Do you remember the chair from the D.H. Lawrence Ranch? It’s an oversized chair for an oversized figure. Only the wood frame is left.
I sketched the outline of the chair when we visited the ranch in early February, but I didn’t color it in until last night, sitting in a council meeting.
d.h. lawrence sat here. and probably frieda and georgia and mabel and tony and and and…the leather is all gone all that remains is the oversized frame…for an oversized being.
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ybonesy, it was exactly a year ago today that we were at Kiowa, the D. H. Lawrence Ranch, in New Mexico and you drew this sketch.
I remember when you posted this drawing of his chair. I couldn’t believe how quickly you sketched it on the porch that day.
I took photographs and here is one of the same chair:
D. H. Lawrence Chair (PHOTO LINK)
I also wrote a response to your piece with a few more photos from Kiowa:
Giants Sat Here – I Remember (LINK)
I fell in love with Dorothy Brett that day, too. Ah, memories. That was a magical day. I was feeling more idealistic about writing and life back then. I’ve toned down quite a bit. But the memories really ground me in that optimism. And visiting places like this are so good for the Soul.
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I didn’t realize it was a year ago today. Hmmm, so that was our last workshop? Gosh, that means, too, a year ago that we finished the workshop.
I remember lots of snow, briefly getting lost trying to find the correct turn to DH Lawrence Ranch. You reading most of the placards out loud to us and then finding an excerpt in your book to tell us more about what we were looking at.
I love seeing the photo of the chair, because it shows how giant it really is. I agree with the folks who commented on the photo on Flickr: great composition.
We should do a post of the drawing and the photo side-by-side. We should read one of DH Lawrence’s books — maybe something from Mr. Sminda’s list (oops, I just checked the list at this LINK, and I don’t see anything by DH Lawrence. In that case, maybe something by Dorothy Brett? Any suggestions, QM? Then we could do a writing post with the two side-by-side images.
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Oh, just to add, visiting places like that are good for the Soul.
I also felt extra optimistic at that time. So much sound structure that I had put into place. And my art was just taking off again.
Well, I still feel pretty good about writing and art. Look, we have this blog, which keeps us producing every week, many days a week. A great community that sustains us, inspires us, and vice versa. I’m about to join a finished writing project group. I’m nervous, though, because I’m not sure if I’m putting too much on my plate. I don’t want to overcommit and then fail.
I’m still wishing I could only write and paint. Making a living is such a pain. Maybe that’s where the realism comes into play. Yeah, I’m more realistic now, too.
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ybonesy, yes, it was a year ago this week that we were at the last Taos Writing Intensive with Natalie. And this exact day that we went to Kiowa. I can’t believe a whole year has gone by.
I, like you, put a ton of structure in place for my writing and photography during that Intensive. And I was very optimistic about what I might achieve. Just giving ourselves those 4 weeks over that year to write, sit in silence, meditate, study with Natalie, was a huge gift. I’ll never forget it. And everything I learned.
I’d love to do a post with your drawing and my photo of D. H. Lawrence’s chair, side by side. Let me see what I can rustle up in terms of quotes or something. Maybe we won’t read a whole book (somehow that sounds hard to me at this moment with all the other ones I am reading!) but a few short passages.
Or maybe a book. I’ll think about that one.
red Ravine definitely keeps us producing. Doing art, and writing on demand nearly every day, keeps me on my toes for the other projects I am doing, including the money making ones. It’s good practice (and part of my practice). The community is really the most rewarding, too. I get so much from our readers, guests, and commenters.
I’ll be curious to see how it goes with your finished writing project group. It does sound like a big commitment. But another good step forward with your writing.
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ybonesy, was I really reading all the placards out loud? 8) I remember it was cool and snowy that day. And slipping on the ice. The book I was reading from had just come out – a little more history of D. H. Lawrence, his wife (who had the chapel built), and Mabel and Dorothy. Quite the gang, an odd mix. I bought it at Mabel Dodge. It was written by a local bookstore owner and added a richness to that visit for me. It was maybe the 3rd time I’d been there. One of those writerly pilgrimages.
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[…] -related to posts, The Name Game (What’s In A Name?), Giants Sat Here […]
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[…] her house is a museum, guesthouse and literary shrine all in one. For anyone on the trail of Lawrence, it’s the first of three essential ports of call. As I make my way up the groaning narrow stairs, […]
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