Lie Down
Distant Thunder by Andrew Wyeth
This beautiful panting by Andrew Wyeth popped up on my facebook page (following art pages makes facebook nicer). Looking at this painting I thought about how wonderful it is to lie in the grass (or on the beach) in the sun and fall into that “almost asleep” state. Warm skin. Quiet. Relaxed.
Andrew Wyeth was such a master painter with water colors. Can you see the blades of grass? There are several of his paintings that highlight his ability to make grass just pop (see below). These also show how he was influenced by/an admirer of Albrecht Dürer. Dürer, a Northern Renaissance painter, was an early master at painting nature and details.
What do you see in this painting? Where did your eye go to first when you looked at it? Where did it go from there? What other details do you see? I see the sunlight and shadows of the trees in the background. Also the dapple of sunlight along the line of trees by the grass. I have seen this golden labrador in other paintings. The blueberry box makes me wonder - was he picking blueberries or did he grab them from the kitchen with the intent to just take a nap. He looks asleep, as the dog seems almost asleep (although the dog looks a little more alert).
These painting reminded me of the Luci Shaw poem Flathead Lake, Montanna and the lyrics to a Charlie Peacock song. I love these both. Luci’s poem helped me last summer pay attention to nature and details and think of Christ playing in front of me. And Charlie’s song was one of the first pop songs I really enjoyed by a Christian music maker (more than 30 years ago). I was taken in by all the Biblical references and how they fit so well in the song but also wasn’t so “in your face” kitchy christian words. Since 1988, I have been a Charlie Peacock fan.
Flathead Lake, Montana
“Christ plays in ten thousand places” –G. M. Hopkins
Lying here on the short grass, I am
a bowl for sunlight.
Silence. A bee. The lip of water
over stones. The swish and slap, hollow
under the dock. Down-shore
a man sawing wood.
Christ in the sunshine laughing
through the green translucent wings
of maple seeds. A bird
resting its song on two notes.
Lie Down in the Grass by Charlie Peacock (you can hear it here!)
Voice in the daytime, a dream at night
Out the screen door, in the moonlight
Take a look, can you see someone saying
"Come unto me?"
Swing down from the winner's seat
Ears ringing to an ancient beat
Lie down in the grass, lie down
Lie down, lie down in the grass
Merry-go-round, a sight to see
Spinning visions of enemies
Disconnected, all alone
Rest upon the cornerstone
Swing down from the winner's seat
Ears ringing to an ancient beat
Lie down in the grass, lie down
Lie down, lie down in the grass
Wash your hands of twisted thought
Pull the switches on what you've been taught
Draw a line, make it straight
A narrow path can lift the weight
Swing down (It's a dream at night now)
Ears ringing (In the pale moonlight now)
Lie down (It's a dream at night now)
Lie down (In the pale moonlight now)
Take a look, can you see someone say
"Come unto me?"
Lay it all down
Lay it all down
Lay it all down, come on
Lay it down
A voice in the daytime, a dream at night
Out the screen door, in the moonlight
Lie down, gotta lie it down, lie it down
Lay it all down now, come on
A voice in the daytime, a dream at night
Out the screen door, in the moonlight
Lie down
Trodden Weed. Although I do have a lot of favorite Andrew Wyeth’s this is probably one of my top 5. Check out the grass. And those boots!! (from NC Wyeth’s dress up closet that was stocked with costumes for his paintings/illustrations. His children loved to play dress up with friends.)
Winter 1946. Again, notice the grass. Also notice how the colors are like the ones in Trodden Weed. If I remember correctly, both paintings are dealing with the death of his father, NC Wyeth.
