Artist Poem For Séraphine Louis

Séraphine Louis

Séraphine Louis Naive art

They called it Naive art, these paintings by the cleaning lady. It is quite a story

Oh Séraphine

All artists should know you

for you painted for you

after scrubbing the dirty clothes

after being the help, the servant

after your hands were rough

you painted for you

and for your lady Madonna

and because your God

told you to

and

it drove you mad,

and you never knew anything but the work

followed by the paint on your hands, for

the artist’s hands are

always beautiful

when the painting is

finished.

You got there

you made it

you can’t hear me

can you?

So artist out there

paint when no one wants it,

paint with no one but you to see

paint when no one cares

paint when you know for sure

that the art will rot

in some forgotten attic.

Thank you

Séraphine Louis

for the art

lesson.

 

The movie

david michael jackson April 5, 2012 editors@artvilla.com