Category: HM
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Project Butterfly
Several years ago, I made a clothing- and costume-project based on butterflies. It involved making sketches of a peacock butterfly in pencil and aquarelle and analysing its colours. Having done that, it was time to think of how to present the ‘peacock’ without losing its shape. It was easy to use the pencil drawing for…
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Professional Author?
What transforms a writer into an author? Does being an author turn a writer into a professional? Not too long ago, somebody told me that writing is an — expensive — hobby. That made me wonder when an author can claim to be a professional. Is it just a question of sales? Do you…
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Lily
Flower of virgins, Flower of purity: White as ghostly fingers that caress its soft petals. Flower of penitence, Flower of humility That scorches as white-hot embers. Flower of obedience, Flower of piety, Bowing its head under storms of virtue. Flower of vanity, Flower of cruelty, Refusing to yield to ardent prayers. Flower of lust, Flower…
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Elfin Headland
© HMH, 1996
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A Digital Prison?
What is the world coming to? Have we sold our souls to the world wide web? In danger of sounding reactionary, I must voice some concerns about today’s society. Let’s face it: cultural activities aren’t highly ranked these days. We live in a thoroughly materialistic world, everything is about wealth and consumerism. The few people,…
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Clandestine affair
Heaven and hell; ecstasy and anguish; despair and hope Intermingle with his personal version of her agony. Strange walls listen to sounds of kisses… As lovers meet or say their goodbyes. Her personal version of his distress Becomes stumbling stone or reason for quarrels Fierce or tearful according to their inner turmoil. How can two…
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Work in Progress: Masks
This Gypson cast is the basis for my mask work. I’ve had several casts, but because I moved a lot, the number got reduced to just one. I’ve worked with variations of papier-mache, from the original plaster-cast gauze over old newspaper scrappings to the finest grain, depending on what came to hand. As some materials…
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Books I Loved and Still Love
I was a precocious child. Thinking back, my time was divided between music and books. I was painfully shy too and had trouble gaining friends, especially in school. No wonder: when I was two-years-old, I started learning music and with three years under my belt, I could just about cover the holes in a…
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African Violet
Nursery maid for seeds and saplings, Loving shadow and dark murky colours. Quiet music and soft raindrops Bring out her beauty. Her roots cradle the soil And nurture hopeful conception. Shy and withdrawn, she waits: Will a wonder happen? Will new life flourish, and Reward her waiting? Who can tell? Flowers retain their secrets. But,…
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Water Feature
New version Several books fell and unhinged the former version of Water Feature. It broke its nose. Thus, it became necessary to take action. This is the result of rebuilding the nose and restoring my unfortunate painting to glory. First, I wasn’t convinced, but the newest version grows on me. Why is it that some…