The Ink Spider is a painting by Ray Agius which was uploaded on April 29th, 2011.
Original - Not For Sale
Price
Not Specified
Dimensions
12.000 x 16.000 inches
This piece is not for sale. Please feel free to contact the artist directly regarding this or other pieces.
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Title
The Ink Spider
Artist
Ray Agius
Medium
Painting - Watercolour On Cold-pressed 300 Gsm Watercolour Paper
Description
The Ink Spider
Pencil, Ink, Watercolour on Arches, 300 gsm cold-pressed, watercolour block.
The Ink Spider
I dropped a blue splodge of ink on a sheet of rice-paper.
With luck, the ink ran in lines that complimented a vague vision in my young mind.
I could move the ink-bubble from side to side and a concept was formed in my mind.
When it did a wrong turn and deviated from my vision, I suddenly realized it could be something else and at age 6 it was my best artistic effort yet!
Carefully I dropped another blob of ink from the fountain-pen and soon enough I had a rather wonky looking and slightly cartoonish painting of obvious merit.
It was without doubt a shadowy bird precariously clinging to Cane fronds!
You could see the leaves distinctly, and the bird, although on its back, was obviously a Red Robin.
I waited for my dad to return from work.
Running up waving the drawing I gave it to my father with great pride.
He smiled broadly and thought it was a rather wonderful hairy black spider with 4 and a half legs.
Disappointed, never again did I give him that first exclusive look at any of my artwork!
He died in January 2001 at age 85.
I went to the Old-people�s home where he had lived.
I packed almost all of his remaining belongings in 5 small cardboard boxes.
Gave the rest of what was left to the other residents who took them gladly.
Picking a book by the bed, I opened it to where a folded scrap of rice-paper marked the last page of his life.
Dog-eared, yellowed and creased; stained, partly thorn and much the worse for wear, it opened into that painting.
One could easily see it still clearly showed a shadowy Red Robin and not a 4 and a half legged spider.
It dawned on me that it took nearly 50 years to realize how much he had had appreciated my artistic effort.
Emotions tend to have little respect for planned dignity.
The nurse realized I needed some privacy and snuck out of the room.
Amazingly...dried, old ink still runs when wet!
Uploaded
April 29th, 2011
More from Ray Agius
Comments (18)
Laurel Adams
Ray, you so understand the heart of this contest because your very aesthetic IS at its heART..You already know the Joy (and pain) of this exercise…YOU have already WON!
Ray Agius replied:
It is rarely the words said or the actions followed that make the impact, but the lingering damage to the soul that feeds off the guilt of the missing words never said but wished they had been.
Laurel Adams
Thank goodness there are two media in this entry, Ray…I couldn’t bear to remove it from a contest calling for SPECIFIC CRITERIA of a comfortable and an uncomfortable medium. I never before thought of tears as a medium…however, your exquisitely tender backstory DEFINITELY makes this entry the winner in my mind before it is even fully launched enough to qualify as a contest yet. Your work is not only technically Masterful is is reflective of genius and heArt. BRAVO, Ray. This MUST stay as an integral part of the contest.
Laurel Adams
Ray, this is brilliant...as is your backstory. Afterall, isn’t most of one’s Art another page of ones visual HeArt diary? ...v...best to you LF
Ray Agius replied:
So nice of you Laurel. I might be a little different than most artists. The story behind the paintings is as, sometimes more important than the painting...and there is always a story. :)
Sandy McIntire
I can't begin to tell you how much I admire this painting. The technique, the colors, the design and the theme are all perfect! Bravo!
Ray Agius
Thank you Hartmut. So many thing needing saying in such a brief time of life. Thank you for understanding.
Hartmut Jager
Beautiful, perfectly balanced and delicate great watercolor painting - and a very, very touching 'Ink Spider' story. In a way it shows how we all see the world (and art) in different, but equally worthwhile ways.
Sondra Myers
Amazing highly talented diverse artist. I truly enjoyed your entire collection of works Ray
Ray Agius
To know that my short stories are being read is more than I could ask for Clotilde. Thank you Clotilde and thank you Cecilia for sharing my work.:o)
Clotilde Espinosa
Thanks to Cecilia I read your description and here I am writing with tears in my eyes. This is my second look at your work wish gives such a pleasure I had to let you know. Your talent I envy.
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