Old Jock and Marie Anne could never find
Raspberries of the glowing amber kind
To fill the “ancient porcelain bowl.” (T'was lined
With amber glaze; outside a gold vine wound
In such a graceful pattern round and round.)
But if my Mother looked she always found
Enough to fill the bowl. That day we’d three
Distinguished guests. I loved to have them see
My lovely Mother as she looked at tea…
Her gown of creamy lace—her shining hair,
Her beads of old carved amber… all her rare
Fragile soft richness, like the berries there
With their pale amber bloom. I lover her so…
I wished that every body there could know…
“Why don’t you eat your berries, Child?”… then low
I bent my head to hide two burning tears
Of yearning love. How strange those vague cold fears
My child heart knew that day…what long long years
Since those last lovely hours of ecstasy
When she made Beauty live and thrill for me.
Louise Morey Bowman (1924) from Canadian Poetry: 1920-1960. Ed. Brian Trehearne. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 2010.
POETIC BITES (EXCERPTS FROM RESEARCH ESSAYS)
“Bowman uses imagery to place her readers within the domestic setting, creating a sentimental poem. The bowl is a metaphor for the containment of the loss of the speaker’s mothers. Bowman also uses a simile when describing the mother’s beauty: “fragile soft richness, like the berries there.””
CURATORIAL PROJECT STATEMENT
“The theme of my curatorial project involves the idea of death but revolves around its ever-constant presence, like a specter that one cannot see but knows it is there. The theme for this art exhibition was inspired by the poem “Amber Raspberries” by Canadian poet Louise Morey Bowmen. Within the poem there are references to the past and death, “Oh yearning love. How strange those vague cold fear”, as well as the delicate state that is human life, “fragile soft richness, like the berries there” Often death is looked at by many as a heavy cloud that follows all living beings, as well it is something that is often feared. The artworks in this exhibit will not being showing the fear that exists around death but instead the reality of death.”
Art works selected as part of Nicole Kwit's curatorial project "Mortality's Shadow" inspired by Bowman's poem. From left to right TOP: Egon Schiele, The Self Seer (1911); Gustav Klimt, Life and Death (1910); Egon Schiele, Agony (1912). BOTTOM: Edouard Manet, The Death Toreador (1864); John Everett Millais, Ophelia (1851-52); Rene Magritte, Manet's Balcony (1950)
ARTFUL FARE RESPONSES (RESPONSE TO ART WORK AND CURATORIAL PROJECT)
““Amber Raspberries,” by Louise Morey Bowman, tells a story of the loss of the narrator’s mother, using amber-coloured raspberries as a memory of her death. Both art students, Nicole Kwit and Mark Robinson, have revolved their art projects around the theme of death, and the importance of preserving memories. Kwit has curated images of her interpretation of the poem, each image reflecting loss and agony. Robinson has painted his interpretation of the poem, using lifeless images as well as amber known for preservation. ”
STUDENT BIOS
NICOLE KWIT (FINE ARTS, ART HISTORY) is a Fine Arts BFA Major currently completing her third year at KPU. She has a fascination with the history of art along with creating art; primarily working in digital media, illustrations, and light installations.
MARK ROBINSON (FINE ARTS) is a Fine Arts student at KPU, and he has no large plans for the future. He simply knows that creating art will be part of whichever plan he decides to follow.
KEANA TIGHE (ENGLISH) is very enthusiastic about writing and English literature.