Sunday 17 January 2010

The Way Through The Woods

(Markable Witches - Rewards & Fairies)

They shut the road through the woods
Seventy years ago,
Weather and rain have undone it again,
And now you would never know
There was once a road through the woods
Before they planted the trees.
It is underneath the coppice and heath
And the thin anemones.
Only the keeper sees
That, where the ring-dove broods,
And the badgers roll at ease,
There was once a road through the woods.

Yet if you enter the woods
Of a summer evening late,
When the night air cools on the trout ringed pools
Where the otter whistles his mate,
(They fear not men in the woods,
Because they see so few.)
You will hear the beat of a horses feet,
And the swish of a skirt in the dew,
Steadily cantering through
The misty solitudes,
As though they perfectly knew
The old lost road through the woods...
But there is no road through the woods.

Rudyard Kipling

44 comments:

Jasmine said...

I was given a poetry compilation for Christmas. There are 2-3 poems that have really enchanted me, this being one of them.

I made this needle felt painting to try and recreate a dense unused coppice that is left to only the wildlife and history. The photographs don't fit the entire image, nor do they show the true colours. The most true to the image are the two to the bottom which were taken with the flash. The sepia toned was taken without a flash and is completely incorrect but i do like the aged quality it adds to the picture. I will probable replace the pictures with better ones at a later date.

ArtSparker said...

You get a lot better result with the flash than I do, judging especially by the bottom photo. A very successful piece, the trees are very dance-y.

Seth said...

These felt pieces are so unique and special.

Ginga Squid said...

Very beautiful! I like the colours & the movement you have captured.

lynne h said...

i will go sit with these trees, jasmine. that's what i think when i look at them... you have so captured the tree-ness of trees... xo

Anne said...

i love this goldenyellow picture:))

Carol Anne Strange said...

Your needle felt painting is wonderful, Jasmine! We definitely share a love of trees. xx

Jasmine said...

Thank you Susan. I got an eye infection so I had to stop making this as my eyes are swollen now. Its hard for me to see if I spoiled it y continuing anyway or if i stopped at the right place.

Seth - Thak you :)

Ginga Squid - I made this differently to my other felt pictures. This one, I needle felted the design then I wet felted, rolled and fulled the picture before adding definition in black merino and white silk...

Lynne - That would be lovely. I can see you there painting sticks for them :) x

Assayya - Seeing the picture in the amer/sepia tones was quite a surprise. It is very different from the real piece but I like it too :))

Carol - Thank you. I love the way that you write about trees. Have you come across the festival of trees yet?

Lyon said...

For some reason this piece more than any other I've seen from you lately (though they are all awesome) is really incredible. It draws me in. It's fantastic.

Suzi Smith said...

I love your interpretation jasmine... i thought there were 2 versions at first- i like the sepia effect!

dorie said...

the trees are very lifely - I like them!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

I love the poem and your trees felt painting - it really fits with the poem and is so atmospheric - makes me want to go into the woods.

Manon said...

I just adore your pieces Jasmine! Everything about them!!

Lucky Dip Lisa said...

I bet these are as great to hold and feel as they are too look at! I imagine felt must be very soothing to work with once the hard grafts done and I love that it can be used to illustrate an idea...a thought..a feeling. I never would have thought of that!

Anonymous said...

I listened to "the path throw the forest" in nuggets. English 60s. The ffeling is magic. I like woods. Wery good makes me wanting to go back to the old days when things where natural not industrial.

Yvette said...

A hug for all the trees in the world.
And another hug for you!

yvette

Joei Rhode Island said...

A wonderful interpretation of the poetry, Jasmine. It looks mysterious yet inviting...like the poem.
Don't you love how you can soften effects then put detail in with felt? My friend Diane does this type of work and it always amazes me to see it.

Debrina said...

Jasmine - I came over right away as soon as I saw your comment on my ICE post. What IDIOTS!!!!! Oh, my heart just sank as soon as I read what you wrote....I can't believe what thoughtless, stupid twits they were! Arrrggghhh. Have they been caught? They should be hung, drawn and blinken' quartered!!
Ok...composing myself now...

On a happier note - OMG am I LOVING your new felt pieces! And the poem is PERFECT and now one of my favourites (up there with Browning's Meeting at Night (my all time favourite). You must email me: debrinasblog@yahoo.com...I feel a strong friendship coming on... I still have your necklace, btw (of course I do! I could NEVER get rid of it and I'd just die if I lost it).

