Monday 27 August 2012

Poetry and Art for the weekend





This week I didn’t post any Poetry or Art, I’ve been a wee bit tied up in the garden. However; the garden is progressing nicely so here is some Poetry and Art for the weekend.
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892-1973)
 Tolkein was a Professor of literature and English, who became famous with his novel THE LORD OF THE RINGS (1954-55). From the about the mid-1960s his work seemed to take on a life of its own and his popularity spread worldwide. It developed almost a ‘cult’  following especially amongst younger people (of course we’ve all grown up now ) He was great friends with fellow Oxford Graduate and fantasy writer C.S. Lewis whose most famous for the Narnia series.

 Tolkien was born of British parents in South Africa, but moved with his mother to England when he was only three. He was orphaned while still young; he and his brother then went to live with his aunt in Birmingham. He turned out to be a very clever chappie and earned himself a first class honours degree in English language and English literature from Oxford. Tolkien saw action on the Somme during WW1 and returned home suffering from shell shock. It was while convalescing that he started to study early forms of language and work on SILMARILLION (published 1977). He spent the rest of his life expanded the mythology of his fantasy worlds.
In 1918 Tolkien joined the staff of New English Dictionary.
 In 1919 he was a freelance tutor in Oxford.
He worked as a teacher and professor at the University of Leeds.
In 1925 he became Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford
He was appointed Merton Professor of English at Oxford in 1945.
He retired in 1959.
His academic works included studies on Chaucher (1934)
And Beowulf (1937).

He developed a great interest in the Finnish national epos Kalevala, here he found ideas for his imaginary language Quenya and inspiration for several of his stories. The tragic figure of Kullervo from Kalevala partly inspired Tolkien's posthumously published work, Children of Húrin (2007). Most of the inhabitants of Tolkien's imaginary Middle-Earth were derived from English folklore and mythology, or from an idealized Anglo-Saxon past.
I Sit and Think

I sit beside the fire and think
of all that I have seen,
of meadow-flowers and butterflies
in summers that have been;

Of yellow leaves and gossamer
in autumns that there were,
with morning mist and silver sun
and wind upon my hair.

I sit beside the fire and think
of how the world will be
when winter comes without a spring
that I shall never see.

For still there are so many things
that I have never seen:
in every wood in every spring
there is a different green.

I sit beside the fire and think
of people long ago,
and people who will see a world
that I shall never know.

But all the while I sit and think
of times there were before,
I listen for returning feet
and voices at the door.
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

To compliment Tolkien I have chosen a little known Australian artist Kim Nelson who produces fantasy type paintings.
I’m sure I have said before, fantasy art is not really my ‘thing’ but in this case I’ll make an exception. I can’t think of any thing else more suited to Tolkien than Fantasy art, and some of these I actually quite like.
He is a relative newcomer to the art world, he only began his  career in fine art in 1996.
Nelson was born in the Australian east coast town of Kiama, the fifth child of farming parents. He has literally drawn from the moment he could hold a pencil.
His uncle is the Australian landscape artist Leonard Long.

After finishing  high school he attended live drawing classes for twelve months at the Julian Ashton Art School in Sydney, a studio with a reputation for its application to drawing.
Nelson started a ten year career in graphic design and advertising followed by another eight years as a manager/curator of museums and galleries, primarily for the National Trust of Australia. It was in1996 that he realizes his dream of becoming a full time practicing artist.

 

   


kittyh1 wrote on Aug 10, '09
What a lovely presentation of art and literature....my children were, and are, great fans of Tolkien, but I have never read the books myself. C.S. Lewis was one of my favorite writers, especially his Space Trilogy. This artist is really accomplished. I did not know I would come here to learn. Thank you for this.

pestep55 wrote on Jul 26, '09
Wonderful /:-) The art and the poetry are beautifully woven together in your post, Thank You!

acousticeagle wrote on Jul 26, '09
I have a biography on my bookshelf on Tolkien that I plan to read. Indeed he was a very clever chappie to have written such an astounding collection of works, with all the detail put in. I read LOTRs in high school and I remember having to force myself to read 'The Two Towers' because of all the genealogy and Middle Earth history involved. The first of his I read was 'The Hobbit', which I loved.

Nelson's art has some interesting light, shade and colour, and well as a strong sense of mystery.

brendainmad wrote on Jul 26, '09
I really like that last portrait. It's incredible how accurately you match up the poet and the artist.

starfishred wrote on Jul 26, '09
I love the poem and of your choise of art work lovely just lovely-the fantasy work goes so well with the poen
thanks loretta

deystar wrote on Jul 26, '09
I have loved Tolkien since childhood. I read The Hobbit so many times my book fell apart...literally. I was delighted when they started making movies of the Lord of the Rings series, and the Narnia stories and then new faves, like Harry Potter. But I didn't know much of the life of Tolkien until I read this post. (I went to do further research online). I love the artist you chose, as well, and will research that one too! nice post

mitchylr wrote on Jul 25, '09
I've read a lot of classic literature over the years, but somehow (amazingly) I've never gotten round to reading any Tolkein. A considerable oversight on my part, particularly as he has links to my hometown (Birmingham). I did enjoy the work of this artist. I do like fantasy art, being a HUGE fan of H R Giger.

perfectlyhuman wrote on Jul 25, '09
Excellent post my friend. I love Tolkien's work. (Who doesn't?) I will do a review on his writings somewhere down the road...but not for a while. Your presentation was very good and I like the artist you have chosen. He creates some interesting and often beautiful images. Thanks for spotlighting him. :o]

veryfrank wrote on Jul 25, '09
The poem is amazing, I am so taken with it that I didn't pay attention to the art. I am most taken with the full face one situated under "I Sit and Think." I'll have to have another look at the others. Thank you.

P.S. I just gave my daughter Tolkien's "The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun" and she is enjoying it.

In the bookshop, I just had to browse it when I saw 'Gudrun' :-} , I'm such a D.H. Lawrence fan and "Women in Love" is my favorite.

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