Veronica Michalowski: "On Viewing a White Canvas" and painting

On Viewing a White Canvas

create the composition--
          shells from last summer’s
          vacation
include an odd number
paint in oils
highlight the conch
          pink inside its rounded
                    edge of sea sounds
          dominates the others
enlarge the dark mussels
          indigo and orange
                    scallops

as if just washed ashore
place them on the surf
float above the earth
          coming in with the tide
                    after living their entire 
                    lives in the oceans
capture their place over the sand
          minimize shadows
          in the glistening sunrise


and use color
          more color
          to describe the rough
                    translucent surfaces

block in cadmium redyellow 
          reflective light
ultramarine blue from the depths
                    alabaster and amber of kelp
          mix secondary
                    tertiary fish-foul hues
          use pampas grass brush strokes
                    smooth some edges
create the memory
          textured with a palette knife

© Veronica Michalowski, May 15, 2019
About the author’s oil painting SEA REMNANTS, 1962

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Veronica Michalowski has published poetry in several anthologies, journals and in an online magazine.  She holds a MA from California State University, Fullerton in Fine Arts and her career focused in the fields of ideation, branding, package and display design.  She received both national and international recognition for exceptional design including two CLIOs.  She lives in Claremont, California.