Emerge Gallery's ART & WORDS is an exhibition of artwork and poetry inspiring one another. Area artists and poets were invited to participate by submitting existing work as inspiration, and also creating new work inspired by submissions. Artwork by participating artists was chosen by poets who created new poetry inspired by their selection. Artists were also given the opportunity to create new art inspired by submitted poems of participating poets. Exhibition catalogs are available to purchase by clicking here.
Saugerties artist Shelley Davis created a new work of art for the exhibition ART & WORDS. "Letters" was created with old love letters from Paris and family photographs. It was inspired by the poem "Valentine" by Josepha Gutelius. Shelley discusses the process:
Letters
Mixed media with love letters from Paris
18" x 24"
VALENTINE
I write long letters to the dead (you only know how heartfully),
in the woods, scratching the bark with my lonely fantasies, you
were always near, the one to decipher my messages.
True, I would guide you,
you couldn't have found your way alone. I wouldn't have
wanted you to. I loved holding the secret.
It's been thirteen years to the day since your last letter came,
a forest fell out of the envelope, fire blew off the bush, you see
I do remember and handwriting like someone opening his veins.
The charms you enclosed ("spitted flames") looked like the rubies
my mother piled on for shopping tennis anywhere anytime
she didn't give a hoot for propriety.
They kiss-kiss when I put them on.
But that's not what I wanted to say. I'm writing you because
she died yesterday I think you should know that
she kept on asking me When for godsake you
going to marry that boy
so handsome and lucky.
I didn't have it in me
to remind her you were dead.
So darling, should you meet her, I'm afraid
you have a little explaining to do.
I meant no harm by my deception, tell her that please,
and let me know
what she says because I hate to think this
is something you can’t read.
— © Josepha Gutelius
"To create from the soul, to have fun, to express, to share what I create with others, is the force that drives me. Anything that can exist in life, can be recreated with beauty & wonder. As an artist I make constant decisions that bring life's beauty and wonder to a visual conclusion." — Shelley Davis
additional artwork by Shelley Davis (click on image to purchase and for more information)
