After swimming for an hour at the Natatorium, I went to Punch Burgers
for lunch. I've never been there during a noon rush before
and it was nice to sit in a little nook to watch the customers' comings
and goings. As I sat there, savoring my turkey burger, Asian
cole slaw, and a glass of sweet red wine, I contemplated my muse.
Briefly, I looked up and noticed the circular motif in the
Plexiglas partition, the soft diffused light behind the pattern
spread, adding depth and variation to the circles.
Of course, it reminded me of the work of Victor Vasarely.
Sometimes called the "Father of Op-Art"
Vasarely's work over the years produced numerous
paintings dealing with the effects of color - how they relate
and interact with each other. Initially, Vasarely began his studies
to become a physician, but made a radical decision to instead
to become an artist. His scientific training contributed to
the artist's methodology and discipline as, over the years,
Vasarely conceived and developed the hard edge paintings
for which he became famous.
Working with color, watching the way different shades
can affect and change the whole character of a composition,
is both joyous and daunting. I wondered about Vasarely's
excitement when, in the middle of making a painting, the rush
of insight for variations to his initial idea suddenly
made themselves known to him. How fast did his mind work?
How many was he able to retain?
And my muse - how did he fit into my lunchtime reverie
about an Op Art master? Well, the warmth spreading from the
brightest part of the picture made me think about
the kindness of the man, whose warmth and humor are
not very well hidden behind his dark clothes
or the quirky exterior he sometimes affects.
Muse
I saw you today
And felt my heart
take flight.
Sparks of joyous light
Lit up the spot
Where you stood -
"He's here!" and my work
became a quiet song.
The sound of my computer,
clicking as I worked,
added syncopation to my happy dance
and eased my day along.
