The Wisdom of Cherry Blossoms

'Cherry Blossoms' C.T. Rasmuss, Acrylic/India Ink, 2012.

 

 

Cherry Blossoms was part of a series in which I combined India Ink with my tessellation technique, as you will notice its composition and feel is modeled after the Japanese Prints that influenced my favorite Impressionists 150 years ago. 

As a kid up in Michigan I remember climbing and interacting with apple blossom trees, I was fascinated with the changes of the blossoms and noticing their transition into apples.  Years later in middle school science classes, we were taught this "ancient" technique of how Blossoms turn into fruit and why, n what not; after reading the poem by Toi Derricotte, I was immediately transported back to this time I forgot as child............I miss my old method of learning. 

Cherry blossoms

Toi Derricotte, 1941

I went down to
mingle my breath
with the breath
of the cherry blossoms.

There were photographers:
Mothers arranging their
children against
gnarled old trees;
a couple, hugging,
asks a passerby
to snap them
like that,
so that their love
will always be caught
between two friendships:
ours & the friendship
of the cherry trees.

Oh Cherry,
why can’t my poems
be as beautiful?

A young woman in a fur-trimmed
coat sets a card table
with linens, candles,
a picnic basket & wine.
A father tips
a boy’s wheelchair back
so he can gaze
up at a branched
heaven.
                     All around us
the blossoms
flurry down
whispering,

        Be patient
you have an ancient beauty.

                                            Be patient,
                                  you have an ancient beauty.

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Encountering a Fresh Medium

Asylum C.T. Rasmuss, India ink on linen (2012)

  Jerusha Tree C.T. Rasmuss, India ink on linen (2012)

I performed to an audience when creating the above two pieces at Creativa, a creative group based out of Cincinnati, OH and at a Disciple Ministries Concert in Hamilton, OH respectively...it was the first time I had ever used this medium and I had only practiced it just a few days before the 1st live action painting at Creative on Saturday, Oct. 13th.

I've always been curious about this medium and finally had a reason to use it, it dries fast and is perfect for performing live action painting; in my earlier experiences with performing live painting performances it was always a problem what to do logistically with the wet artwork after finishing, especially with the way I apply acrylics in an impasto manner.  After finally giving this medium a try, I'm hooked now and fascinated in the directions I can go!!  I can see why Vincent Van Gogh was so intrigued by the prints of the East, as well as Modernist, Henri Matisse, not just for their composition and pattern, but perhaps the way the ink interacts with such a simple and fine material like linen; I, myself really enjoy the simplicity of it..(definitely the opposite side of the spectrum for me:)

India ink has been around since the 3rd millennium B.C., it developed in China and the carbon pigment in India ink started to be traded in from India thereafter, hence the name India ink.