore that is where true beauty lies!
“an interesting beautiful genius…”
Yep, that’d be you!
:)
You ARE an interesting beautiful genius.
I love this post and I love the sentiment! Absolutely better to be interesting and messy than boring!
What a beautiful imperfectly, perfect post you have written here. And, “Imperfection Imperfection (plein air Tuscany)” is simply perfect to me–quite captivating.
I’m so glad to have written this today. As, so many times, I’m so hard on myself for my imperfections. It has reminded me to see the perfection in my imperfections, and love myself for who I am.
Thank you for being the Gypsy Heart You Are!!!
Peace, Light and Love. . . C.
I meant to write, “I’m so glad to have read this today.” See, there goes another of my little imperfections!!! lol
I’m obviously a fan of imperfection too. I clicked on the ‘Augustine Art Association’ link just to hear the ‘obnoxious music’. You’re right – it’s terrible!
Your painting, however, is glorious as usual. It’s The Lord Of The Rings, set amongst the distinctive colors of Tuscany, I think. You’re quite right – they’re traveling. Those are Ents, marching off to battle.
I’ve retired my blog – at least for a while. I need to clear my mind! I’ll try and drop by here from time to time though. I always enjoy your words and paintings.
Bye for now,
love – Simon
I came over from April’s Thriver’s Toolbox blog. What a wonderful, thought-provoking post, and painting. I am starting a botanical illustration class next week after a long hiatus from visual arts. I’m excited! Now if I can just find something as inspiring as Tuscany! LOL!
…and no, I did not realize that Norma Jean was so wise. I’m glad to discover it!
Gorgeous! I love the perspective. It is like looking at the land from a bird’s eye view.
I have been so intrigued with your participation in the Art Beyond Sight exhibit that you participated in last year. Will you be doing it again? Is there another exhibit this year?
Thank all of you dear sweet souls for taking the time to come here and leave me a note!!! I apologize for now answering each and evey one of you as I normally try to do. :O
I am hoping things will settle down, in time …at least a little, . Please know that I sooo appreciate each of you!
Thank you for enriching my life..you are all inspiring!!
Good energies and peace of heart to all of you!!
MWAH, MWAH,
~g-h