Jasmine said...

Debrina - Thank you. I will email tomorrow if that is ok. I have conjunctivitus in oth eyes (boo hiss!) so only on computer for very short spells. xx

Harnett-Hargrove said...

There is an incredible metallic quality to this work... so interesting. -Jayne

Celeste Bergin said...

Jasmine, sorry to read that you have conjunctivitis! I had that once and I remember being extremely unhappy about it! Your Felt trees/forests are remarkable. I agree with the poster who wrote she is "drawn in" by them. I agree. I want to step inside..they are welcoming. Get well soon.

Caio Fern said...

the brow trunk in the midle is so strong and the whole composition is fantastic !
i loved the poem .....
how did i lose this post . january 17th !!!
what day is today !!
i can't believe !

better late than never .
thank you Jasmine ... this post is a real trip .

Lickety Splitter said...

Hi Jasmine, I hope your eye is feeling better.

Ahhhh ... trees glorious trees. They suffer us all the while giving to us. I love them.

Ruthie Redden said...

Jasmine, i love this poem and the pieces of felting you have done have a wonderful mysterious feel to them. I hope you are feeling better soon x x x

Crafty Green Poet said...

I love the texture you've made in the tree trunks, beautiful

Jo Potter said...

Hi Jasmine,
The poem is great... Your picture and felt images are very beautiful.
I love the earthy colours and the tangled branches of the woods.
I share with you a love of trees as you know and now you have visited Carol and met another kindred spirit!;)
Thank you for visiting my post. I enjoyed hearing about your cat following you to the shops... They are special creatures and need just as much attention as a dog.
Zigsa loves his walks and cuddles.:)
xx

Karin Bartimole said...

I just love these trees - I really am blown away by your technique Jasmine! There is something very appealing about the golden hues radiating from your first photo.
Beautiful as always!! xo K

Anonymous said...

Such beautiful needle-felting. This is just the sort of thing that makes me want to pick up (yet another) craft!

Ethel said...

lovely! did you want to join my art blog? i'm wondering about keeping it open...since it's not a therapy session per se and more a "Virtual" open studio...anyway, i'm keeping it open for now but if you would like to join or post there let me know! thanks! love your work with felt.

Martine said...

I would like to take a walk trough these trees with you.
XXXm

Yvette said...

received your mail write soon back but you can use it for your blog of course

love
yvette

Unseen India Tours said...

Beautiful Words and fantastic shot !! Simply Great and Amazing !

Laura said...

oh such beautiful magical trees...love the needle felting. You are such a gifted artist.

rose AKA Walk in the Woods - she/her said...

Your work is just stunning. I love this with the trees. But, I would. :)

Caterina Giglio said...

these pieces are wonderful, very mysterious and intriguing. thanks for your kind remarks! xo

JeffScape said...

Kipling rocks, doesn't he?

Those images are felt? I had no idea at first... although now I can recognize it in that bottom photograph (but only because I saw your labels).

Pretty cool!

lettuce said...

these are perfect for the poem

well, perfect without it! they really draw one in

Momo Luna S!gnals said...

Wow! I love your felt 'paintings' a lot! So rich in texture and colours. Beautiful work. I also love trees a lot, they're magical.

Sweet greetz!

Anonymous said...

You have a gift Jasmine and the way you nuture such, is a gift in itself.
Trees are very special and I am thinking, you have managed to capture that specialness.

Delwyn said...

Jasmin

your trees are just exquisite...such depth and feeling in the woodsy forest of Grey...

When I first started blogging I met a lovely girl from Brisbane whose blog is called fortheloveof art

you'll see it way down at the bottom of my list. She has gone quiet - fell in love! But she was doing felted pieces too. You may be interested in her work.

Happy days

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

How beautiful! I love your blog..so inviting! ♥

ramblingwoods said...

I love the texture as it makes the woods seem warm and inviting. Nice to see someone else finding magic in Mother nature.... My Festival of The Trees Post..Herbie The Elm Tree

Shayna said...

Oh Jasmine - your art is ABSOLUTELY wondrous!!!

Yarni Gras! said...

I love this painting, it is so lovely!